[tps_title]The Surprise Ending[/tps_title]
Jon: I might need some clarification from book readers on this: That spanking scene. What lead up to that?
Gaby: What you saw in the movie. She wanted him to open up, and he was pissed off about something going wrong, which he didn’t elaborate on. She saw that he felt like he wasn’t in control, and the only way to help him was to let him punish her.
Jon: I felt like before, even though he was obsessive and a bit manipulative, he still showed a facade of respect for her well-being and pleasure. This seemed completely out of character and really, kind of out of left field.
Gaby: Christian does love her. He just goes about it in a fucked up way, honestly.
Jon: None of that screamed love to me. It screamed unnecessary pain and torture.
Gaby: That’s why I was disappointed by how unromantic the movie is. The book definitely felt more romantic, if cheesy at times.
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Jon: And how it ended in a worst-case scenario very easily.
Gaby: What did you think of her decision at the end?
Jon: I think she should have left much sooner. Instead, she spent the night at his place.
Gaby: I wanted to clap. I loved it. I felt it was the first time she really spoke her feelings, unafraid of the consequences.
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Jon: I loved how powerful her “No” was. But to be honest, even though that was one of my favorite moments of the film, I was already done with it early on. It was fairly irredeemable.
Gaby: I loved how powerful it was too. Like damn, she put this overbearing dude in his place.
Jon: This is what I thought of when she said no. It was forceful,and kind of surprising, but really powerful.
Gaby: LOL, I didn’t think of that. But yeah, totally agree.
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Allyson: Yeah, and we know with two sequels on the way that it doesn’t last. LOL
Melissa: I think it was a good decision because after literally asking him to spank her, she decided that she didn’t want that. She decides that she can’t be what he wants, and she decides to leave the situation on her own accord just as she entered it.
Jon: But she left after knowing what she was getting into. If she had the experience to know ahead of time, I doubt she would ever agree to enter it in the first place.
Allyson: But aren’t there passages in the book that describe her making sob-like noises? Most Doms would have eased up. Like that goes from being sexy to being abusive pretty damn fast.
Jon: Yeah, sobbing is a sign you need to stop.
Melissa: Yeah, but it wasn’t like that. She decided she wanted to experience it.
Gaby: She’s only sobbing in that last scene. The other times she enjoyed it.
Allyson: I was talking about the last scene specifically.
Jon: She wanted to experience what he was fully capable of?
Gaby: Also, she knew about the safe words. She could’ve said Yellow or Red. But then, her inexperience made her forget about the safe words probably.
Jon: When you’re in that much pain, you can’t really think of much else except the number you’re being told to count to and hoping it ends soon.
Allyson: And being in pain and crying can make you choke on your words a bit.
Gaby: That’s true.
Allyson: Here’s the quote from the book: “I close myself, bracing myself for the blow. It comes hard, snapping across my backside, and the bite of the belt is everything I fear…His breathing is ragged and harsh, whereas mine is almost nonexistent as I desperately scrabble around my psyche looking for some internal strength. The belt cuts into my flesh again…ow the tears are streaming down my face. I don’t want to cry. It angers me that I am crying. He hits me again….as the blistering pain cuts across me again, and I hear him drop the belt behind me, and he’s pulling me into his arms, all breathless and compassionate….” (506)
That’s not romance.
Gaby: Is that from the last scene?
Allyson: Yes.
Gaby: I don’t think that was ever meant to be romantic because she leaves him shortly after.
Allyson: Maybe not, but I think it should be looked at as abuse.
Jon: If she truly consented or if it could be counted as consent could be debated for hours, but what can’t be argued with is how damaging this story is to all the youth who think this is what the BDSM community is all about. Some will be turned off by it, while others will go into it misinformed and might not be ready.
Allyson: But how are we ever supposed to see Christian as a romantic figure?
Jon: He’s rich and sexy, duh.
Melissa: He changes a bit in the sequels…
Gaby: I think people like the way he’s obsessively in love with her. Plus, he’s rich and beautiful.
Allyson: But that’s such a problem!
Melissa: Yeah, he’s got fucked control and overprotective issues.
Allyson: And he’s also not THAT attractive.
Gaby: But to Ana, he is THAT attractive.
Allyson: Ugh. Like she’s so hot, why she is settling for such an abusive loser? It makes no sense.
Gaby: Ana doesn’t think she’s hot. She has self-esteem issues.
Allyson: Again, another problem.
Jon: So he is preying on her self-esteem issues?
Melissa: No.
Gaby: Also, it fits right into that fantasy of wanting to nurture and take care of someone. Like you can change this man.
Allyson: Wouldn’t it be amazing one of these days to see a film about a self-assured woman who loves herself and is sexually confident and doesn’t need a man to hit her to feel loved?
Gaby: This is Hollywood, Allyson. But you’re right. I wish there were more movies like that.
Jon: That could have been Robinson’s role if they hadn’t made her a child abuser. But what I dislike the most is that they are portraying the dominate characters as having some sort of abusive past or sexual issues. Christian Grey with his childhood, and Robinson with her pedophilia. Instead, this story reverts to damaging and outdated notions of romance.
Allyson: I know, but just because it’s the status quo for women to be written without agency doesn’t mean I won’t complain about.
Click [NEXT] to read our thoughts on the film.
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