The Fifty Shades book and movie series aren’t about sex.
They’re not NOT about sex, but the sex is only one small part of it what makes them so compelling.
Because sex without love is just porn, and despite accusations to the contrary, Fifty Shades of Grey is definitely not porn.
It’s a complicated modern-day love story that pushes the limits of acceptability when it comes to relationships.
As the series progresses, the relationship in question becomes less alternative, and more the exact relationship we have been searching for all our lives.
And while the first book (and movie) were definitely the weakest of the trilogy, as characters were introduced and dodgy story lines clumsily developed, the second, Fifty Shades Darker was much, much better.
Watch the 50 Shades Darker extended trailer. Article continues…
In fact, you could call Fifty Shades of Grey the book the “most successful badly written book of all time”, because it sold 125 million copies around the world in four short years, the movie also broke numerous box office records by bringing in $474 million AUD.
Whatever you have to say about the series, it’s clear that E. L. James tapped into something huge and it’s phenomenal success shouldn’t take away from everything that’s great about it.
Top Comments
Let's go back to classic Pride & Prejudice for a minute. We have a strong woman and jerk of a man who happens to be very rich. Darcy falls in love with Lizzy and asks for her hand. She is poor, the family stands to lose the house to Mr Collins and her mother will kill her if they find out she said no to the wealthy Mr Darcy, but still she had the self worth to say "NO". She tells him he is a jerk (in so many words) and rejects him outright. He then has to become a better man before he gets the girl, and he does. A beautiful romance.
Now we see present day books, including 50 shades. We often see that same wealthy man/poor girl scenario, but now-a-days instead of the girl saying no, she says yes. She jumps into bed and a relationship with the man, giving him her all, and then over time he becomes a better man.
You can argue that the second is just as romantic, but it teaches our daughters a very dangerous thing - if the guy is a jerk and treats you like crap, get into a relationship with him, give him all he desires, and eventually your love will change him. We are no longer saying to our daughters "don't stand for a jerk, you don't need him", we are saying "endure for a while and who knows, he might start treating you well one day".
Please can we get back to teaching our girls to have enough self worth to say no? We have enough abusive relationships to deal with. Let's not encourage more.
I'm quite dismayed to see this article published here. The relationship between Christian and Ana is nothing women should be striving for. It's very disturbing, considering how controlling and abusive he is to her. Now, you can tell a story about a couple like that - but it's problematic when that story is sold as romantic or sexy, like this one is.
On a slightly lighter note, I can't believe an actor of Jamie Dornan's caliber debased himself by appearing in this absolute trash.