Fair Play

Directed by Chloe Domont, Fair Play details the turmoil that ensues between a young couple (Phoebe Dynevor’s Emily and Alden Ehrenreich’s Luke) in the wake of an unanticipated promotion. Filmmaker Domont, armed with her own screenplay, delivers a solid drama that benefits substantially from the top-tier efforts of its stars, as both Dynevor and Ehrenreich turn in compelling and often searing work that goes a long way towards perpetuating the engaging atmosphere – with, especially, Ehrenreich’s impressively commanding performance standing as a continuing highlight within the proceedings. It’s clear, too, that Fair Play’s success is due in large part to its compelling (and, given its world-of-finance milieu, refreshingly coherent) narrative, while the inclusion of several unexpectedly electrifying sequences elevates the picture above its myriad of similarly-themed brethren. And while certain late-in-the-game developments are hard to swallow, to say the least, Fair Play has nevertheless long-since cemented its place as an above-average piece of work that has some cogent, timely things to say about relationships.

*** out of ****