By: Lexy Perez

4/5 Paws

While the backlash and controversy 50 Shades of Grey received for its touchy subject (no pun intended) is not shocking, it’s interesting how much of it is still surrounding the recent film adaptation for a story that was released three years ago. Call it the bookworm fangirl in me, but I felt as if the movie portrayed the first book perfectly and captured the essence to what the story truly is.

Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) is preparing to graduate college when she lends her aspiring journalist friend a favor by interviewing successful businessman of Seattle’s Grey Enterprises, Christian Grey (Jamie Dorman), for their school newspaper. Upon first meeting there is an immediate attraction between them. Steel is merely a shy, bookworm who feels invisible to the male species, hence she finds it surprising when Grey expresses interest in her. It is only in time that she discovers that he isn’t going to be the “hearts and flowers” boyfriend she dreamed of having, but one whom centers his “relationships” on BDSM. She is now left to contemplate whether she should comply with his offer to engage in a “Submissive/Dominant” relationship, all the while struggling with her feelings and curiosity for the broken man he works hard to hide from the world.

While there are the supporters and protesters for what the story conveys, I feel that many overlook the true love story between the main characters. The hype and focus is solely centralized on Grey’s preferred mechanisms with his lifestyle. It is also argued that Steele negatively portrays a woman as one whom should be submissive and powerless to a male figure. While the idea of BDSM plays a prominent role in the film and overall story, I felt as if Steele was anything but powerless.

While Steele is naïve and inexperienced, her realness to whom she is as an individual affects Grey in a way that he has never experienced before. Steele not only learns about a lifestyle she has never known about, but Grey is learning what “genuine love” is. What I liked about the film was its ability to take a difficult subject matter and give insight into the struggles of living the kind of lifestyle Grey abides by. It can be easy to hate Grey for his chosen lifestyle, but it can also be easy to sympathize for his past struggles and hope he stops living his life in fear.

Grey portrays the ultimate “dominant” as being handsome, successful, envied by every male and yearned for by every female. While he has the ultimate “power,” the film explores the brokenness he hides, for his past struggles have created the “dark” man he has become. With Steele entering his life, he struggles with remaining the man he has always been or allowing himself to be the man he always said he would never be. I found Steele’s ability to abide by herself as an individual something powerful in itself. It is ironic, because while they engage in acts preferred by Grey, it is Steele whom holds the ultimate power. She refuses to instantly become a “servant” to Grey and emphasizes that everything still remains her choice.

I don’t foresee the backlash for the film disappearing anytime soon, but I do think that the story shouldn’t be overlooked simply because it is exploring a topic that many have known about but have never chosen to address publicly in the media. While it may be controversial, it still doesn’t change the fact that it has broken records, making $81.7 million in its opening weekend. Clearly it remains to spark curiosity.