50 Shades of Grey: The Movie

I was so excited to see 50 Shades of Grey last night. I went in with low expectations, really expecting it to be terrible since most book to movie adaptations are. But I was surprised! Overall the movie was good, they really stayed true to the book which I appreciated.

When I first heard Dakota and Jamie were cast as Ana and Christian, I wasn't pleased. I thought Dakota was too mature for the virginal role. I was so wrong. She was great as Ana, she carried the entire movie. Where as Jamie was flat and one dimensional for me. I couldn't see the attraction he had for Ana. I hope he relaxes into the role as Christian for the next 2 movies.

I feel like there was another main character that helped shape the movie: The Soundtrack. First off - Danny Elfman - HELLO, you know it's going to be good. The songs were woven into the movie so beautifully, it really set the mood and added much needed drama to the sex scenes.

A personal note about this movie: If you are going to see 50 Shades please be aware of what the movie is about. There is going to be SEX. I was very annoyed by all the awkward giggles from the audience during some scenes. Also, please don't loudly shout "OMG" or "WTF" or be disgusted or outraged. You should know something about a movie before you see it. And in this case I would recommend you read the book first, it would help you have a better understanding of Ana and her and Christian's relationship.

I will admit, the sex scenes were more naughty than I expected for an 'R' movie. And there could have been a little less Ana nudity (IMO). I appreciated the little bits of humor, mostly from Ana. It helped keep a nice balance to the story. A few scenes were left out that I thought helped show how much Christian cared for Ana.

My two favorite scenes, that MADE the movie were the contract meeting and the glider. I loved how the power/control visibly shifted at the contract meeting. It became very apparent that Ana was the one holding all the cards and she knew it. Christian would "compromise" for her. When Christian took Ana in the glider, I was grinning just like Ana was. You could feel the excitement and happiness. This is a scene where just the soundtrack and actors faces really told the story.

Was I expecting an award winning movie? No. But what I got was 2+ hours of entertainment. If you've read the book I think you will enjoy the movie. My boyfriend who's never read the books didn't hate it either. So grab your Valentine's Day dates and go see 50 Shades of Grey.

If you are one of the 7 people on the planet who haven't read the books, please buy and read them now!