Fifty Shades draws unscripted laughs at Berlinale

Film based on panned novel finds audience chuckling at melodramatic scenes

BERLIN: The movie Fifty Shades of Grey is about the serious business of sadomasochism and bondage, but you might not have gathered that from the laughter in the audience at a press screening on Wednesday before the world premiere.

Dakota Johnson, who plays Anastasia Steele, generally won praise from those at the screening, which was held in conjunction with the Berlin International Film Festival. Christian Grey, played by Northern Ireland’s Jamie Dornan, was considered something of a cipher. But much of the audience tittered or burst out laughing at some of the movie’s more melodramatic dialogue and scenes, mostly taken straight from the book.

The novel is the first in a trilogy by E L James. It was widely panned by critics, but sold more than 100-million copies. A scene in which Dornan as Grey leaves bed in the middle of the night to play a Chopin piano piece on his Fazioli grand in his penthouse apartment overlooking Seattle drew a particularly large outburst of chuckles.

Others in the audience found their eyes glazing over at the non-stop macho opulence. Some Germans didn’t think the bondage and sadomasochistic scenes were all that titillating — at least for European audiences. “It will be for all ages, you can even take your kids,” said a man who gave his name only as Ferdinand.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 13^th,  2015.

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