In its first 30 minutes, “Fifty Shades of Grey” was practically an all-out comedy.
At the screening I attended, there were more moments of snickering laughter than riveted quiet throughout the start — some of which was thanks to Jamie Dornan’s deadpan “sexy” lines as BDSM-obsessed ladies’ man Christian Grey. A sampling:
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As has been widely discussed, the story’s casual attitude toward rape seems alarmingly out of place in a culture where one in five women is sexually assaulted. And nearly 4.8 million women in the U.S. endure actual, unwanted violence from a partner because of the “contract” they unknowingly signed when they entered into the relationship. Ana has a choice to sign her contract — a nondisclosure agreement engineered by Grey’s lawyers — but, haha, he might just go for it anyway, because his passion trumps her consent.
The ultimate verdict, however, is up to viewers. If “Fifty Shades” is simply a fantasy that can serve to open some minds to new experiences, then that’s great! If others would rather boycott the movie for its potentially dangerous exploration of free will, that’s their right, too. It was certainly an entertaining two-and-a-half hours — and the soundtrack deserves a standing ovation — but the jury is still out on what the film really tells us about power and respect in modern relationships. All we know is it’s not just a barrel of laughs.
