I’m not afraid to admit it: I love the 50 Shades of Grey series. Yes, many people roll their eyes and complain the books are badly written, but half those people are secretly reading them, too. They must be, considering the series has sold over 100 million copies worldwide, been translated into 52 languages, and set a record in the UK as the fastest selling paperback of all time. In other words: I’m not the only one buying them, reading them, and watching them.
That’s right-50 Shades of Grey is now a movie, and it opened this weekend, just in time for Valentine’s Day. While a story about the relationship between a beautiful young woman and a very rich man might seem like nothing new, 50 Shades of Grey takes things a bit further. Let’s just say that after reading the books, I was shocked to learn the movie would be rated R and not XXX.
In fact, when the books first came out in 2011 the media predicted a baby boom, inspired by the enthusiastic antics of the main characters. These new babies were going to be known as “greybies” (after the book’s heartthrob Christian Grey, of course) and they were going to have a lot to talk about in therapy one day.
Luckily, the nine-month mark has passed and the birth rate didn’t skyrocket after all. Can you imagine if it had? Right now, those greybies would be hitting the terrible twos. Instead of 50 Shades of Grey, we’d be overflowing with 50 Shades of Diapers, 50 Shades of Tantrums, and 50 Shades of Teething. No, thanks!
While I’m glad there aren’t thousands of greybies crawling everywhere, I don’t think we’re out of the woods just yet. This past Saturday, as a sort of pre-Valentine’s Day gift to myself, I went to see the 50 Shades of Grey matinee with some girlfriends. I’ll admit that I was a bit nervous about the film. Enjoying certain scenes in the privacy of my own home is one thing; watching them play out on the big screen with a bunch of strangers is another. Forget Fifty Shades of Grey; this could have been Fifty Shades of Red! The general consensus was that the film, if nothing else, was…ahem…inspirational. In other words, let’s check back on that whole greybies situation in nine months or so.
If you want to know what you’re getting into before you see the film, you’re in luck. Ellen DeGeneres shared an exclusive sneak peek of the trailer on her show and it’s filled with surprises.
Happy Monday,
Mary
