The week before Valentine’s Day is always a hotbed of activity in the media with stories of love and romance dominating headlines coupled with countless pages being dedicated to the big day itself. How to celebrate, what to buy, what’s in and what’s not…from romantic getaways to alternative ideas for those that want to think ‘outside the box’. The pressure to ensure the perfect ‘day’ is intense and many worry about getting it wrong (men usually).

This Valentine’s Day will take up even more column inches than usual as the day before is the release of the much awaited film 50 Shades of Grey. The book, which became an instant best seller selling millions of copies and making its author a household name, has continued to gain notoriety since the day it was released.

It was always going to be apparent that the film adaptation of the book that became ‘the fastest selling novel for adults of all time’ would receive plenty of media attention, especially as no one could actually understand why people were buying the book in the first place!

It seems the film, regardless of what the critics say, was always going to generate negative press coverage. However, it all comes down to the public and whether or not they go to watch the film. According to reports being circulated in the States, the film has already sold out ‘hundreds of showtimes during its debut weekend’ and even ‘boasts higher advanced sales than Sex and the City 2 and Gone Girl.’

Conducting a quick poll in the office to ask if anyone was planning on going to watch the movie, the vast majority were quick to say no….this will probably be the same response in other offices, households and between friends up and down the country with the vast majority saying no. Not one to take anything at face value, it seems, in many respects, that this will quickly become a movie that many will watch but will not be willing to admit to seeing. Or if they do, they’ll use the excuse that they were taken to watch it under duress!