A Review of 50 Shades of Grey: A Movie I've Never Seen (And Won't)

It goes without saying that attempting to write a review of a book without having actually read it is usually not a good idea. The same is certainly true for movies. It should seem obvious that I cannot speak to the qualities or issues of a movie if I haven't watched that movie. But sometimes I simply cannot in good conscience watch a movie, and yet that same conscience that prohibits me from viewing it also tells me that, as a minister of the gospel, I must speak up. So, I will not watch 50 Shades of Grey, nor will I read the book. And yet I will attempt to write a review. Such is the juxtaposition of my conscience's simultaneous prohibitions and compellings.


One way I could accomplish this would be to comb through other reviews of the book and movie and piece together a review based on what others have said. But as I will argue below, I am not convinced that doing so is appropriate. Instead, I am going to review a statement Paul makes in Ephesians 5:11-12 and apply that to 50 Shades of Grey, because I am persuaded that in these verses the Apostle not only makes it crystal clear that Christians ought not see this movie, but he also gives us an example for how to speak the truth on issues like this when we can not participate and so cannot address specific examples. He writes:

"Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret." (ESV)

We need to see that these verses occur in a context in which Paul has been drawing a stark dichotomy between light and darkness (beginning in verse 8). As believers, we are to walk as children of light and bear the fruit that is the hallmark of who we are: goodness, righteousness and truth (verse 9) and live in such a way that we try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord (verse 10). Unfruitful deeds of darkness are not pleasing to the Lord and so the Apostle commands Christians to have no part of them. "Do not share in the fruit of darkness," he says. In other words, do not participate in things which are contrary to who you are in Christ. You have been taken from the realm of darkness and "now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light" (verse 8).

This is important. Paul is building his prohibition in verse 11 on the fact that, as Christians, this is not who we are anymore. These works of darkness belong to a domain that is now foreign to who a Christian is. He does not speak of it directly here, but the image of the cross looms over these verses. As a Christian, I have been crucified with Christ. I have died to who I was and have been raised up to a new kind of life, a life whose fruit is goodness, righteousness and truth and pleases the Lord (see Romans 6:1-11). To participate now in these things that belong to the realm of darkness is to live as though that crucifixion never happened. Paul's prohibition doesn't come from thin air, not does it come from some useless, sex-fearing ethic of another age; it is tied to the eschatological reality of our deliverance from the old era of Adam and into the new era of Christ. Do not participate because that is not who you are anymore.

Instead of sharing in the works of darkness, Paul directs his readers to expose them. Christians have a responsibility not only to avoid participating in sinful activity but also to expose it for what it really is and where it comes from. How do we expose these secret things that hide in the darkness? By being who we are--children of light. The light of the life-changing, era-replacing gospel lived out in us illuminates every dark crevice in which these deeds are secretly done. The gospel dispels darkness. It reveals secrets. It uncovers every corner of the heart and exposes it to God's goodness, righteousness and truth. I am to walk as a child of light so that everywhere I go, this light will expose the unfruitful works of darkness which are vainly practiced in secret and set them in contrast to the darkness-piercing glory of God.

Isn't it interesting that Paul gives us no details about what exactly he is referring to as "unfruitful works of darkness"? He does not write a frame-by-frame review of these secret sins. He simply says that they are unfruitful works of darkness of such a wicked nature that he will not shame himself by speaking of them. As I would understand Paul, this probably means I should steer clear not only of the movie itself, but also of reviews, even those by well-meaning Christians, that include laundry lists of the film's depravity. It's just not necessary to read or speak of those things.

Instead, I am seeking to imitate Paul's example as I write this review. I do not need to see a movie like 50 Shades of Grey in order to expose its secrets, nor do I need to give example after example in order to demonstrate its depravity. I do not need to know the details in order to speak with the authority of the Word of God and say that, if you are a Christian, you do not belong in that theater. It is enough that, if you are a Christian, the things depicted in this movie do not belong to who you are in Christ. That is enough. Do not participate. Do not share in these secret works of darkness. I like the way Kevin DeYoung (@RevKevDeYoung) put it on February 10, 2015 in a Twitter post: "If some things should not be spoken, they should certainly not be viewed with popcorn (Eph.5:11-12)."