In Theaters This Weekend: Reviews of ‘Fifty Shades of Grey,’ ‘Kingsman’ and More

A kinky business, an aging spy and a pair of singing lovers are heading to theaters this weekend with the releases of Fifty Shades of Grey, Kingsman: The Secret Service and The Last Five Years.

Find out what The Hollywood Reporter‘s critics are saying about the weekend’s new offerings (along with which film will top the weekend’s box office).

See more ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ and 10 of Hollywood’s Most Risqué Movies (Photos)

Fifty Shades of Grey

The film adaptation of the wildly popular erotic novel stars Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan and Marcia Gay Harden in the story of a student who falls for a troubled businessman. Sam Taylor-Johnson directed from author EL James‘ source material. “The filmmakers submit without hesitation to the bold yet hokey source material, with leads Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson breathing a crucial third dimension into cutout characters,” writes THR film critic Sheri Linden in her review. 

Kingsman: The Secret Service

Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Caine and Taron Egerton star in director Matthew Vaughn‘s action-adventure film about a secret agent who trains a wayward young man to become a spy. Linden writes that “the story loses oomph as it barrels toward its doomsday countdown, but the cast’s dash and humor never flag.” Read her full review here. 

The Last Five Years

An actress and a novelist experience the ups and downs of a relationship in director Richard LaGravenese‘s adaptation of the stage musical. Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan star. In his review, THR film critic David Rooney writes that the script’s “hermetic construct [doesn’t] benefit from the larger breathing space of screen treatment,” although the leads “make a charming pair.”

Hits

David Cross wrote and directed the comedy about a government employee whose council meeting rants land him fame. The ensemble cast includes Matt Walsh, Amy Sedaris, Michael Cera and Jason Ritter. The film is a “a frequently funny but easy-prey satire about America’s obsession with fame,” according to THR film critic David Rooney‘s review.

What We Do in the Shadows

Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi wrote and directed the horror-comedy film about vampires dealing with real-world issues, starring Clement, Waititi, Jonathan Brugh and Cori Gonzalez-Macuer. THR film critic John DeFore writes in his review that the “very funny” film features “ace writing and comic performances.”

Email: Ryan.Gajewski@pgmedia.org
Twitter: @_RyanGajewski

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