When the Fifty Shades of Grey movie was released in 2015, it made a splash, but plenty of great movies are comparable to the Fifty Shades series. Based on the books by E.L. James, Fifty Shades of Grey focuses on the central relationship between Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) and Christian Grey (Jamie Doran), who push each other emotionally and through physical intimacy. While the most famous parts of the books and movies are the depictions of sex and BDSM, they're not entirely accurate, and the films have faced criticism for their weak plot and mishandling of sex positivity.

However, films that fall into the romance and eroticism genres don't necessarily have to distance themselves from a compelling story structure. Including elements like the importance of self-discovery, sexual liberation, and even the humor that can be found in intimate moments makes these projects worthwhile. Onscreen depictions of sex have faced great criticism in recent years, and rightly so, as they are a sensitive subject. Though movie doesn't handle these topics perfectly, they encourage people to seek out the best of the genre and find the films they connect with.

15 Deep Water (2022)

Directed By Adrian Lyne

Almost all movies like 50 Shades are erotic thrillers. The highly sexually charged trilogy was infamous for its suggestive and steamy scenes, after all. However, 50 Shades of Grey and its sequels definitely leaned into the erotic more than they did the thriller aspect of the subgenre. There was a sense of danger surrounding Christian Grey throughout, though it never really came to anything too sinister. This is where 2022's Deep Water stands out, as it falls much more on the thriller side of the erotic thriller divide.

Directed by Adrian Lyne and based on the book of the same name by Patricia Highsmith, Deep Water stars Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas as Vic and Melinda Van Allen, a married couple who have an open relationship. However, this arrangement doesn't sit as well with Vic as Melinda believes, and her encounters with new lovers quickly have sinister repercussions. While the film didn't fare so well with critics, the mix of eroticism and danger in Deep Water is sure to appeal to fans of the 50 Shades movies.

14 Indecent Proposal (1993)

Directed By Adrian Lyne

Deep Water isn't the only movie like 50 Shades directed by Adrian Lyne, and while the 2022 erotic thriller wasn't exactly a success, the same can't be said for his steamy 1993 drama Indecent Proposal. Based on Jack Engelhard's 1988 novel of the same name, Indecent Proposal is now considered a cult classic, and performed incredibly well at the box office when it released. The movie focuses on Demi Moore's Diana Murphy and Woody Harrelson's David Murphy, a married couple who receive an illicit offer from a stranger.

Essentially, Diana and David must wrestle with the moral implications of deciding to allow a stranger named John Gage (Robert Redford) to sleep with Diana for $1million dollars. It's an interesting exploration of the nature of open relationships and, as the premise suggests, has some incredibly steamy moments. Like 50 Shades, it also explores the psychology between boundaries when it comes to physical intimacy, and there is no shortage of emotional fallout for Diana and David.

13 Nymphomaniac: Vol 1 (2013)

Directed By Lars Von Trier

Few directors are as notorious or controversial as filmmaker Lars Von Trier. His horror movies like Antichrist and Melancholia don't only push boundaries, they break them and dare the audience to find out how far they're willing to explore what is on the other side.

This made it clear from the outset that his foray into erotic movies, 2013's Nymphomaniac: Vol I (and the sequel, Nymphomaniac: Vol II), would challenge preconceptions about on-screen sensuality and sexuality. However, fans looking for movies like 50 Shades that lean incredibly heavily on the steamy and raunchy content will find that it more than satisfies.

Nymphomaniac focuses on discussions between middle-aged bachelor and fly-fishing enthusiast Seligman (Stellan Skarsgard) and self-diagnosed sex addict Joe (Charlotte Gainsborough in the present-day timeline, Stacy Martin in flashbacks). The movie may be beyond suggestive, but it was praised by critics and viewers alike, especially due to the incredibly dark sense of humor that runs throughout.

12 Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

Directed By Stanley Kubrick

Eyes Wide Shut is the final movie from legendary director Stanley Kubrick, the filmmaker behind the likes of The Shining, A Clockwork Orange, Full Metal Jacket, and 2001: A Space Odyssey. Few movies like 50 Shades have such an esteemed presence behind the camera, and this becomes apparently incredibly quickly when watching Kubrick's 1999 erotic mystery drama (which is based on the 1926 novella Dream Story by Arthur Schnitzler).

Starring Tom Cruise as Bill Harford and Nicole Kidman as his wife, Alice, Eyes Wide Shut is an incredibly intriguing movie that sees the central character thrust into the kind of world Christian Grey occupies due to misplaced jealousy.

Alice confesses to Bill that she'd considered having an affair, and the news sends him on a spiral that culminates in a night of debauchery at a masked group sex party with a secret society. The movie is peak Kubrick, with the shots and cinematography masterfully crafter throughout, making Eyes Wide Shut one of the highest quality movies like 50 Shades available from a filmmaking perspective.

11 Friends With Benefits (2011)

Directed By Will Gluck

While most movies like 50 Shades are dark erotic thrillers, dramas, or mysteries, this isn't always the case. 2011's Friends With Benefits takes the fun side of the steamy physicality of Christian and Ana's relationship and transplants it into a subversive rom-com setting. As the title suggests, Friends With Benefits is about two friends who enter into a sexual relationship with the promise of no emotional attachment.

Of course, this quickly falls through as the pair develop feelings, but there's plenty of 50 Shades-like raunchiness along the way. Of particular note are the performances of Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis as Dylan Harper and Jamie Rellis as the titular friends in Friends With Benefits.

The chemistry the pair have is palpable, and this definitely adds to the appeal of both the comedy elements and the moments Dylan and Jamie explore the benefits of their friendship.

The chemistry the pair have is palpable, and this definitely adds to the appeal of both the comedy elements and the moments Dylan and Jamie explore the benefits of their friendship. While it doesn't really delve into the realms of BSDM the way 50 Shades does, it has similarities on the emotional level when it comes to the fact that Dylan and Jamie, like Christian and Ana, find themselves unable to prevent feelings blossoming against the backdrop of a purely physical relationship.

10 365 Days (2020)

Directed by Barbara Białowąs & Tomasz Mandes

365 Days is remarkably similar to Fifty Shades of Grey in that both are based on books and deal with a sexually intense dynamic between the lead characters. However, 365 Days blurs the line between consent and abuse and has received criticism for its depiction of such an unhealthy dynamic. While Ana and Christian have their fair share of issues in the Fifty Shades movies, it's not as blatantly problematic. Despite this, 365 Days was immediately popular when it was made available on Netflix.

However, when watching 365 Days, there's no question that it was made purely as a sexual fantasy and doesn't hold any real opinions or discussions about real life and the complex nature of sexuality. At times, the plot points become so out of touch with reality that it borders on laughable, but this is part of the fun of movies like 365 Days. Though there's action and tension throughout the movie, the overarching story is weaker than the minimal plot of Fifty Shades of Grey.

9 Cruel Intentions (1999)

Directed by Roger Kumble

This modernized take on the French book that became the American film Dangerous Liaisons features the performances of many talented young actors and is as dramatically intriguing as it is tragic. The lust and danger of youth are put on full display in Cruel Intentions, as Kathryn (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Sebastian (Ryan Phillippe) play out their masochistic fantasies by toying with the life and emotions of everyone in their orbit.

However, everything changes when Sebastian unexpectedly begins to fall for Annette (Reese Witherspoon). Though reactions to the film were mixed at its premiere, it's something of a cult classic today. The star-studded cast compels the audience to keep watching the machinations of such unlikeable characters.

However, all the horrible ways the characters manipulate and hurt each other are on par with the source material. At the turn of the century, when the film came out, comedies and dramas that dealt with adolescent sexuality were reaching their height and becoming common in mainstream media. Fifty Shades deals with slightly older characters, but the blatant sexuality and wealth of the characters are similar.

8 The Piano Teacher (2001)

Directed by Michael Haneke

The Piano Teacher was immediately hailed as an influential film after premiering at Cannes in 2001, as it won the Grand Prix as well as the Best Actor and Actress awards for the two leads. Isabelle Huppert plays Erika, a piano teacher at an elite school who embarks upon an affair with her student, Walter (Benoît Magimel).

Watching The Piano Teacher is no casual undertaking and should be understood as a discussion of the impact of sexual repression on society.

Their relationship is complicated by the fact that Erike takes care of her ailing mother, who pushes Erika to repress her desires, sexual and otherwise. Unlike Fifty Shades, neither party in the relationship can fully express or understand their needs. Watching The Piano Teacher is no casual undertaking and should be understood as a discussion of the impact of sexual repression on society.

Dark, disturbing, and quietly biting against Western cultural relationships toward sexuality, The Piano Teacher is thematically brilliant and weaves together each aspect of its story perfectly. It is not at all a love story and is only comparable with Fifty Shades in that they touch upon BDSM. However, as a piece of art and cultural critique, The Piano Teacher is an amazing work of film.

7 After (2019)

Directed by Jenny Gage

The After movies and book series have the most in common with Fifty Shades of Grey, as they both started as hit novel series that loosely began as fan fiction. Today, fan fiction is well-known for being host to many discussions of sexual fantasies on the internet, and After is no exception. Tessa (Josephine Langford) and Hardin's (Hero Fiennes Tiffin) relationship can easily be compared to Ana and Christian's as a more sexually experienced man takes on the role of teacher within a relationship with a more emotionally available woman.

Additionally, both After and Fifty Shades faced criticism for the treatment of women onscreen and depicted behavior that could be considered borderline abusive. This isn't uncommon for films of this genre, and it should be ed that these works aren't aspirational and should be viewed through a lens of pure fantasy and escapism. Like Fifty Shades, the critical reception of After and its subsequent movies is dismal, but this doesn't stop the series from being popular and well-known.

6 Bound (1996)

Directed by Lana Wachowski & Lilly Wachowski

Written and directed by the Wachowski Sisters, Bound is an LGBTQ+ erotic thriller that's inspired recent movies like Love Lies Bleeding starring Kristen Stewart. Centering a romantic entanglement between two women that celebrates and delves into the intricacies of their desires and sexualities, Bound is considered an enduring addition to the genre of new queer cinema. Even the most violent and tension-filled scenes are steeped in the attraction and chemistry between Gina Gershon and Jennifer Tilly.

Bound is also a great argument to be made for the importance and success of using a sex consultant and intimacy coordinator on set. The reason the scenes between Gershon and Tilly feel not only realistic but also comfortable and safe is because of the intensive work behind the scenes to achieve this. While Fifty Shades deals with a heterosexual couple, there are similarities in how the central characters are bonded together due to their attraction and then become embroiled in a large criminal plot.