Surprised at the low ratings- I went into this movie blind!

Rating: 9/10 (13 March 2015)

Warning- contains spoilers
First off, this movie brings up a controversial and touchy subject, which I will comment on later, I was not expecting anything like bdsm to come up, however. Jamie Dornen is hot and I like him as an actor, I could detect his accent, but for me, I didn't think it took away from the film (besides, the character Chistian was adopted and from where, no one said). However, I do agree with some of the comments made about Dakota Johnson. I would've expected a woman with some curves, someone resembling Scarlett Johansson. I did think that Dakota's acting was decent, contrary to what I've been reading in reviews. Her character was not comfortable with sadism, and the actress also seemed uncomfortable- I thought it was a good fit. I must admit, I didn't read the book, so my perspective might be lacking, but I thought the level of sadism the script went into was appropriate for this kind of media, going too far would be intense for unsuspecting viewers- movies are intended to be appealing to broad audiences for the most-part. To be completely honest, I was worried about where the movie might go, and I was not really that into it until the end, when she left him. The way the split was captured was breathtaking. After receiving his worst, she left- to me it looked like she realized that she couldn't help him- that the pleasure he's able to get out of another's true pain is a sign. I also like how it was made clear that Christian was afraid of intimacy- of being touched, for example. I got the feeling that his sadism was a way to have a sort of intimacy without getting close to women. I can't speak for how the book ended, but I think the movie brings up a good topic with a good ending, especially since sadism and masochism are rising in popularity (or at least becoming more visible). S&M is not just another way of being, it is a damaged way of being. But I do think there is hope for recovery- though people have to save them selves (possibly get help). I've never been a fan, but I've noticed more conversation about these topics. There are ways of being 'abnormal' or divergent if one so chooses to be, without pain... Without dominance and unequal partnerships.... Overall, I liked this film, it gave me a lot to think about.