We are divided.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you would know that 50 Shades of Grey hit the cinemas this week.
The reaction from viewers has been…negative. Reviews and opinions about the film have not just focused on the sex (or lack of) either – in fact that’s probably taken a back seat.
What has come to light is the underlying tone that the movie depicts an emotionally abusive relationship disguised as an erotic film.
There have been reviews, like the one from Mamamia's Rosie Waterland that said,
I had no idea that Fifty Shades of Grey isn’t just about the sex. It’s also about an incredibly disturbing and manipulative emotionally abusive relationship.
So, about half an hour into last night’s screening, I found myself doing a horrified double-take. I quite suddenly realised that I was watching a film that glorified domestic abuse.
The relationship between Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele is one of the most fucked up and upsetting I’ve ever seen portrayed on the big screen.
And Lisa Wilkinson's review gave the film a 1 star out of 10 rating, and it only got the one because of a delicious choc top she had while in the cinema.
We read the reviews and have discussed to length what we think of the film (the discussion is ongoing). But what caught us really off guard was when we saw that cinemas were offering mums and bubs screening sessions - for parents to go and watch the film with their babies in tow. Hmm.
We weren't sure where we sat on this one. We asked the mums in the office and their views were mixed.
There was the hell-no, never will do that to my children:
"Highly inappropriate! And that's from someone who used to edit a sex magazine. I am really, really careful what my kids see on TV and always have been. I'm totally cool with my kids seeing nudity and hearing swearing, but I don't like them seeing anything violent or disturbing." - Helen.
And then there was the, well they're babies right? How much do they really take in anyways?
"I haven't read it but doesn't it depend on the age... I think plenty of parents have sex in front of their newborns. I think it's fine if the kids are young enough not to take it in, if the babies are likely to sleep through it, how could you possibly harm them?" - Shauna.
"I don't think anyone really knows at what age babies start taking things in. I think, if you're going to try to do the right thing by your kids, you need to start from birth and not expose them to disturbing things on screen." - Helen
Another mum suggested that studies have shown that babies are pretty cluey and take on more than what we think.
So, we are even more confused than when we started the discussion. So we want to put it to you...
Do you think it is highly inappropriate or completely fine to take your baby/toddler to a mums and bubs session of 50 shades of grey?
Want more? Try:
"Who takes their 11-week-old baby to a movie? I do."
"Hollywood's dirty little secret that makes every mum feel old."
