50 Shades of Grey
Director: Sam Taylor-Johnson
Cast: Jamie Dornan, Dakota Johnson, Eloise Mumford, Luke Grimes,
When college senior Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) steps in for her sick roommate to interview wealthy entrepreneur, Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan), for their college newspaper, little does she realize the path her life will take. Christian, as enigmatic, as he is rich and powerful, finds himself strangely drawn to Ana, and she to him. Though sexually inexperienced, Ana plunges headlong into a smoldering love affair with Christian and as their relationship grows deeper, she learns that Christian's true sexual proclivities push the boundaries of pain and pleasure.
There is an intimate connection shared between Anastasia and Christian that can be likened to that of a moth being drawn to the warm light of a flame.
While Christian’s demeanor paints him as a power-hungry control freak, who wields sexuality like a sword to subjugate women, this persona is merely a mask. In truth, Christian is a powerful man, with a fragile heart, who has endured a tremendous amount of pain in his life, and so, he uses his insatiable desire to sexually dominate women as a catalyst for maintaining control. When Christian and Anastasia are taking a walk, Christian tells Ana about “Mrs. Robinson” and how she seduced him into this lifestyle when he was a teenager. Christian tells Ana that by relinquishing his control on life, he felt free; free of responsibility and expectation, yes, but he is only free from the dark memories of his past when he is with Anastasia. While his family, his colleagues, and his past lovers have all failed to break through the impenetrable wall around Christian’s heart, I think that innocent, gentle-hearted Anastasia helped Christian to find a measure of peace when he was with her.
This is illustrated when Christian initially elucidates very stringent boundaries to Ana; telling her that she isn’t allowed to touch him, or share a bed with him. Despite these boundaries, Christian not only shares Ana’s bed when they sleep, he also feels safe with Ana breaking through the careful walls he has erected around his heart. He shares intimate details of his dark and painful past with Ana, and he trusts her not to hurt him with those memories. Christian relinquishes a bit more of his control when he and Ana are negotiating the contract. Christian initially told Ana that he was not a romantic type of man. When they are reviewing the contract, he tells Ana that along with her conditions, he is willing to go out on a date with her, once a week…a notion that Christian has forbidden with any of his other submissive partners. He follows Ana to Georgia, and takes her gliding, (something she considers to be “more”), and he also brings Ana to his parents’ home to meet his family; all things that, up until this point, Christian has not experienced or allowed with his submissive partners. Christian’s final moment of relinquishing control comes when he confesses the truth to Ana…that his mother was a crack addict and a prostitute.
When Anastasia is giving Christian the interview for her school newspaper, Christian is initially sitting behind his desk, but as the interview plays out, and the questions become more intimate, he slowly moves closer to her, and even cancels an important meeting to spend more time with Anastasia. When Ana wakes up in Christian’s hotel bed, he confesses to Ana that he is incapable of leaving her alone. Christian warns Ana that he doesn’t do romance, and his tastes are very singular, but rather than being put off by this, Ana wants to be enlightened. Likewise, when Ana is alone, she is clearly drawn to Christian (or at least, the memory of him). When Ana returns home after the interview, her roommate, Kate, is looking at pictures of Christian and comments on how attractive he is. Although Ana dismisses him initially, when Kate leaves, we see Ana looking at the photographs of Christian on the computer. When Ana wakes up in Christian’s hotel bed, he scolds her for getting intoxicated and yet, she doesn’t flee. She agrees to see him again.
When Christian is guiding Ana through her sexual awakening, he gives her every opportunity to change her mind and leave…but Ana continues down the proverbial rabbit hole with Christian. Although she is reluctant to sign his contract, Ana insists that Christian show her the "Red Room of Pain", and rather than be horrified by the sadistic tools of torture (and pleasure) that she finds there, Ana wants to know more about Christian's secret life. Later, Ana insists that Christian show her just how bad the punishment can be, but when Christian indulges Ana’s wish, she gets angry and leaves. Honestly, as aggressive and controlling as Christian is, and as much as he completely oversteps the boundaries in his relationship with Ana (like taking her car and giving her expensive, but unwanted gifts) Christian was completely honest with her about what he desired from their relationship. He made it truly clear that he didn't want a girlfriend or a traditional “hearts and flowers” type of romance. He was a Dominant. He showed her his torture chamber, he showed her the contract, he gave her a voice in negotiating the rules…but rather than fleeing from the darkness, Ana, instead, falls in love with Christian and immerses herself in the darkness as well, because she wants to save his broken soul. When Ana leaves, the granite doors of the elevator sever the fragile thread that connects Ana with Christian as they slide closed, but there seems to be a lingering ember of hope, as we see flashbacks of the happy moments that they shared together.
Although I rarely watch this type of movie, and I have certainly never experienced the type of relationship that Christian and Ana share, I can honestly say that this film surprised me. The story, while very erotic, is also very tender. Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson bring to life the characters of Christian and Ana in a way that is genuinely believable, and they balance out the passion of their relationship with humor and charm. While this is definitely not a film I would recommend for younger viewers or the easily shocked, it is still worth your time if you enjoy a good romance.
© 2022 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.
Director: Sam Taylor-Johnson
Cast: Jamie Dornan, Dakota Johnson, Eloise Mumford, Luke Grimes,
When college senior Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) steps in for her sick roommate to interview wealthy entrepreneur, Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan), for their college newspaper, little does she realize the path her life will take. Christian, as enigmatic, as he is rich and powerful, finds himself strangely drawn to Ana, and she to him. Though sexually inexperienced, Ana plunges headlong into a smoldering love affair with Christian and as their relationship grows deeper, she learns that Christian's true sexual proclivities push the boundaries of pain and pleasure.
There is an intimate connection shared between Anastasia and Christian that can be likened to that of a moth being drawn to the warm light of a flame.
While Christian’s demeanor paints him as a power-hungry control freak, who wields sexuality like a sword to subjugate women, this persona is merely a mask. In truth, Christian is a powerful man, with a fragile heart, who has endured a tremendous amount of pain in his life, and so, he uses his insatiable desire to sexually dominate women as a catalyst for maintaining control. When Christian and Anastasia are taking a walk, Christian tells Ana about “Mrs. Robinson” and how she seduced him into this lifestyle when he was a teenager. Christian tells Ana that by relinquishing his control on life, he felt free; free of responsibility and expectation, yes, but he is only free from the dark memories of his past when he is with Anastasia. While his family, his colleagues, and his past lovers have all failed to break through the impenetrable wall around Christian’s heart, I think that innocent, gentle-hearted Anastasia helped Christian to find a measure of peace when he was with her.
This is illustrated when Christian initially elucidates very stringent boundaries to Ana; telling her that she isn’t allowed to touch him, or share a bed with him. Despite these boundaries, Christian not only shares Ana’s bed when they sleep, he also feels safe with Ana breaking through the careful walls he has erected around his heart. He shares intimate details of his dark and painful past with Ana, and he trusts her not to hurt him with those memories. Christian relinquishes a bit more of his control when he and Ana are negotiating the contract. Christian initially told Ana that he was not a romantic type of man. When they are reviewing the contract, he tells Ana that along with her conditions, he is willing to go out on a date with her, once a week…a notion that Christian has forbidden with any of his other submissive partners. He follows Ana to Georgia, and takes her gliding, (something she considers to be “more”), and he also brings Ana to his parents’ home to meet his family; all things that, up until this point, Christian has not experienced or allowed with his submissive partners. Christian’s final moment of relinquishing control comes when he confesses the truth to Ana…that his mother was a crack addict and a prostitute.
When Anastasia is giving Christian the interview for her school newspaper, Christian is initially sitting behind his desk, but as the interview plays out, and the questions become more intimate, he slowly moves closer to her, and even cancels an important meeting to spend more time with Anastasia. When Ana wakes up in Christian’s hotel bed, he confesses to Ana that he is incapable of leaving her alone. Christian warns Ana that he doesn’t do romance, and his tastes are very singular, but rather than being put off by this, Ana wants to be enlightened. Likewise, when Ana is alone, she is clearly drawn to Christian (or at least, the memory of him). When Ana returns home after the interview, her roommate, Kate, is looking at pictures of Christian and comments on how attractive he is. Although Ana dismisses him initially, when Kate leaves, we see Ana looking at the photographs of Christian on the computer. When Ana wakes up in Christian’s hotel bed, he scolds her for getting intoxicated and yet, she doesn’t flee. She agrees to see him again.
When Christian is guiding Ana through her sexual awakening, he gives her every opportunity to change her mind and leave…but Ana continues down the proverbial rabbit hole with Christian. Although she is reluctant to sign his contract, Ana insists that Christian show her the "Red Room of Pain", and rather than be horrified by the sadistic tools of torture (and pleasure) that she finds there, Ana wants to know more about Christian's secret life. Later, Ana insists that Christian show her just how bad the punishment can be, but when Christian indulges Ana’s wish, she gets angry and leaves. Honestly, as aggressive and controlling as Christian is, and as much as he completely oversteps the boundaries in his relationship with Ana (like taking her car and giving her expensive, but unwanted gifts) Christian was completely honest with her about what he desired from their relationship. He made it truly clear that he didn't want a girlfriend or a traditional “hearts and flowers” type of romance. He was a Dominant. He showed her his torture chamber, he showed her the contract, he gave her a voice in negotiating the rules…but rather than fleeing from the darkness, Ana, instead, falls in love with Christian and immerses herself in the darkness as well, because she wants to save his broken soul. When Ana leaves, the granite doors of the elevator sever the fragile thread that connects Ana with Christian as they slide closed, but there seems to be a lingering ember of hope, as we see flashbacks of the happy moments that they shared together.
Although I rarely watch this type of movie, and I have certainly never experienced the type of relationship that Christian and Ana share, I can honestly say that this film surprised me. The story, while very erotic, is also very tender. Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson bring to life the characters of Christian and Ana in a way that is genuinely believable, and they balance out the passion of their relationship with humor and charm. While this is definitely not a film I would recommend for younger viewers or the easily shocked, it is still worth your time if you enjoy a good romance.
© 2022 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.