The Fifty Shades of Grey film trilogy was released in movie theaters between 2015 and 2018. Based on E L James’ best-selling novels, the movies broke box office records despite being widely panned by critics. The relationship between its protagonists, Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) and Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson), is portrayed as a complicated one. Christian, who has suffered from childhood trauma, believes himself to be incapable of a “normal” relationship. But after meeting Ana, his feelings begin to change.
While some fans consider Christian Grey the perfect smoldering romantic hero, many viewers have called out his behavior as controlling, manipulative, and downright creepy. Six years after the release of Fifty Shades of Grey, audiences are even more aware of the concepts of toxic masculinity and spotting red flags in relationships. Yet even at the time, many viewers found Christian’s actions problematic and disturbing.
Christian Stalked Ana By Turning Up At Her Place Of work
Christian Grey is very, very rich and uses his money to keep tabs on where people are. Immediately after meeting Ana, he runs a security check on her and finds out that she works in a hardware store at weekends.
He then turns up at the store, pretending to be just passing by. This is not the only time Christian does this. He later picks Ana up from the bar where she’s drinking and sends gifts to her house. The hardware store visit is, however, the first time he displays this worrying behavior. This could be seen as a romantic gesture, but these days it is more likely to be construed as what it actually is: stalking.
Christian Turned Up Unannounced In Georgia
In the early days of her and Christian’s relationship, Ana decides to visit her mom for a few days in order to sort her head out and decide how she feels about things. Apparently unable to go even a few days without seeing her, Christian travels across the country and turns up at the bar in Georgia where Ana and her mom are having drinks.
He texts Ana to let her know he’s watching her (and shames her about the number of cocktails she’s consumed). This shows a complete lack of boundaries. He is crowding her and not giving her space to think. This is manipulative behavior that doesn’t hold up well today.
Christian Is Exceedingly Jealous
Christian is jealous of every man Ana comes into contact with. This includes male friends of Ana’s who she’s known before meeting Christian, like her college buddy José and her co-worker Paul. Christian claims that he cares about Ana so much that he can’t bear other men to be around her. This is not healthy behavior. He treats Ana like a possession, going as far as to say in Fifty Shades Darker of Ana’s new boss, “He wants what’s mine.”
It shows a lack of respect for Ana, as though he doesn’t trust her to maintain platonic friendships without cheating on him. Women are entitled to have friends of the opposite sex, and a modern audience would expect Christian to recognize that.
Christian Is Terrible At Explaining BDSM
Christian’s fetish for BDSM (which stands for bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, and sadism and masochism) is a central theme of the Fifty Shades of Grey movies. Ana is new to the world of BDSM, so it is Christian’s job to explain it to her. When Ana asks, “What do I get out of it?” Christian simply responds, “Me.”
At no point during his initial explanation of his erotic lifestyle does he suggest that Ana might actually enjoy BDSM. It is presented as something she would submit to purely to please him. Today’s audiences recognize that for most kinky couples, the goal is mutual enjoyment and would expect Christian to have discussed that with Ana.
Christian’s Fetish Is Portrayed As Being Due To Childhood Trauma
For a film franchise ostensibly about the BDSM lifestyle, the Fifty Shades of Grey movies portray alternative sexual preferences in a very negative light. Christian’s kink is repeatedly explained as the outcome of his traumatic childhood and the neglect of his drug-addicted mother, who killed herself when Christian was 4 years old.
It is suggested that he only enjoys BDSM because he is damaged and that there is something about him that needs to be fixed. Even in 2015, when this movie was released, this was considered an outdated idea. This aspect of Christian’s backstory, and the implication that other people who practice this lifestyle must be similarly damaged, attracted a lot of criticism.
Christian Purchased All Of José’s Photographs Of Ana
At the beginning of Fifty Shades Darker, Ana’s friend José hosts an exhibition of his artwork. This is a big deal for him and an opportunity to further his career as a photographer. When Christian sees that José’s collection includes portraits of Ana, he buys them all.
Christian doesn’t purchase the pictures to support José’s work, but because he is jealous of anyone else looking at them. Christian’s possessiveness of Ana extends to images that she willingly posed for before she and Christian had even met. He uses his money to get his own way without considering the feelings of either Anna José. This is not behavior that holds up well today.
Christian Stole Ana’s Car
When she first meets Christian in Fifty Shades of Grey, Ana drives a Volkswagen Beetle, a car she seems very fond of. As a graduation gift, Christian buys her a brand new Audi. He also has Ana’s old car taken away and sold without her consent.
This is a criminal act. Christian had no right to take Ana’s car, and she could have justifiably called the police when she found out what he had done. How was he even able to sell it without the paperwork? He justifies his acts with concerns about safety, but such behavior is completely unacceptable. Modern audiences are quick to call him out on it.
Christian Proposed At The Worst Time (And In The Worst Possible Way)
In Fifty Shades Darker, Ana and Christian are threatened by Christian’s ex-submissive, Leila. Christian switches to dominant role-play with Leila to make her obey him. This freaks Ana out, who doesn’t want to see this side of Christian’s personality being acted out in front of her with another woman.
Afterward, fearful he’s going to lose Ana, Christian proposes. This is wrong in so many ways. They have been dating for only a few months. Ana has just been through a scary experience and is questioning their relationship. Christian assumes a submissive pose which is very confusing for Ana. It is a bad move on Christian’s part, and it doesn’t play well today.
Christian Reacted Terribly To Ana’s Pregnancy
When Ana discovers that she’s pregnant in Fifty Shades Freed, Christian’s response is not good. He is unprepared for fatherhood and expected years of child-free married life before having a family. Ana is unprepared for the pregnancy too, but Christian makes the situation all about him. He gets drunk and spends time with his ex, Elena, who seduced Christian when he was still a minor.
In the previous film, a showdown between Elena, Ana and Christian led audiences (and Ana) to believe that Elena was out of their lives forever. Turning to his ex at a time when he should have been supporting his wife was a massive betrayal by Christian that doesn’t play well with today’s audiences.
Everything Is All About Christian
Throughout all three movies, Christian is entirely focused on himself. Although he grows as a person through his relationship with Ana, he still spends a lot of time making everything all about him. He puts his own wants and needs above other people’s and interprets everything through the lens of how it makes him feel.
Whether it’s Ana’s relationship with her family and friends, her job, or her pregnancy, Christian’s reactions are not based on Ana’s feelings but his own. He allows his jealousies and insecurities to dictate Ana’s life choices. This narcissistic outlook isn’t the behavior of a partner in a healthy, equal relationship. Today’s movie audiences expect better of their romantic heroes.
