This article contains spoilers for Fair Play, which is now streaming on Netflix.
Fair Play''s story revolves around Luke and Emily, two (initially) loved-up workers at One Crest Capital, an uber-competitive hedge fund firm. Luke (Alden Ehrenreich) proposes to Emily (Phoebe Dynevor) at a wedding they’re attending, and the happy couple return to work, excited about their future together.
Whilst everything seems to be going great for the pair, their relationship is soon turned upside down when Emily receives a promotion to portfolio manager at the office, and Luke remains a financial analyst, his fragile ego shattered by the fact he wasn't chosen instead.
So, does their relationship survive the ordeal? Here's the Fair Play ending explained so you're up to speed with where we leave our two lovers by the time the credits roll.
Fair Play ending explained: Do Emily and Luke stay together?
In a word, no. Luke continues to grow more jealous throughout the film and attempts to cut her and her achievements down or try to get her to leverage his own career advancement. His jealousy peaks when he attempts to secure a promotion for himself by throwing himself at Campbell’s (Eddie Marsan) feet, begging for promotion after Rory gets fired. Campbell coolly dismisses him from his office after casually introducing him to the new portfolio manager. This rejection is what throws Luke completely off-balance, and he disappears from the office for a couple of days.
The true point of no return for the pair comes when Luke decides to air their dirty laundry in the office. After disappearing following one of their arguments, he storms into the office drunk and disheveled and sabotages one of Emily’s presentations. What’s worse, he reveals that the pair of them had broken company policy by dating. After creating a scene, he disappears again.
Emily finally finds Luke at the engagement party that her mother had organized as a surprise for the “happy” couple. Emily confronts him about his behavior in front of everyone, which is when she finds out that Luke had lied to his parents and told them they’d both been promoted at One Crest Capital. At that point, Emily reveals his lies and announces the end of their relationship. He fires back with his assumption that Emily must have slept with their boss in order to get promoted over him; furious, Emily smashes a bottle over Luke’s head and storms off to the bathroom.
Luke follows her and the pair argue about their dynamic once more, with Emily telling him the root of their issues is simply that Luke can’t cope with the fact Emily is just a better financial analyst. As the tension rises, the pair start having sex. Luke gets too rough and hurts her, but he refuses to stop when she asks and slams her down on the bathroom sink.
We then see the pair try to move on with their lives. Emily covers her bruises with makeup and meets with Campbell to discuss what has gone on to salvage her career with the firm. When she returns home, Luke gives her the keys to the apartment and tells her he’s going to stay with his brother. He then promptly starts explaining that he plans to go west and start his own financial firm, which is when she snaps.
Luke has now put her through hell both physically and mentally, entirely because of his own insecurities and fragile ego, and his lack of guilt is what incenses her. She picks up a kitchen knife that had been knocked on the floor and advances on him and forces Luke to beg for mercy. If he won’t cry, she says she’ll make Luke bleed instead.
He initially refuses, and she cuts him when he tries to grab the knife from her. With Emily looming over him Finally, Luke breaks down into tears and starts apologizing; he even has the gall to ask her to take him back. After everything he has put her through, Emily has made up her mind to rid herself of Luke.
So, after giving him a very brief glimmer of hope, she coolly tells her ex-fiance to wipe the blood off her floor and gets up from the ground, dropping the knife on the floor and finally ridding herself of her toxic partner.
Fair Play is now available to stream on Netflix. Don't forget to take a look at our guide to the new movies coming your way, and if you're looking for more streaming recommendations, check out our guide to the best Netflix shows you should be watching right now.
