Fifty Shades Freed: A Writer’s Thoughts on Why You Should See the Movie

I confess: I read the Fifty Shades Trilogy (Fifty Shades of Grey / Fifty Shades Darker / Fifty Shades Freed)[image error].

How could I not, as an author who writes sex scenes (though not nearly as many or as kinky as EL James)? I’m probably the only one with a lukewarm feeling about the series (here are elements I think are masterful and some I think are hokey), whereas most people seem to fall into “love it” or “hate-it” camps.

As a romance writer, my main interest is in whether the characters are moved, changed and/or transformed by the events of the story. By that token, the FIFTY SHADES trilogy delivers; both characters are undeniably changed (although it’s Christian’s transformation that interests me most).

As a romance writer who also aspires to someday see one of my novels made into a film, I had to see all SHADES movies. (Being a writer is a tough job sometimes!)

I wasn’t a big fan of movie #1 (I personally didn’t need to see all the kinky sex). The second was better but still didn’t move me much.

However, I found myself pleasantly surprised by the final movie (Fifty Shades Freed[image error]).

The sex was playful and fun rather than dark and somewhat ominous. Christian and Anastasia actually relaxed and enjoyed each other doing things other than sex. And I don’t know why, exactly, but Jamie Dornan was more attractive and sexy than he was in the first two (maybe marriage looks good on “Christian Grey”)!

Then there’s the bad guy. The one you love to hate. The FREED movie played the danger-and-suspense element quite effectively. (If you’ve seen it, you know what I mean; if you haven’t I won’t be the one to ruin it for you!)

All in all, more enjoyable than I expected.

Regardless of how you feel about the plot or characters, as actors, Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson had a difficult job—and they made it look as natural as kinky sex can look! By the third movie, they must have really been in sync with each other.

One of my favorite scenes in the movie? Anastasia washing Christian’s hair (see video here).