Sam Taylor-Johnson has taken EL James’s hardcore bonkbuster and given it the meet-cute treatment, writes Jordan Hoffman in this first take on the movie
Next time your college roommate asks for a simple favour, heed the consequences! Young Anastasia Steele fills in for a flu-ridden journalism major who’s landed a quick interview with America’s hottest business tycoon. Ana heads up to the cold, steel Grey House tower in Seattle wearing a crumpled skirt and floral blouse and array of nervous tics. But the clean, powerful, high thread-count Christian Grey sees something he wants in those bit lower lips and self-effacing chuckles. And Christian Grey is a man who gets what he wants. In time, he will envelop Anastasia Steele into his, shall we say, unconventional lifestyle of (consensual, always consensual!) BDSM, and she will need to make some very adult choices.
Grey is adequately played by Jamie Dornan, but he’s essentially a cipher for his thousand dollar watches, crisp ties and a fleet of Audis – his lesser mode of transport when he doesn’t feel like using the helicopter with the word “GREY” emblazoned on the side. But the real find in Sam Taylor-Johnson’s better-than-it-has-to-be adaptation of the risibly written and ludicrously popular softcore novel is Dakota Johnson. Reminiscent of only her mother Melanie Griffith’s best characteristics, Johnson’s Ana squeezes believability out of one of the more silly romantic entanglements in recent popular culture. It’s all there in her face, which Taylor-Johnson frames in close-up. She’s fully aware this scenario is ridiculous, but can’t seem to turn away from its lunacy. And who knows, maybe she actually kinda likes Christian Grey
Grey is adequately played by Jamie Dornan, but he’s essentially a cipher for his thousand dollar watches, crisp ties and a fleet of Audis – his lesser mode of transport when he doesn’t feel like using the helicopter with the word “GREY” emblazoned on the side. But the real find in Sam Taylor-Johnson’s better-than-it-has-to-be adaptation of the risibly written and ludicrously popular softcore novel is Dakota Johnson. Reminiscent of only her mother Melanie Griffith’s best characteristics, Johnson’s Ana squeezes believability out of one of the more silly romantic entanglements in recent popular culture. It’s all there in her face, which Taylor-Johnson frames in close-up. She’s fully aware this scenario is ridiculous, but can’t seem to turn away from its lunacy. And who knows, maybe she actually kinda likes Christian Grey
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