There was giggling – a lot of it, as Christian Grey said: “If you were mine you wouldn’t be able to sit down for a week.” He just blurted it out in the middle of what was a seemingly ordinary conversation, and one of his very first with Miss Anastasia Steele. As an audience, we were only hitting the tip of a very large iceberg — and we were in this together.
As much snickering as there was throughout the film, I can’t say I left with anything other than a scrunched-up forehead, trying to contemplate what I just watched. Perhaps I was trying to alleviate some of the awkward tension wafting through the crowded theater, just as Anastasia has a difficult time deciding what to do about her proposed sex contract throughout the entirety of the film. I had a hard time deciding what wasn’t sitting well with me.
And then, I realized.
This Christian Grey is not the same Christian Grey that everyone, myself included, drooled over in the books. While his tastes might be “singular,” so is his development as a character. Instead of this irresistible kind of “damaged-goods” man we read about, who we see care and execute small sacrifices for Anastasia, we only see the misogynistic, self-important, frustratingly dull Christian. The one who buys a bunch of stuff for a girl and expects her to become his sex slave. Movie Christian shows no crack in the inner walls constructed from years of childhood abuse. It’s hard to like someone so static.
It’s maddening that this dialogue of “I don’t do romance,” and,“Why not” and, “I can’t tell you” and, “Tell me why,” was this back-and-forth theme of the movie. When they weren’t having sex, the plot was a predictable. A veritable never-ending carrousel ride of unsolved problems. While there may have been multiple climaxes in Christian’s “playroom,” the cinematic climax was missing entirely. Key elements of the book, such as Anastasia’s visit to Christian’s family home, or the entrancing realm of his jealousy toward her best male friend were vaguely exposed, if not entirely omitted.
There seems to be a great deal of controversy over the BDSM (Bondage & Discipline / Domination & Submission / Sadism & Masochism) shown in the film. I must say, without the sexual element, the movie would have been the most boring film I have ever seen. Anastasia fully consents to her relationship with Mr. Grey, and honestly, I see nothing wrong with how it’s portrayed in the film.
The most concerning aspect for me was the extent to which Anastasia is so willing to be submissive, it all areas of her life, especially for this man who gives her nothing in return. I pray that all the boyfriends dragged along to 50 Shades don’t expect their girlfriends to turn into sex-slaves just because the movie portrays submission as adoration and extremely sexy. BDSM isn’t something to be persuaded into, offered as an ultimatum, or engaged in in a desperate attempt to keep the one you love – notable in this particular relationship. A strong respect for female empowerment and mutual relationships both in and outside the bedroom are what matters.
I also find it difficult to find any likability in Anastasia, until she begins to realize the power she has, even against a man like Christian Grey. Her most admirable moment occurs in the last scene of the movie, when she gives Mr. Grey a booming “NO!” as she descends in the elevator and exits his home.
Is Christian taking advantage of a girl so shy she can’t think for herself? Or is Anastasia letting him?
Whether you like it or not, 50 Shades of Grey is the world’s most current obsession and source of fantasies. Author E.L. James sold over 100 million copies, entering the list of all-time best selling books. The film adaptation is expected to make over $60 million in the box office just this weekend, a potential Valentine’s and Presidents Day box-office record.
With all the hype and controversy of an erotic novel coming to the big screen, readers like myself had particular expectations, and like many book-to-film versions, it left me mostly unsatisfied.
Click here to listen to the Emerald Podcast Network’s review of 50 Shades of Grey.