As the “Fifty Shades of Grey” chatter revs up heading into its opening weekend, you basically have to go out of your way if you want to avoid reviews, think-pieces, panels and features about the much-anticipated film. One prominent discussion to emerge in the lead-up to the release concerns whether the BDSM saga is a tale of abuse or empowerment.
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“It’s very important to understand that we did empower this character and that everything she does in her sexual exploration is done willingly and consensually,” the director told The Independent. “The moment a line is crossed, there’s a very powerful ‘no,’ so I think actually we’re delivering a very different message to what those people are expecting. They should wait and see. I wanted to give her a strength, to take her right through to the end and give her the final word. [Being a woman] helped when I shot the more intimate scenes, as Dakota and I had built up a powerful trust.”
