Fifty Shades of Grey

When college senior Anastasia Steele steps in for her sick roommate to interview prominent businessman Christian Grey for their campus paper, little does she realize the path her life will take. Christian, as enigmatic as he is rich and powerful, finds himself strangely drawn to Ana, and she to him. Though sexually inexperienced, Ana plunges headlong into an affair -- and learns that Christian's true sexual proclivities push the boundaries of pain and pleasure.

Critics largely panned the film for wooden performances, clunky dialogue, and sluggish pacing, with many conceding it is a modest step up from the source novel — though that bar was considered low. A handful of reviewers found genuine craft in the direction and visual style, and disagreed sharply over whether the sex scenes serve the story or sink it.