---
title: "Fair Play"
year: 2023
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/fair-play"
fi1m_id: "fair-play"
imdb_id: "tt16304446"
tmdb_id: 910571
wikidata_id: "Q116055757"
fi1m_score: 68
critics_score: 75
critics_reviews: 17
published: "2026-09-10"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:05.999740+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Fair Play (2023)

Directed by Chloe Domont · 1h 53m · MPA R · Drama, Thriller, Romance

## Identity

Fair Play

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/fair-play
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** fair-play
- **IMDb ID:** tt16304446
- **TMDB ID:** 910571
- **Wikidata ID:** Q116055757
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16304446/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/910571, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q116055757

**Fi1m score: 68** · Critics 75 from 17 reviews

*In a sentence:* She gets the promotion; he gets the sofa, a grievance, and a hundred and thirteen minutes to nurse it

> Chloe Domont’s first film watches a secret office romance curdle when she is promoted over him, and for an hour it is as sharp as anything in the genre. Then it decides who the villain is and stops looking.

## Synopsis

Emily (Phoebe Dynevor) and Luke (Alden Ehrenreich) are analysts at a Manhattan hedge fund. They are also engaged, which nobody at the firm is permitted to know, so they arrive at work separately and go home together. When a portfolio manager is fired, the trading floor assumes Luke will be given the job. Instead the boss, Campbell (Eddie Marsan), calls Emily in and gives it to her. She comes home in the small hours to tell him, and he says the right things. Chloe Domont writes and directs her first feature, with Rich Sommer, Sebastian de Souza and Geraldine Somerville in support. It runs 113 minutes and carries an 18 certificate.

## Review

Emily (Phoebe Dynevor) and Luke (Alden Ehrenreich) are analysts at a Manhattan hedge fund, and they are engaged, which nobody at work is allowed to know. Chloe Domont, writing and directing her first film, opens on the proposal, in a bathroom at a wedding, with her period blood on his face and both of them laughing about it. It is a good start: two people who find each other’s mess funny. Then a portfolio manager is marched off the floor, everyone decides Luke has the job, and Emily is called in and given it instead. She walks home at two in the morning to tell him.

For about an hour *Fair Play* is as sharp as the notices say. Domont understands that the damage will not be done by shouting but by small things: how long Luke takes to say congratulations, whose name Campbell (Eddie Marsan), the boss, remembers and whose he does not, who ends up making dinner that night. Then the film decides that Luke is the problem and spends its second half proving it, and it gets less interesting as he gets worse. It is worth seeing for the first hour and the two leads, and we would not send you in expecting the film most critics saw.

The leads do the work. Dynevor plays Emily as someone who wants the job and wants him not to mind, and who slowly realises she cannot have both, and she lets us watch her working out which to give up. Ehrenreich is doing something harder. Luke says all the right things, tells her she deserves it, offers to cook, and his face arrives at each line a half-second after his mouth. We watched him take the news in the kitchen and felt the film tighten around us, because we knew then exactly where it was going and could not look away from him getting there. Marsan, as Campbell, barely raises his voice and is the most frightening person in the building.

Menno Mans shoots the trading floor as glass, grey light and screens, everyone visible to everyone else, and shoots the couple’s flat close and slightly too dark, so the place where they are supposed to be safe feels cramped. Steve Summersgill’s production design gives the office nothing personal to hold on to and gives Emily’s new room a door, which turns out to matter more than anything on the desks. Kate Forbes dresses her sharper by the week and leaves Luke in the same suits. Brian McOmber’s score is mostly a low pulse and has the sense to stay out of the arguments. Franklin Peterson cuts the office fast and the flat slow, which is the right way round.

The trouble is the script. Domont stacks the deck. Emily is allowed doubt, tact, a bad night out with the men and a phone line to a mother (Geraldine Somerville) who only wants to talk about the wedding. Luke is allowed a grievance, and then more grievance, and nobody around him says anything that might complicate it. By the last half hour the film has left observation behind for the mechanics of a thriller, and we will not describe where those mechanics take it. We can say that we were angry by the end, partly at Luke, as intended, and partly at the film for making him so easy to be angry at. A story about two people who used to like each other should hurt more than this one does.

Domont knows the films she is answering. The office is the one from [*Wall Street*](https://film.one/film/wall-street) (1987) with the braces taken off, and the bedroom scenes owe something to the erotic thrillers of the following decade, though she is a good deal less interested in the sex than they were. What she adds is the domestic detail: who cooks, who pays, who has to lie to whom at work and how well. Those are her best scenes and there are not quite enough of them.

It is an 18, and it earns the certificate in the final stretch rather than the first. Watch it with someone whose salary you know. You will find out quite quickly which of you is Luke.

*Fi1m score 68, published 10 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics like Fair Play. Fourteen of the seventeen reviews are positive, and nearly all of them single out Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich, whose performances as the engaged analysts are repeatedly called the reason the film holds together. Chloe Domont’s direction draws steady praise for a debut, and several reviews credit her with getting the hedge-fund world right, down to the status markers.

The reservations gather around the script rather than the filmmaking. A number of critics find the third act improbable or overlong, and some feel the film loses nerve at the end, turning moralistic where it had been unsettling. The dissent runs deeper in a few places: Vulture finds the treatment of sex and sexism too black and white, Little White Lies calls the whole thing generic, and The Playlist sees a conservative take on a provocative premise. The spread is narrow, with the argument mostly about whether the film says anything new.

## Straight answers

**Is Fair Play worth watching?**

*Fair Play* is worth watching for its first hour and its two leads, and we scored it 68. Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich are precise about how a promotion sours an engagement in small ways, but Chloe Domont's script then decides Luke is the villain and stops looking at anyone else. See it if you enjoy office thrillers and can forgive a second half that argues with itself less than it should.

**How long is Fair Play, and what is it rated?**

*Fair Play* runs 1h 53m and is rated R by the MPA in the US. It is a drama and thriller film.

**Where can I watch Fair Play in the US?**

*Fair Play* is streaming on Netflix in the US. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Fair Play, and is it suitable for children?**

*Fair Play* carries an 18 certificate and is not suitable for children. There is no action violence to speak of; the certificate comes from adult sexual content, strong language and a final stretch that turns from observation into thriller and earns the rating there rather than at the start. Teenagers should be steered elsewhere, and the squeamish should know the arguments become physical as well as verbal.

**How does Fair Play compare to Margin Call?**

*Fair Play* and [*Margin Call*](https://film.one/film/margin-call) both take place in Manhattan finance, but they are different films. J.C. Chandor's is one long night in a bank during the crash, with a dozen frightened people talking their way to a decision and no villain named. Domont's is a two-person story about a couple, and it picks a side; Chandor's is the tighter and fairer of the two, while *Fair Play* has the more intimate first hour.

**What should I watch after Fair Play?**

After *Fair Play*, try [*Margin Call*](https://film.one/film/margin-call) (2011, Fi1m 82): One long night in a bank, and the quiet men are the dangerous ones. Then [*Force Majeure*](https://film.one/film/force-majeure) (2014, Fi1m 84): A husband runs the wrong way in an avalanche; the marriage never recovers; and [*Working Girl*](https://film.one/film/working-girl) (1988, Fi1m 80): The same office politics played for laughs, with the stakes still real.

### Reviews we read (25)

- **Los Angeles Times**, Justin Chang (85/100, inferred): Chloe Domont’s sharply assured feature debut is a smart, crackling thriller about sex, money, gender, and power that mounts an up-to-the-minute rejoinder to classic corporate thrillers. Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich give superb performances as the couple whose relationship unravels under professional pressures. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-09-27/fair-play-review-netflix-erotic-thriller-alden-ehrenreich-phoebe-dynevor)
- **Variety**, Owen Gleiberman (Critics Pick): Chloe Domont’s first feature is a riveting financial drama that nails the hedge-fund world while probing sexual passion and politics in the post-#MeToo era with artfully deft storytelling. It has much to say about the post-#MeToo world and has a lot of fun saying it. [Read](https://variety.com/2023/film/reviews/fair-play-review-alden-ehrenreich-phoebe-dynevor-1235497838/)
- **The Telegraph**, Robbie Collin (4/5): Chloe Domont’s sizzling debut is a brilliant erotic workplace thriller that turns steamy romance into icy resentment when the woman gets promoted over her partner. It offers a sly, perceptive take on toxic male entitlement with finely calibrated performances from Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/fair-play-review-phoebe-dynevor-alden-ehrenreich/)
- **Total Film** (80/100, inferred): The review calls the film a gripping, sleek, and impressive debut feature from Chloe Domont. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/fair-play-review-netflix/)
- **The AV Club**, Brent Simon (B): The critic calls it a wickedly engaging bad-romance thriller that excels in exploring messy complications of romance amid shifting power dynamics, praising the leads' performances while noting some third-act shortcomings in articulation. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/fair-play-film-review-netflix-1850875028)
- **Empire**, Sophie Butcher (75/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's tense exploration of gender dynamics in a competitive hedge fund setting, noting strong performances especially from Phoebe Dynevor who balances vulnerability with steely strength, and the leads' chemistry that keeps the thriller gripping despite some plot veers. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/fair-play/)
- **The Guardian** (70/100, inferred): The caustic debut sets up a model relationship in a ruthless hedge fund where the woman's promotion exposes hidden male resentment and entitlement. It is an excellent but imperfect film that stacks the deck too far in one character's favor while delivering a propulsive, well-acted portrait of gendered power dynamics. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/oct/17/fair-play-netflix-good-guy-delusion)
- **Little White Lies**, Hannah Strong (4/3/2): The critic calls it a disappointingly generic corporate drama that fails to make the most of its premise about gender and sexual politics in domestic and professional settings. The script lacks imagination or insight, culminating in a predictable act of sexual violence. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/fair-play/)
- **Vulture** (40/100, inferred): The critic finds the film limited by its binary black-and-white approach to sex and sexism, praising its adept visualization of high-pressure workplaces and use of cringe but criticizing the lack of nuance and shades of gray. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/fair-play-review-it-never-gives-itself-a-fair-shot.html)
- **Financial Times**, Danny Leigh (★★★★☆): Chloe Domont’s impressive debut is a bracing, intelligent erotic thriller about a promotion that sparks dangerous friction at a hedge fund. It trades on forbidden lust but stays largely free of the genre’s ripe excess while nailing workplace status markers and gender dynamics. [Read](https://www.ft.com/content/57ebfd1a-5ca9-418e-a612-e8a21a599855)
- **Screen Daily**: The critic describes an indictment of capitalism and fragile masculinity in which a would-be power couple’s bond proves tenuous after a promotion; it is wilfully provocative and sometimes strains credibility, but its poisonous cauldron of greed and contempt proves arresting, with compelling leads. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/fair-play-sundance-review/5178365.article)
- **Sight and Sound**: The critic finds it an incisive and slick workplace thriller that examines fragile masculinity and career competition through a poisonous relationship, with effective placement in the world of corporate finance. It praises the performances and the spikily satisfying finale while noting that the gender commentary can veer towards the obvious. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/fair-play-this-stormy-bitter-office-thriller-doesnt-pull-its-punches)
- **Slant Magazine**, Chuck Bowen: The critic praises its gripping depiction of shifting power dynamics and sharp dramatization of premarital decay, but notes it ultimately backs away from its most disturbing ideas and steers into moralistic waters. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/fair-play-review-alden-ehrenreich-phoebe-dynevor/)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, David Rooney: The critic finds the film slick and confident but not terribly deep, praising its nondidactic take on gender conflict while noting it lacks provocation and has some improbable turns. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/fair-play-review-phoebe-dynevor-alden-ehrenreich-1235309322/)
- **The New York Times**, Amy Nicholson (Critic’s Pick): The film is a superbly malevolent erotic thriller about two ambitious financial analysts whose secret engagement unravels after a promotion disrupts their power dynamic. Domont’s cutting observations on money, gender, and power are singled out for praise in an impeccable debut. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/05/movies/fair-play-review.html)
- **The Times** (★★★★☆): Chloe Domont’s debut feature is a bracingly modern yet deliberately old-fashioned guilty-pleasure thriller about a secret office romance torn apart by a promotion at a Manhattan hedge fund. The message is clear: it’s still kill or be killed, with knockout turns from the leads. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/fair-play-review-knockout-turns-make-this-cut-throat-hedge-fund-thriller-l9nsp72c9)
- **Collider**, Therese Lacson (A): The critic finds the film a strong, anxiety-inducing thriller about a couple's toxic power shift. She singles out the leads' explosive chemistry and the script's sharp handling of gender and ambition themes. [Read](https://collider.com/fair-play-review-phoebe-dynevor-alden-ehrenreich/)
- **/Film**, Ben Pearson (9/10): The sharp script and phenomenal lead performances highlight the corrupting nature of power and ambition in a thrilling way, making for an electric and perversely thrilling experience. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/1174781/fair-play-review-a-couple-experiences-shifting-power-dynamics-in-this-high-stakes-thriller-sundance/)
- **The Wrap** (90/100, inferred): The critic praises Chloe Domont's debut as an explosive relationship thriller that heralds an exciting new talent, highlighting the terrific performances by Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich and the film's tight, taut direction. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/fair-play-review-chloe-domont/)
- **Digital Spy**, Mireia Mullor (80/100, inferred): The critic calls the film a sharp-witted and incredibly stressful drama that draws blood from unexpected places and one of the best Netflix releases of the year. They single out the boundary-breaking period sex scene that opens the movie and the star-making performances by the leads. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a45451500/fair-play-review/)
- **HeyUGuys**, Nathan McVay (4/5): It's a complete triumph and the best debut at Sundance 2023, with masterful thriller filmmaking and pitch-perfect performances from Dynevor and Ehrenreich that make it an intense, fun ride. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/fair-play-review/)
- **Deadline**, Valerie Complex (70/100, inferred): The critic describes an intense ride as a young couple descends into relationship hell over a job promotion, praising the performances but noting the film is too long and ends up in unrealistic territory. [Read](https://deadline.com/2023/01/fair-play-sundance-film-festival-review-1235230407/)
- **Film Stories**, Maria Lattila (70/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a unique exploration of power dynamics in work and relationships, praising the cast's performances especially Dynevor and Ehrenreich, but notes it feels bloated and switches between thoughtful drama and trashy thriller without fully delivering on either. [Read](https://filmstories.co.uk/reviews/fair-play-review-chloe-domonts-feature-debut-is-a-sizzling-workplace-drama/)
- **The Playlist**, Jason Bailey (C-): The film misses opportunities to explore erotic and power dynamics provocatively, instead becoming a conservative take with silly turns and narrative leaps, though performances are decent. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/fair-play-review-phoebe-dynevor-alden-ehrenreich-fronted-erotic-thriller-series-missed-opportunities-sundance-20230121/)
- **Paste**, Jacob Oller (7.7): The critic calls it a blistering relationship thriller that effectively portrays entitlement and toxic dynamics in finance. He singles out Phoebe Dynevor's phenomenal performance and the visceral, unpredictable ending. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/sundance-2023/fair-play-review)

## Details

- **Director:** Chloe Domont
- **Director:** Chloe Domont
- **Writer:** Chloe Domont
- **Cinematography:** Menno Mans
- **Editor:** Franklin Peterson
- **Music:** Brian McOmber
- **Production design:** Steve Summersgill
- **Costume design:** Kate Forbes
- **Producer:** Leopold Hughes, Ben LeClair, Tim White
- **Cast:** Phoebe Dynevor as Emily; Alden Ehrenreich as Luke; Eddie Marsan as Campbell; Rich Sommer as Paul; Sebastian de Souza as Rory; Sia Alipour as Arjun; Yacine Ramoul as Jeremie; Brandon Bassir as Dax
- **Runtime:** 1h 53m
- **Certificate (MPA):** R
- **Release (the US):** 29 September 2023
- **Genres:** Drama, Thriller, Romance
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vw9fgeNoTDU

## Where to watch in the US

- Netflix: streaming

*Checked 2026-09-10.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, AZ, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, SK, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Margin Call* (2011), Fi1m 82: One long night in a bank, and the quiet men are the dangerous ones. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/margin-call.md)
- *Force Majeure* (2014), Fi1m 84: A husband runs the wrong way in an avalanche; the marriage never recovers. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/force-majeure.md)
- *Working Girl* (1988), Fi1m 80: The same office politics played for laughs, with the stakes still real. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/working-girl.md)
- *Industry* (2020): Graduate bankers in London, and everyone is sleeping with a rival.
- *Scenes from a Marriage* (1973): Bergman takes a couple apart slowly and lets both of them be right.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/fair-play