Fifty Shades of Grey ruins the romance between the main couple through one aspect of the story that other romance films have done better. The 2015 romance movie has had its fair share of controversy as it outlines the love story of Christian Grey (Jaime Dornan) and Anatasia Steele (Dakota Johnson). Fifty Shades of Grey‘s Rotten Tomatoes score showcases this, as viewers highlight one important aspect of the film that is missing: chemistry.

The chemistry between the two leads of the story, according to audiences, feels very rushed, hindering the story’s believability. The couple never truly grow as people, making Fifty Shades of Grey’s ending feel hollow. Fifty Shades’ arrival to streaming does not just demonstrate how, despite the controversy, the film continues to be popular. It also illustrates the heart of the issue when it comes to that lack of chemistry in the form of the film’s stilted banter between Ana and Christian.

Fifty Shades’s Banter Is Stilted

Ana And Christian’s Conversations Are Very Awkward

Fifty Shades of Grey’s main characters have very stilted and awkward banter, taking away from their growth. During the hardware store scene, Ana’s nervousness and Christian’s stoicism hinder the conversation. While they are being consistent, it takes away from what is meant to be a building block moment for their relationship. Ana’s few mentions of Christian’s odd purchases and expertise go uncommented on, with Christian seemingly unswayed by her. His remarks at the end on purchasing coveralls, as a result, seems completely out of left field, coming off as creepy rather than a natural conclusion to a built-up scene.

The coffee shop scene is just as awkward, as Christian spends more time being controlling than getting to know Ana. Ana’s few witty lines once again go unacknowledged, leaving the scene to be more awkward than tense. This also makes Christian’s declaration of not being good for her make no sense, as he barely knows her. Christian’s surrender and Ana’s clear distress have little payoff, as the two do not establish a connection, a connection other romance films create through the couple’s back-and-forth.

Why Having More Banter Would Have Fixed Fifty Shades’ Love Story

Other Romance Films Use Banter To Further The Couple’s Connection

The Fifty Shades of Grey movies could have used banter to amplify Ana and Christian chemistry, allowing the more dramatic beats of the story to feel earned. Romance films often use banter not only to create humor or guide exposition but to highlight why two characters work as a couple. That banter can be either playful or cutting, but in every story, it serves the same purpose. Fifty Shades’ lack of banter or reaction to it robbed Ana and Christian of this, making their story incomplete.

Ana and Christian’s relationship is monotone throughout the film, making it feel stagnant as they never seem comfortable with each other. With more banter, that comfort could be made evident without pausing the story and make the dramatic moments more heartbreaking. Banter would also allow audiences to see more of the sides of the couple, like Ana’s intellect and Christian’s vulnerability, that the film simply suggests exists. Fifty Shades of Grey would then feel more like a love story as the two get closer, making the ending and franchise as a whole more engaging as their story truly unfolds.