‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ Review: Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson’s BDSM Romance Is Mostly Porn Without Plot

Despite some missteps (and misunderstandings of the kinks it should be exploring), this adaptation of E.L. James’ bestseller will leave fans satisfied

Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson in "Fifty Shades of Grey"
Universal Pictures

Since its publication four years ago, the “Fifty Shades of Grey” books have sold over 100 million copies despite novelist E.L. James’ abysmal dialogue and perfunctory sex scenes — a sales figure that suggests the trilogy is certainly doing something right.

Here’s my guess: Like the “Twilight” franchise before it (which inspired the original version of James’ tale), “Fifty Shades” taps into the narcissistic but understandable fantasy of having some innate quality that makes the audience-surrogate character the romantic and sexual obsession of a man who just happens to be handsome, intelligent, wealthy, and generous. After years of being told they aren’t “good enough” — girls and women are constantly pressured to be prettier, cooler, nicer, to Smile! — a man finally comes along and proclaims that everything that she already is is so fantastically desirable that she’s all he can think about.

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