Fans and film critics battled to be the dominant voice at the international premiere of “Fifty Shades of Grey” in Berlin Wednesday nightand it was the unrestrained exuberance of the fans that won the day.
The scene was apparently different at the two press screenings earlier in the day, after which many critics were eager to pour out their abhorrence — not at the movie’s sado-masochistic sex scenes but to the causes of greater offense in the critical mind — script, plot and performance.
Some traumatized refugees of these screenings stood alongside me at the red carpet outside Berlin’s swanky Zoo Palast cinema, awaiting the arrival of the stars for the film’s international premiere. Their sense of outrage had not been cooled by the chilly evening air.
“It was Fifty Shades of sh*t!” exclaimed one appalled journalist.
Fans vs. critics
But on the other side of the carpet a different story was playing out.
Several hundred fans huddled together for warmth, spurred on by a shared devotion to the books of E.L. James and the anticipation of catching an eyeful of Jamie Dornan, the handsome actor who plays her bondage-loving billionaire, Christian Grey. They had come from Germany, of course, but as far afield as the United States.
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Sexy, but not that sexy
Dakota Johnson’s Anastasia may not hold the key to the cuffs but she does hold the key to the relationship and what she may or may not consent to. The sex scenes account for little more than ten minutes in a film approaching two hours and I’d be surprised if many considered them shocking.
One scene involving the erotic deployment of an ice cube could have been cut straight out of “9 1/2 Weeks,” that other notorious S&M movie which starred Kim Basinger and Mickey Rourke, whose character would have kicked Christian Grey’s butt.
We do get to see the Grey butt in action, but no full-frontal nudity, a modesty which is not afforded to Dakota Johnson.
Sure it has its cheesy moments and its flaws — but it’s not aimed at winning Best Picture. (“American Sniper” on the other hand won a nomination despite its shockingly obvious fake baby scene). Just as the books have been derided for literary inadequacies there’s plenty here to allow critics to take pot-shots.
But if you’re a fan of the books, chances are you may well love it. And when a movie becomes an “event movie,” drawing crowds in vast numbers for a fun night out, the cheers of “Fifty Shades” fans may effectively pop a gag into the mouth of the most po-faced critic.
