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Rating: 3.4/5
Review: "Fifty Shades of Grey movie review"

"An average steamy drama saved by decent cinematography, acting and some well-shot sex scenes."

The books are a hit so it is no surprise when an adaptation is announced. I have not read the books so I can't say how close the movie is with the first book. As a movie, it is somewhat alright to watch but it lacks the 'must-watch' factor. One of the biggest flaws is the runtime of 2 hours. Halfway through the movie, it is obvious that the story is going nowhere. I felt that a good 5-10 minutes could be shaved off to move the story forward faster.

The story: It is just the usual romance plot where the girl falls for the handsome man. Character development is not strong here. Dakota Johnson, who plays Anastasia Steele, is attractive in some ways and matches with the good-looking Jamie Dornan (plays Christian Grey). Dakota has not much to act out in the first half of movie other than to swoon over the hunk and moan in the bedroom. However, in the second half, her acting has improved and started displaying more emotions. Jamie Dornan's role does not require him to show a wide range of emotions other than the brooding and cool emotions. The decently shot sex scenes are graphic for a mainstream movie however they do not go overboard. The director, Sam Taylor-Johnson, is smart enough to know when to stop in those scenes. Music by Danny Elfman is alright.

Overall: Fans of the hit books will definitely catch this and will get the kicks seeing their favourite characters come to life. It is understandable if males do not get what is all the hype about: The books and movie are geared toward females. Other than some graphic sex scenes, this movie does not have much to offer. The story is almost non-existent, the character development is tepid and the acting only improves in the second half of the movie. As a guy, I can safely say if you missed this in cinema, don't be worried. However even if it is not a 'must-watch' movie in cinema, I would say it will be enough of an entertainment at home on a boring day. As this is an intended trilogy, I wouldn't mind catching the next one to see how their relationship has progressed.

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