Last night’s reaction to “Fifty Shades of Grey” from the female, college-aged crowd I sat through this preordained S&M blockbuster with, makes for a better review than anything a middle-aged male fuddy-duddy like myself could conjure. This particular packed house loved the first 40 minutes (which are pretty good). They giggled and “hell yessss’d” the wish fulfillment that comes with a “Pretty Woman”-style romance that sees a mousey nobody whisked into the fairytale world of the super rich by an impossibly-handsome Prince Charming.
During the second 40 minutes, the crowd was less enthusiastic and a lot less giggly. The vibe turned unsure. There was a struggle, it seemed, to be morally okay with what we were being asked to buy into — the story of an emotionally needy heroine entering into serious negotiations with Prince Charming, who after winning her heart, has now asked her to sign a contract agreeing to the physical abuse that will come with being his sex slave.
While she contemplates allowing him to bind, whip, spank, and shove his fist up her ass, he’s willing to consider taking her out to dinner once a week.
During the last 40 minutes, the atmosphere turned cold. Plain boredom from the story petering out and watching a promising young woman volunteer to be treated like a piece of meat will do that, as will tedious sex scenes less erotic than a “Hogan’s Heroes” rerun.
For decades, women have ceaselessly complained about a lack of access to the levers of Hollywood power. Well, now they have grabbed hold. “Fifty Shades” is a woman’s story directed by a woman based on a screenplay by a woman which is itself based on a woman’s best-selling blockbuster.
And what do we get? KEEP READING
◼ "The Worst Movie I Have Ever Seen!": Female Critic Destroys 'Fifty Shades of Grey' - Laura Ingraham
"Domestic violence disguised as porn." Hollywood serves up torture porn for Valentine’s Day #FiftyShadesIsAbuse http://t.co/OOqLk4d2HN
— Rachel Alexander (@Rach_IC) February 14, 2015
