Fifty Shades of Grey: More romance than lust
JOBURG - The global movie phenomenon of Fifty Shades of Grey will finally be released at cinemas nationwide on Valentine’s Day, 14 February.
The protagonists of the film, Jamie Dorman and Dakota Johnson, who play Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele, bring the book to life on screen.
The two meet at Christian’s office for an interview, after Anastasia steps in for her friend who was initially meant to conduct the interview. Christian is a distinguished businessman and Anastasia is a college student who becomes instantly enchanted by Christian’s attractive demeanour from the time she enters his office for the interview.
Anastasia struggles to conduct the interview and is seemingly distracted by Christian’s existence. Christian, who is just as intrigued by Anastasia, finds it difficult to stay away from her. That first encounter is what leads them into a steamy affair. Anastasia and the audience come to find out that Christian’s sexual taste is more into the dark side of pain and pleasure.
In between the lust is a love story which the movie captures very well. So much so that the romance between the two sets the tone for the movie. From the book, it is easy to assume that a movie adaptation would likely be close to pornographic because of how descriptive the book is. However, the sex scenes in the film are disappointingly much tamer than in the book. Nonetheless, they were shot in good taste. The cinematography flows like the pages of the novel and tells the story.
The introductory scene of the two main characters was a brilliant juxtaposition for the audience to quickly grasp their different personalities and lifestyles, leading up to how they come together and meet.
Dorman’s interpretation of Christian’s obsession with Anastasia lacks intensity in that the audience wants to see a darker more sinister Christian. However, the suspense of why he is so guarded and needs to explore the extremes of pain and pleasure during sex is what keeps the audience spellbound by him.
Johnson plays the young and inexperienced Anastasia very well. As much as Christian wants to run her life and control her, the movie does not make Anastasia the typical damsel in distress. She puts up a fight for her independence, her willpower and the right to choose what she wants and does not want from the relationship, or rather, the arrangement she is to have with Christian.
The film ends leaving the audience wanting more and hints that a part two will soon follow.
