Shockingly great

Rating: 10/10 (14 August 2015)

This is the first truly great adult romance I've seen. I was surprised that even my wife rates this as one of the best shes ever seen, and at age 66 she's seen a LOT of movies.
By adult, I mean you actually have to be an adult to enjoy. My grandson had taken a date to see this movie and was totally embarrassed. my daughter heard about it from him and developed a negative impression, even though she has never seen the actual movie.
The love story is truly one-sided in the first book. Ana falls deeply in love with Christian almost from the first moment they meet, but his childhood traumas cause him to be unable to give or receive love in the normal manner.
However, Ana is a surprise to Christian almost from the first moment he sees her. To fully understand the movie you have to look at the subtle clues. Ana tells you them at the very beginning. She is NO DUMMY. She has a 4.0 average in college. So she not going to be easily hood-winked into a situation that would destroy her.
from the first, it is never Christian in charge, it is always Ana. Just watch as everything Christian says he would never do, or even consider doing seems to fall apart.
He would NEVER sleep in the same bed with a woman, but from their first night - he does with Ana.
He never kisses a woman without a NDA - but he does with Ana.
He never takes a girl in his helicopter - but he does with Ana.
He never has to negotiate the Contract with a SUB - but he does with Ana.
And the business meeting where he is totally in control, Ana ends up running over him like a freight train at the end.
In the end it is his own foolish act that destroys the relationship and leaves both of them totally devastated, and ONLY Christian has to change in order to salvage that which they both will need to survive.
A modern day 'Pride and Prejudice' story which, when viewed through the lens of understanding, blazes off the screen and takes you along on a fantastic roller coaster ride.
Hats off to the author and director, and the bravery of two young artists to pull this off.