An explicit and captivating melodrama about love with a touch of sadomasochism. Plenty of sex, a luxurious lifestyle, and passionate glances.
Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson), a senior literature student, fills in for her ailing journalist friend to interview young billionaire Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan). As the girl falls in love at first sight with the attractive, impeccably dressed, and self-assured guy, the conversation goes awry, drifting from professional topics to personal ones. Although Ana continues to mumble and speak incoherently, she attracts Christian’s attention, and after the interview, they begin dating. Soon, however, Grey confesses that he only maintains sadomasochistic relationships with women and that if Ana wants to become his mistress, she will have to sign a hefty contract detailing everything from acceptable ways to inflict pain on her to her diet and contraception.
The Genesis of “Fifty Shades”
As a passionate fan of “Twilight,” E.L. James desperately wanted Robert Pattinson to play the main character in her book. The producers, in turn, dreamed of inviting Ryan Gosling. But neither of them could be lured in.
The main mainstream bestseller of recent years, “Fifty Shades of Grey” by British writer E.L. James (real name Erika Mitchell), originated as an internet “fanfic” based on “Twilight.” It was later transformed into a standalone, non-mystical romantic work and published in 2011 by a small publishing house with almost no promotion. This, however, did not prevent “Shades” from becoming a cult hit, attracting the attention of publishing business sharks and, for example, selling better in England than the entire Harry Potter cycle (!). James’s book proved so popular that it sparked a surge in demand for other romantic-erotic publications aimed at women. Authors previously known only to devoted connoisseurs made good money by reissuing their novels if they were even slightly similar to “Shades.”
From Page to Screen: A Director’s Challenge
Screening a book with millions of female fans is always an extremely responsible task. Therefore, the producers took a considerable risk when they entrusted the project to the mature but inexperienced British director Sam Taylor-Johnson, who spent most of her creative life engaged in video art and therefore, before starting work on “Shades,” had only made one feature film – the 2009 biopic “Nowhere Boy”. How did Taylor-Johnson cope with the task set before her?
Not flawlessly, but competently. More than competently. The main part and main advantage of “Fifty Shades of Grey” are the numerous erotic scenes, which in terms of frankness can be compared to the sex scenes of “Basic Instinct.” Of course, in 2015, such frankness is no longer shocking. But for a mainstream romantic film, the sex in “Shades” has more than enough flesh and pain (let’s not forget that the love here is not only passionate but also sadomasochistic).
The first trailer for “Fifty Shades of Grey” was the most popular trailer on YouTube in 2014. It was viewed more than 90 million times.
A Critical Look: Strengths and Weaknesses
One can only complain that the director should have fed the leading actress better – Dakota Johnson’s protruding ribs do not look too aesthetically pleasing. Especially in the scene where the star is attached to the ceiling and her body is stretched taut. In America, some were also offended that viewers were not shown Dornan’s penis. However, Taylor-Johnson definitely knows better which parts of her hero’s body female viewers like to look at. Straight men, on the other hand, certainly don’t like studying other people’s penises. So, that only leaves gays – too small an audience to pander to at the expense of the main viewers of “Shades.”
Even if the director had failed everything else, the abundant sex in “Shades” and the heroes’ parading around in negligee would have been enough to give the erotic film a positive rating. But “Shades” has other advantages as well. First of all, an intriguing plot. Perhaps even more intriguing than in the book, although the main events in the film are the same as in the novel. What’s the difference? In the relationship between the characters. In the book, for all of Christian’s merits as a handsome man and a millionaire, it is repeatedly emphasized that he is a hero with dark, frightening fantasies, that Ana is playing with fire when she gets involved with Grey, and that their union is doomed from the start. In the film, however, Christian turned out softer and gentler, and his romance with Ana is not so much a game of cat and mouse as a tense love affair that gradually becomes equal.
Yes, Grey has servants, luxurious cars, a helicopter, and a penthouse. But Ana has power over him, and the girl quickly gets used to using it. If “Secretary” is a romantic comedy about how a masochist found a sadist, then Taylor-Johnson’s film is a tragicomic melodrama about how a sadist found a sadist. Not interested (yet?) in the erotic infliction of pain on others, but definitely interested in psychological games with Christian and striving to become his girlfriend (or even wife), and in no case a kept woman. The sexual and romantic awakening of the previously virginal heroine turns “Shades” into a fascinating tug-of-war between two passionate people, each of whom tries, depending on the scene, to maintain or gain control of the situation. This is a much more interesting relationship than usual in mainstream romantic cinema.
Although “Shades” is not officially a comedy, there is something to laugh at in it, and these are not always jokes and gags provided for by the script. Some absolutely serious phrases of the characters cause laughter due to their absurdity, and “Shades” can only be quoted ironically. This, of course, is a disadvantage, but not a terrible one. First of all, people in love sometimes talk nonsense in real life. And secondly, “Shades” is not a super-serious drama, but a partly ironic fantasy about a modest woman who conquered a billionaire and discovered a room for sadomasochistic games in his house. So, it doesn’t matter so much when viewers laugh and when they sincerely empathize. The main thing is that they enjoy themselves! And “Shades” regularly delivers it. If not one way, then another.
Although there are quite a few actors’ names in the final credits, the film is entirely built around two main stars, and the charming Johnson and Dornan quite cope with the responsibilities assigned to them. They convincingly portray the evolution of their characters, developing in opposite directions. While Ana preens herself and gains self-confidence, Christian is increasingly reminiscent of the troubled teenager he was when he was once seduced by his mother’s friend. American critics write that Dornan has an unconvincing American accent, but this does not bother us in Russia. A rare case when the film became better in dubbing.
What else is good about the film? The music – both provided for the film and composed by Danny Elfman. Erotic and romantic scenes always benefit from successful musical accompaniment. What’s bad about the film? First of all, the ending, which ends the narrative at the most interesting point. Wait, they say, for sequels, work on which has already begun – James has written two sequels to “Shades.” You can also complain that the film presents viewers with a crowd of minor characters but does nothing with them (it’s good, at least, that the film doesn’t waste much time on them in vain!). And, of course, it would be ridiculous to expect depth and subtlety from “Shades” of romantic stories based on the personal experience of the creators. This is pure genre cinema, designed to entertain viewers, not to educate them. By the way, this also applies to sadomasochistic scenes. As they say in Western reality shows: “All tricks are performed by professionals. Do not try to repeat them!”