The level of estrogen was through the roof of the theatre as we all waited for this Cinderella sex story to begin. We watched, we laughed, we dropped our jaws to the floor. The film was dramatic and not realistic, so naturally my friends and I loved it.
50 Shades has gotten a range of reactions, from people saying it was the best thing they have ever seen to it being the stupidest thing created. Then, in the midst of hot and cold feedback, appeared various articles online saying the movie displays an abusive relationship in which a young woman is stalked and raped by someone she signed her rights off to.
Okay, I completely understand where that could be articulated. But I think people are looking to make this movie into something it's not.
Because 50 Shades is a national phenomenon, it's being perceived as national opinion. By the public giving in to the hype, it seems like the audience of the series fails to see what is unhealthy in a relationship and supports the abuse. These articles online have interpreted this movie as a rape and abuse fantasy. What some are failing to recognize is that 50 Shades is nothing than a made up tale of an impossible relationship and circumstance with exaggeration on a specific lifestyle. This is a story a woman made up. Other women read it, put themselves in Anastasia's position and fell in love with all 50 shades of Christian Grey. The fantasy of a handsome, mysterious young billionaire with a fetish isn't necessarily a bad one.
Compared to the book, the movie was nothing. That book was the most aggressive storyline I have ever sat through; it was almost uncomfortable to read. Years later the movie comes out, and everyone is losing their minds because now we have a visual. It was fun to sit through a movie that obscene and ridiculous. But Dakota Johnson's character Anastasia wasn't any fool and Christian always made it clear she was in safe hands.
She was never passive with Christian. She fell in love with him through their moments of normalcy and looked for ways to become apart of this person's life who refuses let people in. He presented her with rules and she changed them because of her own preferences; he told her she could leave at any time (and didn't fight her when she actually did leave); they both compromised with what the person wanted. Ana knew when the relationship went too far, and when she did, she left. Though the point of 50 Shades was to drive all women into this crazy fantasy, the creators of the film made a clear point that this relationship was entirely consensual.
We live in a day in age where everyone always wants to write about what's wrong with everything in pop culture. That's all okay, it's good to get a strong opinion out there. I respect and understand where the writers of the anti-50 Shades are coming from. But, as a single young woman who wanted to see some chick flick with her friends on Valentine's Day, it was pretty good.
