Fifty Shades of Grey (2014)

Directed by: Sam Taylor-Johnson
Country: USA / Canada

Movie Review: “Fifty Shades of Grey”, the long-awaited cinematic adaptation of E.L. James’ novel of the same name, is surely one of the worst movies of the year, making my patience and boredom drop very below acceptable levels. The film, directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson (“Nowhere Boy”) according to Kelly Marcel’s script, doesn’t bring anything worthy apart from some inspired lines that from time to time trigger some giggles as a deplorable way of dissimulating our deep disappointment. Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan’s performances didn’t convince at all, unable to draw the desired intensity from their languorous erotic scenes. The story starts with a fatal attraction between Anastasia Steele (Dakota), a quasi-graduate of English literature, who accepts to interview the young businessman tycoon, Christian Grey (Dornan), substituting her sick friend. The foolish encounter ends up in a sadomasochistic relationship with the right to a signed contract, sealing the commitment between dominator and dominated. Grey slowly drags his new prey into his little games composed of wild sexual fantasies, which were never capable to jump out of monotony. There’s an excessive sweetness composing the lackluster scenes, throwing the romance to ruinous conventional territories. This is revelatory that Taylor-Johnson’s approach didn’t have the boldness necessary to handle the story in a more enticing way. Other crucial aspects that contributed to disaster were the inert pace, lame score, and a total inability to provoke us, whether with its emotional simulations, whether with its lascivious pretentiousness. Let’s hope they give up from the annunciated sequel, because “Fifty Shads of Grey” is unnecessary and scandalously ineffectual.