Entertainment Movies PEOPLE Staffer's Grandma Is Back with a 'Fifty Shades Darker' Review: 'Oh My, It Was Explicit' An avid movie fan, my grandmother was firmly planted in the theatre for the second installment in the big screen adaptations of E.L. James' franchise By Lindsay Kimble Lindsay Kimble Lindsay Kimble is a Senior Digital News Editor and the Sports Editor for PEOPLE Digital. She's worked at PEOPLE for over seven years as a writer, reporter and editor across our Entertainment, Lifestyle and News teams, covering everything from the Super Bowl to the Met Gala. She's been nominated for the ASME NEXT Awards for Journalists Under 30, and previously wrote for Us Weekly while on staff at Wenner Media. People Editorial Guidelines Published on February 15, 2017 04:53 PM Share Tweet Pin Email When the Fifty Shades Darker trailer debuted last fall, it seemed only obvious to get one person’s reaction: my grandma. An avid movie fan, my grandmother was firmly planted in the theater for the first big-screen adaptation of E.L. James’ erotic franchise. And thus, she was more than happy to issue her take on the first glimpse at the franchise’s second installment for PEOPLE. Her reaction to the trailer, in summary? “This is very provocative.” Now, after screening Fifty Shades Darker, Donna, 76, is ready to share her reaction once again (and, unlike the critics, it’s a big thumbs-up). “I thought it was better,” she says. “I have to tell you, I was disturbed by the whole movie through the first one. I could not believe what he was doing to this girl. I hated the movie, I couldn’t wait to get out.” She says she went into this one expecting the “same thing.” “The beginning of the movie was kind of disturbing, but as I went through the movie I got more relaxed,” Donna says. “I saw a softer side of [Christian]. In the other movie he seemed so angry.” In the film, Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) and Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) reunite to attempt a relationship without an NDA. Along the way, there are run-ins with Christian’s old submissive and, well, a lot of sex. “I walked out of the movie, feeling, ‘Okay, that was a good movie,’ ” admits my grandma. “I saw him grow from the beginning of the movie to the end of the movie, and I felt like he finally loved her. And I couldn’t wait to get out of the other movie.” She admits that the explicit nature of the Fifty Shades movies is totally new to her moviegoing experience. “You know, years ago when you’d go to the movies you knew that they loved each other. I’m an old woman, and I lived through the Doris Day era. Love was thought about, but it wasn’t shown,” she says. “In this, there was a lot of kinky sex and, oh my, it was explicit. It was hard for me and grandpa to sit there. I’m sure we were the oldest ones there.” RELATED VIDEO: New Yorkers Read From ‘Fifty Shades Darker’ and Try Not to Blush! Though there were scenes where she “just couldn’t watch,” overall, Donna was pleased by how Christian treated Ana this time around. And yes, they’ll definitely tune in for Fifty Shades Freed next year. “We’ll definitely go. I can overlook the sex and say, ‘Hey, it’s part of life, and that’s ok,’ ” she says. “I mean, hey, it had a good storyline!” Fifty Shades Darker is currently in theaters.