50 Shades: women’s verdicts
Your view on the big film.
Not one of them said ‘no’. That was the response when an invitation to a screening of Fifty Shades of Grey was issued to some of my women friends.
Actually, one did refuse rather emphatically. Wild horses were not going to get her to see the big screen version of the first of EL James’ best-selling trilogy.
For those who do not know – it is the story of billionaire businessman Christian Grey who asks English Literature student Anastasia Steele to enter a sado-masochistic relationship with him. She doesn’t actually say ‘yes’ but then she doesn’t actually so ‘no’.
Here’s what one group of women thought of the film and their rating out of 10.
With big thanks to the Hollywood Plaza in Scarborough where the film is still showing. A LITTLE TOO MUCH BOOB! I am a sucker for a romantic love story so when I read the Fifty Shades trilogy I did find myself enjoying the blossoming relationship that was forming as I turned the pages, but I did find myself flipping past the endless pages of sex.
So now I am sat in a packedout ci nema with complete strangers expecting to watch a soft porn/love story! A little awkward feeling washes over me but I zone out of my surroundings and into the film.
I am not disappointed with the casting of Christian and Ana, they got them spot on for me, I found myself completely sucked in. Christian a strong powerful man and Ana soft, innocent and yet a strong young woman with a little cheeky humour shining through.
I am an old romantic and it has left me feeling disappointed that I have to wait to see the next chapter to this love story. Of course I have read the books so I already know what’s coming next but strangely I am left feeling frustrated at the inevitable wait. I am not a patient person.
Bravo to the production team for that but for me not a massive amount of content and just too much boob. 7 OUT OF 10
Lucy Samples, works at Scarborough Hospital, Scalby TITLE THRILLS I thought the film should have been titled “Fifty Shades of Dull”, mainly because the two l ead characters were completely devoid of personality or charisma.
Although both actors were hot looking, the film failed to give them any depth of character, so they weren’t very sexy and didn’t carry off the scenes in the “playroom” very well. They failed to draw you in to their exotic, erotic world.
Speaking of the playroom, after a couple of visits by the two dullards, it was “same old, same old”.
Enduring the rest of this boring film must have been on a par with what Anastasia had to endure from Mr Greyer than Grey.
The end titles were probably the most thrilling moments of the evening.
This was one of the worst films I have ever watched. 2 OUT OF 10
The photography of the sex scenes was well done, otherwise it would have been zero.
Jan Hadden, Filey, visual merchandiser WILL SHE, WON’T SHE? Dakota Johnson was well cast as Anastasia Steele whose apparent innocence was believable.
She’s introduced as an old fashioned girl-next-door who literally falls rather clumsily at her opposite number’s feet. It’s lust at first sight for her and initial amusement for him. But amusement soon turns to obsession, as we enter the world of dominant and submissive ...
Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey did nothing for me, not even one shade or two. He didn’t look like the character EL James had conjured up in my head and wasn’t believable as a young multi millionaire who could pick and choose from any young darling who crossed his path.
He played neither worldly nor experienced that well and didn’t convince me as intimidating either.
The bondage scenes in the film are rather like those in the book. Once you’ve read or watched one, you’ve got the gist and then the following scenes become boring. Handcuffs and cable ties, just pop to your local hardware store, as Christian did ...
And of course it’s left as a cliffhanger, will she, won’t she ...?
With the books I didn’t get beyond the first one in the trilogy. I feel the same about the films. 5 OUT OF 10 Heather French, Falsgrave,
Scarborough, director of Books by the Beach by night
and librarian by day PROVOKES DISCUSSION Well, I can honestly say I was surprised by the film.
I had read numerous articles suggesting that the film glorified female oppression and domestic violence, but I did NOT find this to be the case.
Ana is not a victim. Al - though fairly naive, she is setting the pace and discovering her own sexual preferences. Christian i s not an abuser. He already thinks he knows what his preoccupations are, and relates them to her openly and honestly - outside of the bedroom.
She discovers that, as well as a need for intimacy within a relationship, she actually doesn’t mind a bit of mild bondage (and who is to deny her that right)!
He discovers that whilst sadism is thrilling to him, what he actually craves, but sadly cannot react appropriately to, is intimacy.
Actually I felt compassion for them both. There is a genuine relationship between them, confused and obscured by their own naivety, confusion and inadequacies. Just a shame it’s so badly written and has received so much hype; at best I think the hype has created an opportunity for discussion – about the creative process and about the quality of relationships – at worst, it has over-promoted a dull, poorly written film.
Bigotry does not help discussion. 5 OUT OF 10 Helen Birmingham, Belle Vue Parade, Scarborough, mixed
media artist and life model MODERN- DAY FAIRYTALE Since the release of Fifty Shades everyone has had to have an opinion on the film, most I suspect without watching it, so I entered the cinema expecting the worst.
The first half hour was surprisingly enjoyable, in a teen romance movie kind of way. There were a few giggles and s ome beautiful scenic shots but I couldn’t help but think the difference between Christian’s and Anastasia’s lives wasn’t as big as it should have been. The tension was building towards the first sex scene, it happened, a slight anti climax and after a few more times in the playroom, it all got boring and too long. Without the hype and the following from the books, this film may have gone straight to the movie library on Netflix, but that isn’t the case.
I can see that some would get l ost i n the l ove story, a modern-day fairytale. Did it leave me wanting more? No, but I can see why the film has hooked so many, I’m sure the next two films in the trilogy will be similar box office hits. 6 OUT OF 10
Michelle Wakefield, Scarborough, sales executive FAR-FETCHED STORY As a 65 year old who likes to think I’m open minded, but in fact may be a little prudish, I was apprehensive of viewing Fifty Shades of Grey. I need not have feared.
A far-fetched unrealistic story line a nine year old could have written i nterspersed with sex scenes a l ong way from reality and as fantasized as the rest of the film.
In my opinion anyone going to see the film will only do so out of curiosity and will be disappointed. 4 OUT OF 10 Shirley Balmer, Scalby, retired
accounts clerk FLY ME TO THE MOON Film- makers have for ever been titilating and teasing the cinema-goer.
From Latin lover Rudolph Valentino through matinee idol Charles Boyer to modernday heart-throb Zac Efron – the intention has been to make women go weak at the knees.
Little wonder then this socalled ‘mummy porn’ is playing to packed houses.
Plenty of Diet-Coke breaks here, girls, when Jamie Dornan takes his shirt off – though there are more shots of the f l esh of his co- star Dakota Johnson. Pity they have not one iota of charisma. I didn’t care who did what to who – they were indeed fifty shades of grey. The film was dull , shallow, tame and long. The sex scenes in Fatal Attraction have more passion and those in Basic Instinct more animal intensity.
The score includes Sinatra’s Witchcraft – a highlight of the score but ... best moment of the two hours: when Christian arrives in his helicopter and flies Anastasia, above the night-time skyline of Seattle – to dinner. Forget the blindfolds, cuffs and whips – that’s the stuff women’s fantasties are made off.
So fellas, forget nipping i nto B&Q for masking tape – book yourself some flying lessons and save up for a ‘big chopper’. That’s the way to a woman’s heart. 6 OUT OF 10
It would have been 2 if it hadn’t been for the helicopter and Sinatra Sue Wilkinson, Peasholm,
Scarborough, j ournalist WHEN’S THE SEQUEL? I had heard l ots of stories, s o me bad and some good about this film so was not sure what to expect but the film was great with a good story line despite the fact it ends quite abruptly (I won’t spoil it for you). All I want to know now is when the sequel will be out. 8 OUT OF 10 Sarah Harrison, Hunmanby, newspaper sales executive FIFTY SHADES OF BOREDOM Every so often a film like this one (The Life of Brian or The
Exorcist, for example) is released and so hyped up that there is a frenzy of disapproval and media hype.
When audiences get round to seeing the fil m, they are usually mystified as to what all the fuss has been about. Fifty Shades of Grey is another of these films: huge on publicity and miniscule on content.
Poor, put-upon Anastasia Steele.
Her own mother rings to say she’s not going to Ana’s graduation. Her flat mate steals the sandwich Ana has just made for herself. She falls into the office of rich, handsome Christian Grey when she goes to interview him (for- getting to take a pen). Thank you, scriptwriters, for spelling all that out to your thick audience. Got it now: Cinderella story.
Christian (a man seriously in need of a sense of humour transplant) also uses the interview to look down on Ana from every conceivable angle. He warns her not to get involved but does our ditsy heroine l i sten? Sadly, no. She gets smashed at a party, rings him up, he rescues her and leads her into something far worse (the ‘room’). He’s trying to get her to sign a contract, she’s looking for love.
I n bet ween t here’s l ot s of shots of beautiful homes, beautiful bodies, beautiful glider rides. Hang on, where’s the blood and bruises, the real meaning of dominant and submissive?
Ana (and any other girl who might be attracted by someone like Christian Grey and his lifestyle) in future when you go out, take a handbag with you containing enough money to get a taxi home.
Did she ever sign the contract? I fell asleep. Oh, strike that; I don’t care. 5 OUT OF 10 Shirley Waite, South Cliff, retired complementary
therapist MODERN MESSED-UP ROMANCE To say the film was launched to such a fanfare and with a certain amount of controversy, I found it pretty tame in the great scheme of things.
It’s not just about what goes on in the bedroom – or Red Room – but about the dynamic between the two protagonists, which is quite interesting.
It’s a modern, messed-up tale about relationships, power struggles and people’s expectations of each other.
There are tender mo-ments, which was unexpected, as the couple start to fall for each other, but there are also uncomfortable instances when Christian’s dominance carries on outside the bedroom and infiltrates Ana’s dayto-day life.
I felt myself start to bristle when he turned up and interrupted her night out with friends and a family weekend away.
But I was pleased to see Ana stand her ground and her character is stronger and more powerful in her own way than I expected.
However, despite that fact I enjoyed the film, I did think it was a bit too long.
Cut out half of the unnecessary close-ups of Ana biting her lip and it would have been about 20 minutes shorter.
I also enjoyed people’s reactions in the cinema. The biggest collective gasp came not from one of the sex scenes, but when Christian turns up in a helicopter to pick up Ana.
I don’t know whether most women would put up with his demands, but being whisked off in a helicopter did l ook pretty exciting ... 7 OUT OF 10
Susan Stephenson, Falsgrave, j ournalist