The film version of the international best-seller is a very mixed bag indeed. Overall, it is a rather unlikely, tepid and frequently dreary slice of completely ludicrous (S&M-inflected) romance. Jamie Dornan plays Grey with unblinking shark-like detachment appropriate to this characterisation but lacking any sense of the passion or humanity that would have driven him to achieve such power and riches (although interestingly it is difficult to see the first-cast more instinctively-natural Charlie Hunnam in the role), leaving Dakota Johnson to capably fill that void with more deftness and humanity, enabling her to manipulate Grey with occasional humour and sincerity. Indeed, some of the minor characters - Anastasia's flatmate, Grey's brother - are more alive and provide rare spark when they appear on screen. It is hard to tell if the comedic beats are intentionally self-aware, borne out of the sheer ridiculousness of the narrative and the book's success, especially in the first half. It is directed with precision, and the drained colour palette and polished visual aesthetics are reminiscent of Shame, but without a truly magnetic screen presence at its core, Fifty Shades takes a very long time to actually say or do very little.
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