FIFTY SHADES OF GREY

Director: Sam Taylor-Johnson

Screenplay: Kelly Marcel, E. L. James (novel)

Cast: Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Eloise Mumford, Marcia Gay Harden

Rating: 3⁄5

The worldwide phenomenon that is Fifty Shades of Grey finally hit the screens last week and of course, it has made a lot of money. The story of Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) and Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) in the Fifty Shades trilogy however has become a laughing stock in the literature world since its publication, with many rightfully criticising the horrendous “inner goddess” narrative voice of Ana, as well as all the other times author E. L. James made the readers laugh unintentionally. But Kelly Marcel’s script attempts to scrape away as much of that as possible, in an attempt to make something at least half-serious out of what initially started off as _Twilight _fan fiction.

And the effort seems to have paid off in certain respect, as the film is not nearly as trashy or cringing as one would expect. Sure there are lines of dialogue here and there that sound a little off, but most importantly, the film remembers to approach the difficult, taboo subject matter with a sense of well placed humour. The first half that involves absolutely no BDSM whatsoever is the initial courting phase, one that is not afraid for its characters to let loose and poke fun at each other.

Now, the much-anticipated scenes of BDSM do occur, but director Sam Taylor-Johnson plays them relatively safe and stylish, despite the 18 certificate received here. Perhaps this was a conscious decision to avoid the much dreaded NC-17 classification in the States which automatically turns any film into a virtually unscreenable one, but regardless there is a sense that just a few extended snapshots into the world of BDSM fall short of doing the character of Christian Grey justice. We get the feeling that the Red Room of Pain is not fully explored here for whatever reason, and the surprisingly safe, restrained (no pun intended) approach comes as a disappointment.

Throughout the film Grey’s troubled past is hinted at, no doubt a teaser for things to come in the two sequels that have already been the go-ahead signal by the studios. But instead of expanding the cold, steely-eyed, and supposedly heartless billionaire’s central role in the story, the film gets stuck in a frustratingly repetitive loop in which the girl starts whining for more commitment, and the guy starts resisting and just wants kinky sex. You get the feeling the film is thirty minutes too long, and numerous ultimately pointless scenes really ought to have been left on the cutting room floor.

Dakota Johnson is without doubt the best aspect of the film. The casting department has found a real talent with Johnson, whose astonishing performance of innocent naïveté gives the film a convincing female protagonist, as a slightly awkward, inexperienced young woman. Johnson also knows how to get in touch with Ana’s more playful, cheeky side, as she toys with Christian’s needs and emotions. Playing opposite her, Dornan arguably has the more limited, one-dimensional role, but he plays damaged and disturbed well, setting things up nicely for how his role may (or may not to be fair) develop in future films. He is, as he says in the film, “fifty shades of f***ed up”.

Expect an abrupt ending, as the franchise will take at least the next two years to properly finish. The supporting characters we barely get to see here, should feature more, and a bigger delve into Christian’s past will work to the advantage of the sequels.