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Monday, February 16, 2015

My review of the Fifty Shades of Grey Movie

Love it or hate it, Fifty Shades of Grey sparked the reading bug in a ton of women.  Authors around the world should be thanking EL James.  Without these books I wouldn't have found so many like-minded women who have become dear friends over the last few years.  The books have also introduced me to a whole new genre of books and indie authors around the world.  For that I am thankful.

Like most others that LOVED the books, I was eagerly anticipating the release of the Fifty Shades Movie.  I knew it would be different.  There isn't a book to movie portrayal that is exactly like the book.  If that were the case the movie would be days and days long, and as much as I would prefer that Hollywood is not going to want to pay for that.  So, we take what we can get.


I remember sitting anxiously waiting to hear who was cast.  I, of course, had my own "Christian" picked out...  I was on #TeamIan




I mean, come on, if he doesn't make your panties melt off...  Well, you and I just can't be friends.  (Just kidding, well maybe.  ;) )  

As far as who I wanted to play Ana, I had no clue.  I will be honest, when I read the book I didn't "picture" an Ana, I just put myself in that place.  As far as who played the rest of the characters, I didn't really seem to care about them either.  

The only thing I was concerned about was that the movie portrayed the love story that the books were about, not the BDSM, not the billionaire, not the virgin college student.  Above all the books were about LOVE.  

Then the announcement was made...  Charlie Hunnam will play Christian Grey. 


What?!?  I admit, I never saw an episode of Sons of Anarchy...  I didn't know who Charlie was.  So I had to look up his picture.  The exact words that came out of my mouth were...  What the fuck!  So I was on the upset with this decision.  

Then....  Ana was announced....  Dakota Johnson.  


WHO?  I immediately had to look her up...  SHE'S BLONDE!  I was so over the top pissed off at the casting, I swore off the movie.  The books would be better anyways.  No harm, no foul.  

Then the shocking announcement that Charlie quit.  Whoa!  Who would do that?  I mean really!  Okay, faith has returned, a little, as we waited to see who would replace him.  

Then that announcement:  Jaime Dornan....


Once again, no clue who he was, but I could "see" it!  My faith was slightly restored.  Then I watched a few clips of him.  Okay, I changed my position on the movie...  I will see it, but on video in my house.  Not wasting my time or money on the movie when I am not happy with the actors.  

Then we waited....  MONTHS...  no filming started, I wondered if this was even going to take place.  Teasers were made, pictures were taken...  




Still, could not picture her as Ana.  It really ticked me off.  I wanted to have that feeling that I was going to love this movie!  

Then production started and we got shots of filming...




Really?!?  Ana looks like a bum.  I was mad.  Of course, I'm no one so who cares.  LOL.  So I once again swore off the movie.

BUT...  the trailers were released...  


and another....  



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I started to get excited.  I was beginning to come around.  


My hubby asked if I wanted to see it.  I played it off that I would wait until it came out but I really did want to see it on the big screen, but being an anxious person, going to the movies is pretty scary...  Going to the movies when the theater is packed, down right terrifying.  So, the mention of seeing the movie actually on Valentine's Day.  Hold up...  seriously?  


Sucking up my fear, I went to fandango and bought our tickets.  If we paid for them in advance, it was less likely I'd back out.  


The week of the premiere...  the hype!  Holy mother!  Thank GOD I didn't have anything planned for my books around this week because it would certainly get lost in the Fifty Shades posts.  (So sorry for all those authors that did.)  


I tortured myself, I watched all the interviews with Dakota and Jaime.  Up until that point she was still not my favorite, but he had grown on me, then watching the interviews...  you could tell there was tension.  You could see that they didn't care for each other.  He really rubbed me the wrong way saying he wasn't going to watch the movie, saying he didn't care for seeing his bum on the screen.  I almost felt as though he thought he was better than everyone or that he was extremely embarrassed to be a part of the movie  Are.You.Serious.  


Dakota on the other had really made me giggle and feel warm during her interviews.  She was starting to crack my hard feelings toward her.


Then the premiere...  I watched as so many bloggers that I've worked with got to be part of the crazy #FiftyShadesFirst event in New York.  I was insanely jealous.  I couldn't wait.  


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Reviews started coming in.  Good and bad.  I don't really listen to bad reviews.  Normally, they just piss me off.  So you can imagine these bad reviews would do the same.  To my surprise everyone said, whether they liked the movie or not, that Dakota made the movie.  My giddy self continued watching the interviews and anything I could get my hands on until I could see it myself.  


Post by Fifty Shades of Grey.

Valentine's Day finally arrived.  I'd be meeting Christian Grey in less than twelve hours.  What happens but a blizzard.  Oh my God, no!  I have to see this movie.  Did we go?  Hell yes.  LOL.  I was terrified but thankfully, I wasn't driving and kept my head down in my phone so I couldn't see what we were driving in.  On the positive side, the theater wasn't packed!  Now I won't get into spoilers with the movie, but I will say this... 


  • Is it like the book?  For the most part yes.  
  • Did I want more?  Of course.
  • Did it capture the overall feeling of love?  On Ana's side, yes.
  • Did I think somethings could have been done differently?  Of course.  There were little details in the book that could have been done in the movie.  *Spoiler* Ana's shirt that Taylor gets her is white in the movie, it is blue in the book and they made a big deal about it being blue in the book.  Simple thing that could have stayed the same.
  • Were there parts of the movie I liked better than the book?  Yes, actually the negotiation of the contract was ten times better in the movie.  Even made it funny.  Which I think was genius because that part in the book is so uptight and tense.  
  • Did my feelings change on the characters?  I absolutely LOVE Dakota.  She was amazing and she did in fact make the film.  She has my support.  Jaime, as much as I loved the film, he just didn't pull me in.  Now I know that Christian in the first book was like that so I'm praying that is why.  I'm hoping he just played the character so well that it left me with that feeling.
  • Will I see the next one?  You bet your ass I will!  I wish it was out now.  Having to wait a year is going to kill me.  If you know how the book ends the movie ends the same so talk about MAJOR cliffhanger.  


So, overall, I give it 4.5 stars!  I loved it.  I want to see it again and again.  I will be buying the blue ray when it comes out, you can bet your ass on it.  I had a major movie hangover yesterday because of it, just like I did when I read the book.  

I'm praying the next movie will rock because Darker, is my favorite of the three books.  

With that said....  Is it 2016 yet?



*Please note, these are my opinions.  Any comments that are not respectful will be deleted.*

PS: No idea why some of the videos are showing up and some aren't!  Please click on the "Post" word to take you to the video.




1 comment:

  1. WOW JUST WOW.... i cannot fucking believe they ended that way .. someone was just about to come... i think it was Christian but it could have been me.. and then it ends.... FML SMH I.CANNOT,WAIT. till the NEXT. ONE . !!!!

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