Film Review - Fifty Shades Of Grey

I finally saw this today, a week after its worldwide release. The hype hasn't abated, and neither have the negative / mixed reviews.

Yes, I've read books one and two of the trilogy ( I own the entire set but somehow lost momentum and didn't get to book three ) and am familiar with the storyline. I've also gone through a number of reviews written by well-known critics. Lacklustre word-of-mouth feedback from friends added to the mix, so my expectations weren't high as I entered the theatre.

So no-one is more surprised than I am about the strange yet undeniable outcome: I liked it. A lot. In fact, I rated it 9/10 on IMDB.com.

First, kudos to Kelly Marcel for condensing 500 pages of lovesick ramblings into a palatable end-product. It's no secret that author EL James was originally inspired by Bella and Edward's romance in Twilight, and the novels mirror Stephenie Meyers' writing style, i.e. long, detailed descriptions of the main characters' state of mind, and numerous repetitions ad nauseam of certain physical attributes or behavioural quirks.

Those of us who had more than enough of Anastasia's "inner goddess" and Christian's "laters, baby", not to mention their endless email exchanges, are spared the torture since the first is completely omitted, the second reduced to two lines in one fleeting scene, and the third summarized succinctly, leaving out the childish teasing which made me flip pages like crazy.

So thankfully, I felt no pain ( apologies for the unintended pun ) sitting through 2 hours of relatively normal dialogue. And FYI, the trailers and clips on YouTube really do no justice to the movie. Whoever orchestrated those should be flogged ( pun fully intended :)).

Second, the two lead actors are excellent casting choices. I previously watched Dakota Johnson in a TV sitcom ( so forgettable I can't even recall the title ) and had major reservations about her ability to handle this role, especially after seeing those clips where she talks like a wooden puppet. In the film proper, she's actually pretty impressive. With each passing minute, I became increasingly convinced that innocent Ana wasn't the pushover everyone thought she would be. I found the novel version of Ana extremely annoying, but Johnson makes her likable and believable.

Then there's Jamie Dornan, the Irish actor who took over when first choice, Charlie Hunnam, backed out. Most are probably more familiar with his work on the American series, Once Upon A Time, as The Huntsman, but I know him as Paul Spector, a vicious serial rapist / killer on the excellent BBC crime drama, The Fall. When his name was announced for Fifty Shades, I had no doubt he would nail the role, and nail it he did.

The physical part is easy - Dornan used to model for Calvin Klein and is clearly very comfortable with his body in front of the camera. He's tall, lean and walks with a sexy swagger. Though known to favour a scruffy look with thick facial hair and flattened locks, he's given a full makeover here and looks jaw-droppingly gorgeous. He's 33 compared to Christian's 25 but easily passes for the latter, thanks to his flawless skin, thick hair and cheeky smile.

As for the "essence" of Christian, well, Dornan hits it right out of the ball park. That casual yet confident air, the simmering undercurrent of danger, the occasional flash of boyish mischief - even my mum ( who's in her 70s ) admitted defeat and succumbed. :)

There's a scene in the second half where Christian takes Ana gliding, then they have a quiet moment standing outside a hangar before he leaves. Dornan looked like a gazillion dollars as his face was illuminated by the setting sun. It's been a while since my breath was taken away like this. Nothing EL James has written can compare with such a vision. My effusive thanks to the cinematographer! :D

Third, the debate about the questionable message being conveyed. Pornography disguised as a love story; anti-feminist; an erosion of family values, etc. Look, I'm a devout Christian and lead a clean life, and Fifty Shades doesn't bother me one bit. I know what the real world is like: people like Christian Grey exist; this film is R-rated, not PG13 - what is the big deal? Sex-wise, the novels are nothing compared to some hard-core stuff I've read ( as a teenager, mind you ). I didn't turn into a nymphomaniac dominatrix. As for the movie scenes, some people complain that they're too tame, but I personally prefer them this way. They conveyed what was needed to propel the story and weren't gratuitous. As for viewers who are on the other side of the fence - i.e. think they're too graphic - then let me steer you towards Shame ( Michael Fassbender ) and Boogie Nights ( Mark Wahlberg ).

I give huge credit to director, Sam Taylor-Johnson, for drawing great performances from her leads. I watched Nowhere Boy, which featured an amazing turn from a very young soon-to-be-star Aaron Johnson ( also her future husband ), and congratulate her on doing yet another admirable job.

Last, the movie soundtrack, which features a score by Danny Elfman ( of all people ) and a list of really beautiful pop / R&B songs. I've already downloaded the digital album and intend to play it on repeat for the next few weeks. Fabulous compilation. Sets the mood for the best scenes and makes them even better. There's a classical companion as well, which I will also sample.

Fifty Shades Of Grey received a sad 4.1/10 overall rating on IMDB, but definitely deserves something at least double that. I won't deny that I was fully prepared to hate the movie ( I went only because of Dornan, whom I consider worthy of my time ), but ended up thoroughly enjoying myself. Yes, it's totally unrealistic, but bestselling romances often are, and this has been a well-known fact for decades. I, for one, love such diversions, and couldn't be happier about spending 2 hours of my Chinese New Year afternoon at the cineplex.

Just wondering if I'll be able to get a copy when the DVD comes out. It isn't going to pass our censorship board or customs inspection.

p.s. Still very thrilled about brushing past one of the movie's producers - i.e. Dana Brunetti - at last April's New York Museum of the Moving Image gala tribute for Kevin Spacey. Was too shy to greet him then, but if there's a next time, I'm not going to let the chance pass me by. :)

Fifty Shades, Suits & A Certain Mr. Renner

As we near mid-2012, I find multiple sources of inspiration for a new blog entry. :)

First, a novel which is receiving tonnes of media attention, not unlike the Twilight series which had hordes of teenage girls ( and quite a few women ) lusting after vampires and werewolves.

I came across the Fifty Shades trilogy a few weeks ago, via an encounter so fleeting I have no clear memory of it, except a hastily scribbled book title on my to-read list.

The second time was much clearer - an article in Time magazine, in which editor-at-large Belinda Luscombe practically lambasts author EL James for her poor literary style and horrendous description of copulation.

Bad review notwithstanding, it was enough to send me scrambling for the nearest bookstore the next day. Believe it or not, family-friendly Popular stocks the stuff, albeit in a discreet corner where only the desperate or resourceful can find it. :)

I've been reading the first part - Fifty Shades Of Grey - for about a week now, and concur with Luscombe on many counts. Though I don't write about romance novels much on this blog, I used to devour them during my formative years in secondary school and junior college.

Barbara Cartland, Julie Garwood and Judith McNaught were personal faves, but more hard-core fare from the likes of Sidney Sheldon, Jackie Collins and Harold Robbins also featured prominently, even while in primary school. ( Yes, mum, you should've locked your cupboards. :))

James' work pales in comparison to these well-established authors. The plot is simplistic and requires major suspension of disbelief. Aside from Christian Grey, the other characters grate on my nerves. And yes, for someone who has 700 romance novels in her attic, James' sex-act vocabulary is in dire need of a thesaurus' assistance.

So why do I persist? I've hit the 300+-page mark and show no signs of slowing down. I stay up way past my bedtime, and frequently surf the Internet for casting rumours - Ryan Gosling for Christian? Lily Collins for Anastasia?

This is the magical effect of the hype phenomenon, also credited for the success of Twilight, a 4-book series which is pretty awful but somehow made bestseller lists and broke box-office records when it became an equally awful movie franchise.

I've read all the novels and watched all the films, so I'm not hypothesizing here.

Hype isn't always a good thing, but the curiosity it generates can be intoxicating. Perhaps it's basic human instinct that makes us yearn to be part of something bigger, something everyone's talking about. We don't want to be left out or labelled ignorant. We don't want to be alone.

For me, hype results in a rather reckless compulsion. Once I start reading a book, unless it's a total train wreck ( best example: Thomas Harris' Hannibal Rising, blech ), I can - and must - finish it.

Like most romantic tales, Fifty Shades pits a virtuous girl against a worldly older man. She's all wide-eyed innocence, blushing under his "intense gaze". He enjoys making her squirm, but she demonstrates her own capacity for seduction despite her inexperience. Any of this sound familiar?

My last foray into the world of romance was 4 years ago, when I ploughed through all 4 Twilight books, which made my head spin, and not in the best way.

Fifty Shades, I'm happy to report, fares better. I don't think I can tolerate another dose of teen angst, though I'm tempted to read The Hunger Games at some point.

If you're wondering about the "sexual acrobatics" everyone's talking about, rest assured that it's actually pretty mild. I don't know what happens in Book Two, but Fifty Shades Of Grey is plodding along at a leisurely pace, and the S&M action is maybe a 3 on a scale of 10.

( I've read hard-core stuff in the past. Don't ask me how I got it. :))

Anyway, I wish James the best of luck in her career. I think she'll improve with time, and I am always supportive of someone who shares my own love for writing, no matter what form it takes. ( Thank you also for the Twitter message, which was a most pleasant surprise! :))

More to follow as I progress...

Here's a long delayed review of what I consider to be one of the MOST AWESOME TV shows I've come across in a long time.

I literally chanced upon Suits while watching Smash on local cable. The latter ended and I had nothing else scheduled, so I decided to give it a go.

I'm so glad I did! The pilot blew my mind into another galaxy, and I've been hooked ever since.

Don't be fooled by the dodgy premise: a sharp senior litigator in a top law firm hires a new associate, knowing that he never even went to law school.

Patrick J. Adams' star is rising as he infuses Mike Ross with a lovely mixture of intelligence, charm and innocence.

But it is Gabriel Macht who steals the show - and my heart :) - as Harvey Spector, a tough but fair mentor who dispenses nuggets of ruthless advice, yet displays intermittent moments of compassion and guilt when Ross appeals to his conscience.

The script is top-notch ( you need large doses of caffeine to keep up! ), the acting superb, the humour classic ( laugh-out-loud moments abound! ), and the cases absolutely fascinating.

Listen to me: DO NOT, AT ANY COST, MISS THIS SHOW.

Last but not least, a little homage to Jeremy Renner, whom I've been paying a lot of attention to in recent months.

The Avengers is a fun movie, and deserves to reap huge profits. But I am not a comic book fan, and although Robert Downey Jr. is 3rd on my list of favourite actors, I went to this film because of Renner.

I have no idea if his portrayal of Hawkeye is faithful to the source material, but he blew my socks off, and the opportunity for a spinoff should not be missed!

Can't wait to see him in full action star mode in The Bourne Legacy. :D