“Fair Play” is a psychological thriller from writer/director Chloe Domont in her directorial debut. The film follows Emily and Luke, a recently engaged couple who keep their relationship hidden from the cutthroat hedge fund where they work, but when Emily receives a promotion, her personal life starts to unravel. The cast includes Phoebe Dynevor (“Bridgerton”), Alden Ehrenreich (“Hail, Caesar!”) and Eddie Marsan (“Ray Donovan”).

While I heard a lot of praise for this film when it premiered at Sundance, I still wasn’t sure what to expect, especially considering its classification as an erotic thriller. Thankfully, “Fair Play” has fantastic performances, great directing and a tightly written script.

One of the best elements of the film is its performances, particularly in the lead roles. Dynevor was terrific as Emily, but Ehrenreich was the standout for me. The latter actor’s career seems back on track after his leading role in the box-office bomb “Solo: A Star Wars Story.” He perfectly captures everything about Luke that makes him both human and reprehensible.

Chloe Domont’s script and direction also play a big role in why the film works so well. This is ultimately a story about gender dynamics in the workplace, and the characters push this theme as far as possible. Luke is a pathetic man who feels emasculated simply because his fiancée earns more money than him. The film makes it clear that she was promoted due to her ability, but Luke tries to cope by implying that she slept her way to the top.

Emily, on the other hand, plays the role of a woman who feels forced to act like a man to be seen as worthy of her job. There’s a scene in which her coworkers ask her to celebrate a recent work victory at a strip club. Despite the very clear HR violation, she accompanies them and gets pretty into it, even getting herself a lap dance and laughing along to a messed up fraternity story just to act like “one of the guys.”

All of this takes a toll on the couple, with their sex life becoming non-existent after Emily’s promotion, in contrast with their intimacy earlier in the film. This relationship deterioration is another big conflict of the film, and, once again, Domont’s script squeezes it for as much drama as possible. There were numerous points in the film where I had a pit in my stomach, almost to the point where I had to pause it and take a break. The film is an uncomfortable watch at times, partially due to the sense of tension but also due to its content.

I should note that there is, unfortunately, a rape scene in the last act. I think that the scene is perfectly in line with what the movie is about, but I was very uncomfortable watching it, thus I think I should warn people before they watch it.

All in all, “Fair Play” is a terrific thriller with two fantastic leads, solid directing and an exceptionally scripted narrative. Not only is this a tense film, but I think it has some interesting things to say about gender in the workplace, making it an important watch as well.

RATING: 9/10