Eleanor Ringel Kater
Gender politics and office politics clash with fury in “Fair Game,” a perversely provocative and shamelessly entertaining new film playing in theaters and on Netflix.
Emily (Phoebe Dynevor) and Luke (Alden Ehrenreich) are shown having Sonny Corleone-style sex at a wedding, that is, lustful, secret copulation, out of sight of the other guests. However, everything ends sweetly with him offering her an engagement ring.
The next morning, in their shared apartment in Chinatown, she quietly leaves the ring at home. Why? Because they both work at the same hedge fund company, where personal relationships between employees are not allowed.
Fierce competition allowed; Before the first coffee break, the top manager is fired, leaving an open office and an empty seat in the corporate hierarchy. Emily hears a rumor that Luke will get it, and they celebrate with champagne (and more sex).
Unexpectedly, Emily gets the promotion.
“Congratulations,” he says.
“I’m really sorry,” she says.
That, perhaps, is the whole film in a nutshell. In an era of supposed gender equality, there are still some pretty serious consequences when she becomes his boss. Since no one, including Big Boss (played superbly by Eddie Marsan in a supporting role by Logan Roy), knows about their relationship, she hears Luke’s less-than-stellar assessment from his superiors (he’ll eventually get the message and either walk out or jump out the window) . And he can hear the ugly assessments of his colleagues behind her back (she slept with Marsan, she is a symbol of the HR department, etc.)
And so, it goes. But the real bloodshed, as the first sex scene presciently points out, happens outside the office. He’s trying to be 21st.-the century-old man supports. She’s trying to be 21st.– century – a merciful woman. Despite this, they eventually find themselves embroiled in a fight as brutal as anything we saw in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Writer/director Chloe Domont, making her feature film debut, has a keen and unforgiving eye for both of her leads. He may first approach the mattresses (to continue the Godfather references) with comments about the way she dresses and some analyst advice that backfires. Was this a mistake or deliberate sabotage?
But she’s also a fighter, going with her executive brothers to a strip club where the guys trade anecdotes worthy of Brett Kavanaugh’s alleged bad behavior. We remind you that business is still a predominantly male game played by male rules.
Unfortunately, in the last third the film turns into a melodramatic spectacle.
But “Fair Game” is so accurate and draws from so many gender stereotypes that it’s impossible not to admire it. Much of the credit goes to Daumont, but its stars deserve something like a standing ovation. They embrace their true romance and their royal demeanor with equal fearlessness and insight. Their performances are as chillingly convincing as Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in Revolutionary Road.
Those on both sides of the gender divide may complain that Fair Play doesn’t treat either Emily or Luke fairly. However, this picture shows something that hasn’t been seen in a while, taking us far beyond Fatal Attraction-style workplace antics. And he does it without boiling a single rabbit.