2017 • Universal Pictures
Rated: R
Length: 1 hr 58min
Drama ~ Romance ~ Thriller
Director: James Foley
Writer: E. L. James/Screenplay by Niall Leonard.
Actors: Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Eric Johnson, Eloise Mumford, Bella Heathcote, Rita Ora, Jennifer Ehle, Luke Grimes, Victor Rasuk, Kim Basinger, and Marcia Gay Harden.
Every Fairy Tale Has A Dark Side.
Official Trailer
The Book
Fifty Shades Darker (2017) is based on The Novel Fifty Shades Darker by E. L. James published April 17, 2012.
Daunted by the singular tastes and dark secrets of the beautiful, tormented young entrepreneur Christian Grey, Anastasia Steele has broken off their relationship to start a new career with a Seattle publishing house. But desire for Christian still dominates her every waking thought, and when he proposes a new arrangement, Anastasia cannot resist. They rekindle their searing sensual affair, and Anastasia learns more about the harrowing past of her damaged, driven and demanding Fifty Shades.
While Christian wrestles with his inner demons, Anastasia must confront the anger and envy of the women who came before her, and make the most important decision of her life.
Fifty Shades Darker (2017) – Review
At the end of Fifty Shades Of Grey, Anastasia (Dakota Johnson) and Christian (Jamie Dornan) part ways saying each other’s names as the elevator doors close. Just like the time they first met in Christian’s office at the beginning of the movie. Anastasia decided she could no longer deal with Christian’s lack of emotional closeness and his obsession with kinky sex. And Christian, despite his desire to, can’t let Anastasia in emotionally.
Anastasia starts a new job as an assistant to Jack Hyde (Eric Johnson), an editor at Seattle Independent Publishing (SIP) whose last three assistants all quit within 18 months with no notice. Anastasia has yet to find out the reason for their departure seeing Jack as a good boss, and really liking her new position in the literary field. She has remained friends with José Rodriguez and goes to the opening of his Photography Exhibit. Anastasia is instantly a little mortified at seeing six huge pictures of herself hanging in the exhibit, just as José is informed that someone has bought all six portraits.
It is Christian, and he asks Ana to accompany him to dinner to talk about their new terms; no rules, no punishments and no more secrets. Ana agrees after Christian opens up about his childhood and his mother. Anastasia and Christian are back together again in a less steamy, more “vanilla” way, but there are obstacles and roadblocks to overcome as their relationship moves forward again. Christian’s mysterious “Mrs. Robinson (Kim Basinger) can’t let go of Christian and their previous sexual relationship, and to make things worse, Ana finds out they are business partners.
His Fifty Shades Of Grey are getting darker as Ana finds out more about Christian’s seedy side, and how many other submissives and partners there have been. It is a deeper and darker activity then Ana could have imagined, coupled with the sudden appearance of one of his ex-submissives in a threatening way. Again Ana is faced with Christian’s overwhelming, extensive BDSM past, and has to decide whether she can accept it. There is also a growing drama with her new boss Jack, who has issues of his own with Mr. Grey.
While Fifty Shades Darker swaps some of Fifty Shades Of Grey‘s intense bedroom negotiations for outside melodrama, I found myself thoroughly entertained by the shift in dynamic. Dakota Johnson once again shines as Ana, bringing a fierce independence to the role as she navigates Christian’s complex psychological baggage and a workplace that proves to be its own kind of minefield. The chemistry between Johnson and Dornan remains the driving force of the film; even as their relationship leans into a more “vanilla” romance, the underlying tension and history between them are completely palpable.
Fifty Shades Darker successfully expands the world beyond the Red Room, trading the isolated physical boundaries of Fifty Shades Of Grey for a suspenseful, soap-opera-style thriller filled with envious exes and looming external threats. It keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering if Christian can truly change, or if his dark past will ultimately drag them both under. If you enjoyed watching their relationship spark in the first movie, this deeper, more dangerous chapter is a wild ride that delivers exactly what it promises. Bring on the finale, Fifty Shades Freed!
Fifty Shades Darker (2017) – Review by Bobby @ Streaming Movie Night.
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