Fifty Shades Of Grey: 10 Ways It Tricks People Into Liking It

8. A Female-Dominated Crew Attempts To Distract The Anti-Feminist Bent

One of the central criticisms of Fifty Shades Of Grey's intrinsic idea is that while the central relationship is ostensibly BDSM-based, the complete power gulf and lack of consent makes it a much more typical show of domestic abuse. With the protagonist repeatedly forced into unwitting situations until she submits (it only gets worse in the sequels), there's a distinct feeling that its representation of women goes beyond simple bedroom fantasy, presenting a very anti-feminist story. Naturally, the film has gone to great pains to reduce this. Not only is it based on a novel by a woman, but its screenplay is by Kelly Marcel and it's directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson. In a male-dominated moviemaking landscape the broad facts make this a bright light for feminism - it's one of the biggest, predominantly female-led movies ever made. Isn't this a step forward? Yeah, not buying it. The fem-trifecta of writer, screenwriter and director may act as a shield to the abuse criticisms, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be made. The film thinks simple existence will stop it being misogynist, but taking the film on its own merits (as those trying to distance it from the simple titillation of the book seem so keen to do) reveals how false that is.