Dominance.  Submission.  Trust.  While the movie Fifty Shades of Grey purports to be all about kinky sex — and it has several softcore sex scenes — it is less about the kinky stuff than it is about trust, which I found most refreshing.  Not having read the books upon which this movie is based, I did not know the story; only that a young woman is swept off her feet by a rich dude who’s into sadism and bondage.  Those elements are present, in varying degrees, yet everything hinges upon the young woman’s trust, as proven by the surprising (to me, anyway) conclusion that isn’t really a conclusion.

Sam Taylor-Johnson’s film certainly romanticizes not only the characters, but the very act of bondage sex.  This may seem surprising, since Sam Taylor-Johnson, the director, is a woman.  But that’s what the material calls for; this isn’t some dirty dungeon activity.  Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) is a billionaire who doesn’t really like people, and only likes sex if it is rough.  Hence, when he meets comely young Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson), he does enough romantic things to catch her interest before gradually introducing her into his dark world.

This isn’t exactly fresh; the glider seduction is straight out of both versions of The Thomas Crown Affair, while the sex scenes are almost teasingly playful rather than lustfully erotic.  It’s supposed to look slick, intriguing and classy rather than alarming and dangerous.  Still, I must admit that the sexy stuff is very much simulated and artificial instead of enjoyably hot and heavy.  Any regular viewer of Cinemax or Starz or Showtime’s late night programming has been exposed to much more dramatic eroticism than what is presented here, and yet this material is fairly unusual for a mainstream feature film.

Actually, what I liked best about the film occurred outside the bedroom (and the playroom).  When Anastasia Steele becomes involved with the enigmatic Mr. Grey, she refuses to fall casually into his clutches.  Very much her own woman, she pokes and prods at his aloofness, questions everything she should and more, and only agrees to submit to him when she trusts him.  Earning that trust, and then putting it to the test, is what this movie (and presumably the books) are all about, and I appreciate that.  I really liked the late-night business meeting Anastasia requests, filled as it is with cheeky dialogue, a strong undercurrent of sexual tension, funny little details regarding his “contract” with her, and the awkwardness of discussing the kinky stuff out loud.

This film has earned some truly horrible reviews, and I don’t think that is deserved. True, it plays at being erotic rather than just being erotic, but the key relationship is smart and intriguing, if a bit guileless.  There is plenty of nudity to enjoy (hers more than his) and, of course, the “what if” factor to dwell upon: What if I were so rich . . . What if my new boyfriend brought out the handcuffs . . ., etc.  There is also a deep dark secret in Mr. Grey’s past which, according to my wife who has read the books, I did not guess correctly.  So I’ll look forward to seeing how wrong I am if they ever make a sequel, and to more stylish hanky-panky.  ☆ ☆ 1/2.  10 March 2015.