EXCITED… Sinead Mohan, Sharon Bradshaw and Ciara Brennan were looking forward to seeing Fifty Shades of Grey in Enniskillen on Monday evening
THE EXCITEMENT and giddiness is palpable at Enniskillen’s IMC Cinema on Monday night. It’s day four of 50 Shades of Grey: And the largely female audience size shows no signs of waning.
“I’m expecting it to be raunchy, a good night out!” joked Sinead Mohan, who’s in the queue along with a couple of friends from Lisnaskea.
“I’d be expecting it to be mostly girls, we don’t want the boys here!” she laughed.
Her friend Ciara Brennan has read all three books – and is wondering whether Jamie Dornan will fit the bill for main character Christian Grey.
The cinema itself has reported healthy figures – with Irish presales a five year high – for the adaptation of EL James’ erotic novel which features County Down actor Jamie Dornan.
It has proved a box office hit, but its controversial nature has sparked a mixed public response.
Manager at the Enniskillen cinema Michael Collins said that locals have taken to it ‘rather well’: “A nice audience has come out to all shows, light-hearted, jovial and out for a night out. All well-behaved and customers that would come to us on a regular basis.
“They’ve all come to it and all seem to have enjoyed it. And we’ve had no issues with it whatsoever.”
But what do those who’ve seen it think?
Wendy Lindsay, Florenceourt, saw the film on Valentine’s Day with a friend while her husband was working.
“I did have high expectations, I did, not to say that I was let down,” she explained, “I enjoyed the film but I definitely would say that I enjoyed the books more. I’d seen the online reviews and it was described as soft porn – but I definitely wouldn’t describe it as that.”
Wendy said that there was a mixed audience of both men and women.
“We went to the 8pm, and I’d say the cinema was about three quarters full. I would say it was mostly women. It wasn’t half and half but there were quite a few men, a lot of couples.
“I’ve heard other people saying ‘Aw that was crap’ – I can understand why it was rated an 18 obviously. My daughter is 17 and I wouldn’t have felt that comfortable sitting with her watching it.
“A lot of people wouldn’t like to admit to maybe enjoying watching something like that. You have to be very comfortable with your sexuality and very comfortable with what you’re going in to watch. If you’re quite a private person or prudish, it’s not for you.”
It was a family affair for Tanya Brady from Enniskillen on Friday night, who went along with her friends, uncle, auntie and mother.
“I loved it. It was everything I wanted it to be – the general feeling was excitement that the movie had finally come out after waiting so long, and that it was brilliant the whole way through.
“There weren’t that many there at all – about 60 maybe. But the queue for the next show on the way out was crazy!”
And how will it go down?
“I think it will be received very well actually. Considering most people – or women – in Fermanagh have read the books and enjoyed them, I doubt the movie will shock them. I suppose anyone who didn’t like the thought of the content in the books won’t go see the movie anyway.”
Tanya’s uncle, Darren was there too, and said that he ‘loved it’, adding that it had a ‘great back story’.
“There were quite a few couples – perhaps the men were dragged. But on the other hand, I wasn’t dragged and thoroughly enjoyed the movie. I went as a single man with family and friends. It didn’t have as many sex scenes as I thought it would – but it didn’t need it.”
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