Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

Dull shocker directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson (“Nowhere Boy”), which is not as dirty as we were led to believe by the ads. Writer Kelly Marcel aseptically adapts the screenplay from the literary limited novel by E.L. James. The trilogy novel surfaced in 2009 and began as Twilight fan fiction. The virgin Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson, the daughter of Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson) is a college English-lit major who is graduating. When interviewing for her college journal in Seattle the billionaire 27-year-old techno business tycoon Christian Grey (James Dornan, Irish model-turned actor ) as a favor for her roommate Carla (Jennifer Ehle), she believes she met Mr. Perfect and begins a relationship with him. Christian’s big flaw is that he gets off on various bondage exercises, that includes flogging the submissive young lady. I guess things are fine since it’s consensual. Though Ana has her limits and says no to anal fisting. All the sex scenes are done without going over the line, and therefore could be considered tasteful. But the relationship film steps into dark corners and sees only the inane, which makes for a tortuously boring watch. The stud might be a hunk, but he has the charisma of a piece of wood.

REVIEWED ON 10/22/2016 GRADE: C+