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For us, erotic movies fans, 50 Shades of Grey was the most anticipated movie ever! We hung on every cast interview and watched all the behind-the-scenes shots we could lay our hands on! I think we all awaited the reveal of this movie with bated breath. And finally, it was here!

If you are yet to see it, here’s an insightful review of what to expect from the 50 Shades of Grey movie. Grab your spanking whip; things are guaranteed to get dirty. 

The Book Versus the Film: How Accurate was the Portrayal? 

Some of the characters are accurately portrayed. Ana is not my favorite heroine, but Dakota makes me love Ana. I am amazed by her ability to bring life into the character, which is missing in the book. She is awkward, beautiful, natural, strong, and vulnerable. She has a mind of her own and is less of a pushover than James wrote. However, Jamie is nowhere near the Christian Grey in the book. 

He didn’t look mean, moody, or intimidating enough to successfully pull off a convincing Christian Grey.

Honestly, he is good-looking and has an outstanding jawline. But that’s just it! He is not imposing enough. After reading the 50 Shades of Grey trilogy, I wanted raw masculinity: an irresistible hero that just exudes incredible testosterone. I wanted him to make my heart beat faster and my breath catch. But the reality was so different from my expectations that I wished I could cry.

The plot moves really fast and is not adequately developed. Individually the main characters are alright, but they lack chemistry. The movie plays for 125 minutes, but the sex scene is just for a few, 15-20 odd minutes. 

The film gets the idea of BDSM wrong by making the audience believe that being into kink makes you a mentally unstable pervert who uses abuse and manipulation while ignoring limits and boundaries. 

Where the Directors did Well, and Where/How They Could Have Done Better:

A plus point goes to the 50 Shades of Grey sex scenes. I wondered whether the 50 Shades of Grey film would come out as intense and passionate or plain and crass. And I feel the sex is fantastic. The sex scenes are hot. There is a great show of ass muscle flexing and some erotic pulling-shirt-over-head-shots. But most of the sensual scenes are more of Ana’s body, a lot of tit shots, but I didn’t get to see more of the sweaty and sexy Christian Grey.

However, credit goes to Sam Taylor Johnson and her screenwriter, Kelly Marcel. They strip the book of its flaws and still do justice to its essence. The filmmakers show their sense of humor from the start by bringing the lead characters together in a meet-cute and lighthearted manner. The director did a great job by taking out the abusive scenarios in the book. 

Some abusive examples I read from the 50 Shades of Grey book include:

• Christian gets mad when Ana is upset over a specific act

• He sways her consent with alcohol which is against the importance of consent

• Christian ignores safe words

• Christian gets angry quickly when things don’t go his way

It is as though the director and scriptwriter knew how abusive the book is and tried to deliver something less offensive. 

The cinematography, visuals, and sounds are great! The themes are identifiable in the movie, but it falls short of exceptional character delivery. It certainly does not hold a candle to the graphic content of the novels. The whole plot didn’t flow well. The directors could have done better with the structure, excellent plot delivery, realistic sex play, dialogue, and characterization for a compelling story that gets you in your feelings.

What can you Learn from the Film, and How can you Start Experimenting with Some of the BDSM Elements within this Film?

Whether you love or hate the movie adaptation of 50 shades of grey, the movie indeed teaches a few things about BDSM sex and modern relationships. One of the lessons is that sexual experimentation is amazing!

Yes! Be open to sexual experimentation. Step out of your comfort zone! 

After Ana loses her virginity and gets to experience the Red Room of Pain, she goes through a kind of sexual awakening and is less frightened. I know BDSM is not for everyone. But being open to new sexual adventures can change your sex life in exciting ways!

Also, anyone hoping that the 50 Shades of Grey movie will really explore the S&M agenda may find Christian’s Red Room of Pain a little vanilla. I only see a whip here, a bit of handcuff there, but nothing that will keep BDSM fanatics glued. 

However, the movie preaches that you should know your limit. Although Ana comes across as lacking confidence, I admire that she is not a pushover. She doesn’t bend to every of Christians desires, and she’s a fierce negotiator. When it comes to having sex with Christian, Ana is clear about her limits.

For beginners, know what you will and will not do! And safe words are absolutes.

Though 50 shades of grey go into BDSM, it focuses largely on consent, which is very important. BDSM is kinky, yes. Wildly, unimaginably and super kinky! But even in the craziest kinds of BDSM play, everything is hinged on consent. Although I find Christian Grey’s lengthy sexual contract somehow ridiculous, one thing is certain: the importance of consent in a BDSM construct. Before you explore BDSM with your partner, always ensure that you are both on the same page with an enthusiastic “yes!” 

My Personal Opinion about this film

So lastly, this movie didn’t cut it for me. The only part of this movie with many emotions is the 50 Shades of Grey sex scenes. But the rest of the film seems like a walkthrough of the plot, and it is completely void of the passion and emotions I felt when I read the book. If you are yet to see 50 Shades of Grey, you shouldn’t go in expecting to see an excellent example of the BDSM lifestyle. 

It is one of those erotic movies that perpetuates a false stereotype about people who are into BDSM and presents an inaccurate display of how BDSM is in the real world.

It’s not a bad idea to see this movie with your partner. You both will be hot and bothered before the movie ends, so much that when you get home, you’ll have plenty of inspiration for sex. The film is a great conversation piece if you want to explore BDSM with your partner. Use it to share your interests and enjoy the conversation!