Just didn't hit the mark.....

Rating: 4/10 (24 February 2015)

A comment I heard before the movie was "it's not good, but watchable", was very fitting post watching Fifty.
The movie had some great points; Dakota Johnson was fantastic in the lead. She was the exact character fit. I believe her acting bettered the character of the books. Her comic timing of scenes really made 'Anna' age appropriate and likable.
Things that just didn't work as well...
Jamie Dorian, I think he over thought the character and it didn't work. His physical presence wasn't compelling and his chemistry with Dakota wasn't tangible. Also, his accent slipped too many times, the script should have just made him 'English'.
I felt that some of the nudity was there for nudity sake, not adding to the overall scene. I disagree with other comments regarding assault.
The two biggest areas of improvement...
The lighting, it was extremely poor to the point where it made most of BDSM scene awkward. The brightness of the BDSM scene felt like the 'red room' was a school class room full of fluorescent lighting. The movie needed to utilize more moody lighting such as the 'negotiation scene'. The overall movie needed a moodier feel.
The script was too jammed pack with scene from the book that it made the movie feel rushed. It didn't build the required tension between the two main characters. It would have been better to have fewer scenes which were longer and more detailed.
My recommendation is to watch it once it's on DVD without any expectations.