183321161
“Fifty Shades of Grey” is a wild dance of distress and satisfaction. Indeed, the film, like the E.L. James fan-fiction phenomenon on which it’s based, deals in the specifics of BDSM, wherein pain and pleasure walk hand in tied-up hand. But the balance of ease and unease in this kinky offbeat romance is much more potent in regard to a woman’s personal and sexual agency. For a while, the gradual surrender of virgin Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) to gazillionaire Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) is icky to a fault, especially when one considers that such female subservience has been rabidly devoured by female readers the world over.
The movie picks up steam (and palatability) when it becomes more of a balance of power, and Anastasia, a college student who connects with Christian after conducting an interview for her school paper, begins to negotiate the terms of her crush’s precise tastes for herself. After being deflowered by a man who showers her with gifts but “doesn’t do romance,” Anastasia is given a literal contract outlining how she’ll be the “submissive” to his “dominant,” meaning she’ll get kissed, but bound and gagged, too.
Knowing she has this chilly, self-professed misanthrope enchanted, Anastasia finds she has straps to handle, too — the reins on Christian’s typical wants and his heart. Any time director Sam Taylor-Johnson pauses to focus on how Anastasia might “change” her brooding beau, or how said beau has come to be such a stoic, compulsive sadist (cue the troubled childhood backstory), “Fifty Shades” becomes an unbearable cheese-fest. But when Anastasia is exerting her authority, and “holding on to her free will,” the movie excels at exploring the dynamics of gender roles.
As the female lead, Johnson proves herself a true discovery, perfectly cast for both Plain Jane awkwardness and liberating sexual allure. Dornan, conversely, is a veritable catastrophe, his nonexistent acting skills stripping him of appeal. The flaw isn’t enough to derail the film, but given the subject matter, it throws a rather large wrench in the gears.
Fifty Shades of Grey
R
Two-and-a-half reels out of four
Opens tomorrow at area theaters
Recommended Rental
Life Itself
R
Available Tuesday
For film buffs, Roger Ebert was a a superhero, which makes watching his deterioration in the biographical documentary “Life Itself” all the more heartbreaking. How could this tireless titan become so vulnerable? Ultimately, the film is a celebration of Ebert’s resilience, personally and professionally. Director Steve James (“Hoop Dreams”), who knew Ebert well, renders his legacy with a loving touch.
Contact the South Philly Review at editor@southphillyreview.com.
183321161
183321011
