“Fifty Shads of Grey”, a romantic drama film released in 2015, is directed by Sam Taylor-Johson and was adapted from E. L. James’ novel of the same name. This film is the first of the trilogy ‘Fifty Shades’ which was continued with ‘Fifty Shades Darker’ in 2017 and ‘Fifty Shades Freed’ in 2018. Both the film and the book were largely popular among the masses due to its portrayal of erotic love, BDSM lifestyle, and non traditional relationship structures.
The film focuses on the romance between a relatively inexperienced fresh graduate and a sophisticated, emotionally twisted businessman who is in his mid-thirties. As the story progresses, the audience sees crucial socio-cultural themes such as domination, submissive relationships, and emotional nakedness. Fifty Shades of Grey created a modern discourse amongst people worldwide around topics of relationships, intimacy, and the extremes of control and dominance.
The storyline begins with Anastasia Steele, who is a quiet, conservative, and a getting her degree in literature from Washington state university. In the middle of the semester, she is asked to give an interview to a successful young businessperson, Christian Grey, for the college newspaper. During the interview, Veronica the student gets completely intimidated and absorbs Christian’s commanding presence and dull attitude. It turns out that in spite of her boltish behavior, Christian appears equally interested in her.
Christian goes to the hardware store to visit Anastasia’s workplace which deepens their connection. Lacking the understanding to navigate away from Christian’s curious and supposed naive demeanor, Christian begins courting Anastasia, but not in the traditional manner. He guides her into a different form of romance – one based on the principles of domination and submission.
With the furtherance of their relationship, Christian finally agrees to give out a contract stipulating the terms of their relationship. These terms include systematic processes for intimacy, bondage, and control of set limits. Captivated by his world which consists of private playgrounds supper bound by vessel emotion, detached affection, and devoid of typical culture romance, while bewildered by his rules. He ensures that “I do not do hearts and flowers,” only adds to my existing torment, “I do dominance.”
Anastasia comes off as conflicted with the submission of her desires for enthusiasm fused with emotional vulnerability until compassionate affection blends her motives allowing with Christian’s cold and rigidly distant approach to partnerships. The duality of being undressed physically while enchanted mentally dulls her resistance to abolish her control entering Christian’s domain. While forcing for something deeper and meaningful, the growing connection achieves bouncing tension as my attempts to understand the emotional scars guiding the motions of Christian’s actions take over.
Characters and Performances
In the role of Anastasia Steele, Dakota Johnson’s performance portrays the character’s evolution from passive, inexperienced young woman to assertive, emotionally self-actualized woman. Johnson received accolades for portraying fragility and strength Carson’s character in her sensuality and emotional restraint.
Jamie Dornan plays the role of Christian Grey who is a walking contradiction – polished, powerful and immensely wealthy on the surface but deeply psychologically wounded and emotionally unavailable underneath. While some critics cited a lack of chemistry between the leads, Dornan’s performance as Grey was cold and calculated, impacting the emotional depth of the film.
Other cast members are Eloise Mumford as Kate, Anastasia’s confident and at times, overly extroverted schoolmate; Marcia Gay Harden as Dr. Grace Trevelyan Grey, Christian’s caring but controlling adoptive mother; and Jennifer Ehle as Carla, Anastasia’s mother. These characters are the emotional balance to the primary narrative and serve to anchor the world that Anastasia lives in, providing a more relatable context.
Fifty Shades of Grey explores various multifaceted and controversial themes which include the following:
Power and Control: The fundamental theme of the plot is the interplay of sadism and masochism, physical and emotional. Christian is shown as having a traumatic past which needs him to dominate. Anastasia, on the other hand, does have a growth arc that requires her to negotiate that control dominantly.
Consent and Boundaries: Throughout the film, the central dispute revolves around mutually agreeing to consent. A contract governs the relationship boundaries presented to Anastasia which becomes the symbol of the contract boundaries they both try to outline. While Christian dominates, Anastasia insists on emotional control and transparency.
Freedom and Identity: In the case of Anastasia, her character arc shapes into one where she discovers her boundaries as well as aesthetical desires. With the exploration of love combined with personal agency and emotional fulfillment, she gets redefined in the journey which Christian offers.
Emotional Vulnerability: The story is centered around the physicality of intimacy, but it shifts to emotional barriers which lie deeper. Christian does not open up and stay’s closed emotionally, and with Anastasia there, he is confronted with trauma he needs to deal with.
Visuals Style and Direction
The film is directed by Sam Taylor Johnson who makes sure the film has a stylish look to it. The cinematography is done by Seamus McGarvey who portrays the cold, minimalist beauty of Christian Grey’s world. The sharp difference in the polish of Christian’s world and Anastasia’s simple world serves to further highlight their different social and emotional states.
The film is also remarkable for its carefully chosen soundtrack. The inclusion of artist like The Weeknd, Ellie Goulding, and Beyoncé just goes to show that a lot of thought was placed when preparing the soundtrack. The music assists in the shaping of critical turning points by adding emotional nuance to moments of conflict as well as intimacy.
Cultural Effect and Reception
Fifty Shades of Grey was a box office hit earning around $500 million world-wide with a budget of $40 million. Although the movie was a success, critics were divided in their reviews. While some commenters admired the style of the film and the work by Dakota Johnson, others found the dialogues and pacing the film to be bad along with the representation of BDSM being overly simplistic.
The movie’s portrayal of BDSM relationships sparked heated conversations. Some interpreted it as promoting sexual empowerment while others criticized it for glamorizing toxic relationships and emotional abuse. Regardless of these differing opinions, the film did advance conversations about kink, consent, and the display and exercise of power in society.
Conclusion
Discussions around romantic drama films of the 2010s almost always include Fifty Shades of Grey and not due to the movie’s artistic merit. It’s debate centered around how the film explored sexuality, relationships, and societal norms. Even with the film receiving mixed reviews, it has certainly brings attention to new topics such as the triangulation of intimacy, emotional distress, and modern love.
Fifty Shades of Grey tends to get lost among the controversial and often misunderstood relationships, however, it does question the audience as to what they desire in a relationship, whether it’s the willful ceding and assuming of superiority or submission, or understanding where empathy and connection exist.
Watch Free Movies on Gomovies