The Fifty Shades movies make major changes from the eponymous books by author E.L. James. In 2015, the Twilight fan fiction turned novel Fifty Shades of Grey was released on the big screen, followed by two sequels in 2017 and 2018. All three films were successful at the box office but critically panned. The Fifty Shades movies are some of the most controversial movies that have come out in recent years due to their explicit sexual content, their inaccurate portrayal of BDSM, and the dangerous romanticization of an arguably abusive relationship.
Despite this, the movies are much better than the books they are based on – not just because the books are poorly written. The Fifty Shades movies make many changes, big and small, that positively impact the overall narrative. Some of the changes even minimize the more overtly problematic elements of the Fifty Shades books.
The Fifty Shades Books Have Much More Sex
Ana And Christian Have Sex Constantly In Kinkier Ways
The biggest change between the Fifty Shades books and movies is the sheer amount of sex and the degree of BDSM explored. In the books, almost every other scene involves Christian and Ana having sex, earning them the label “smut.” This works for the books, but movies need a much more plot and less sex so that theaters can show them. As such, the movies cut down the number of sex scenes and show much less intense depictions of BDSM. While this might have been disappointing for fans of the book, it ultimately allowed for more character development and plot.
Ana’s “Inner Goddess” Doesn’t Appear In The Movies
The “Inner Goddess” Would Have Hurt the Fifty Shades Movies
One of the most irritating parts of the Fifty Shades books is the repetitive writing, specifically the references to Ana’s “inner goddess.” She is meant to represent Ana’s uninhibited impulses, but there’s little personality to the character other than being horny. Simply put, the “inner goddess” has no purpose in the books. Still, she is maddeningly referenced in all of them. Luckily, the movie scrapped the “inner goddess” completely rather than spoon-feeding the audience Ana’s libido through voiceover. Instead, the character’s conflicted emotions and sex drive are shown through Dakota Johnson’s mannerisms and vocal tone, a more effective choice onscreen.
The Fifty Shades Of Grey Book Contract Is More Thorough Than The Movie Version
The Fifty Shades Book Contract Includes Sections Like Approved Foods, Clothing, and Personal Hygeine/Beauty
The Fifty Shades of Grey movie includes the BDSM contract that Christian gives Ana as a major feature but truncates it and removes some of the legalese. Ana also spends less time researching all the terms and expectations related to being a submissive. This makes the document seem more like a general BDSM contract.
However, what Christian presents to Ana in the book is much more similar to a Total Power Exchange (TPE) BDSM contract. This kind of contract gives the dominant control over everything from bathroom privileges to sex acts. TPEs are contentious in the BDSM community because they can quickly lead to abuse hiding behind the facade of kink.
The Contract Negotiation Scene Occurs Differently In The Book
In the movie Fifty Shades of Grey, Ana and Christian don’t discuss the contract outside their meeting. They meet up in one of his conference rooms, sitting at opposite ends of a comically long table for two people. They go through every part of the contract all at once. This is vastly different from the E.L. James book.
After Ana reads the contract, they communicate about Ana’s issues with some of the points over email. Then, they meet up at a restaurant to discuss the contract further. However, she becomes overwhelmed and leaves, waiting to discuss the soft limits another day. This more drawn-out version of their negotiation was likely condensed for narrative purposes, allowing audiences to get the gist without it taking too long.
Christian Is Obsessed With Ana’s Eating And Exercising In The Fifty Shades Of Grey Book
A highly disturbing part of the Fifty Shades of Grey book is Christian Grey’s obsession with Ana’s eating and exercising. He includes clauses about her eating only foods from a prescribed list and not snacking ever. He also demands that she work with a personal trainer for half the week, with the trainer giving him progress reports.
Though he agrees to take out the food restrictions, he still berates her eating habits on a regular basis. Pretty much every time they eat a meal together across all the books, he harasses her about what and how much she consumes. Ultimately, it’s positive that the movie chose to minimize these harmful ideals, only briefly mentioning them when she refuses to agree to the food clause.
The Fifty Shades Of Grey Movie Removes Ana’s Crying
The first movie rarely shows Ana crying, but a major feature of the Fifty Shades of Grey book is the fact that she bawls after almost every interaction with Christian, sexual or not. It’s established earlier in the series that she doesn’t often cry. This dichotomy points to the mental distress and abuse that she faces throughout the story in the name of “love”.
By removing this aspect of Ana’s character, the movies paint Christian and Ana’s relationship in a happier light. She might feel unsure about submission, but it doesn’t cause her to constantly question why she isn’t good enough for him. The change seems insidious, since the movie still portrays a highly abusive and manipulative relationship.
