The Film Buzz Review Rating: 
(7/10)
Sex and the City 2 is the second instalment of the Sex and the City movie franchise after making its long awaited transition from hit television series to Hollywood movie back in 2008. Written and directed again by series creator Michael Patrick King, Sex and the City 2 is, dare I say, the most glamorous and luxurious film of the year. The film follows our four favourite girls (Carrie, Charlotte, Samantha and Miranda) two years down the line from the first film and how their lives filled with marriages, children, jobs and ‘youth pills’ have changed them. Based in both New York City and Abu Dhabi, the girls give us an insight into what it is really like to live the high life.
The Plot
We rejoin the girls in New York City, two years after the events of the first film. Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) is finally settling into married life with Mr. Big (Chris Noth) after their tumultuous relationship throughout the television series and multiple wedding set-backs seen in the first film. Meanwhile Charlotte (Kristin Davis) is busy with husband Harry (Evan Handler) raising their two demanding children. Workaholic Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), having resolved her trust issues with Steve (David Eigenberg) is now experiencing work-place problems with a male colleague that insists on using the ‘talk to the hand’ gesture to cut her off. Finally, Samantha (Kim Cattrall), in a bid to stall the menopause and stay young and lively has resorted to a hefty beauty regime, filled with vitamin tablets and ointments. But with Carrie upset with the monotony of married life, Charlotte’s children driving her crazy and Miranda stressed about work, all is eased when Samantha is gifted a complimentary stay for her and the girls in one of the most luxurious hotels in up-and-coming Abu Dhabi in the UAE for 7 nights.
Luxury knows no bounds and just when we thought we’d seen designers on display galore with Sex and the City, prepare to be wowed further. The dunes of the Arabian dessert, forbidden lusts and bumping into the one that got away half way around the world will provide an exciting ride for the girls, but how will it all end and will they make it back to New York City intact, physically, emotionally and with all their designer gear?
John Corbett, Willie Garson and Jason Lewis also star, with cameo appearances from Penélope Cruz, Liza Minnelli, Miley Cyrus and Omid Djalili.
The Thoughts
Having been a long time Sex and the City fan, naturally I, like many others, was thrilled to hear of a sequel to the 2008 Sex and the City movie and without doubt, Sex and the City 2 is a glamour filled event, both on and off screen with opening night movie goers dressed to the nines! It was certainly an inspiring, and somewhat feminist occasion to see a predominantly female audience, dolled up head to toe in dresses and heels, cheering and clapping throughout the film. Astonishingly there was a sprinkling of a male faces, albeit somewhat limited, and unsurprisingly consisting of a combination either mostly gay men or boyfriends/husbands that had done wrong at some point and were being tortured with the ultimate chick flick!
Michael Patrick King delivers possibly the girliest Sex and the City instalment yet (though we currently do not know if we are to expect a third film); with more wardrobe changes than you can shake a stick at, (an estimated $7m of the budget was spent on clothes alone!) and more raunchy and naughty scenes (Samantha-related, need I say any more?) with some hysterical one liners thrown in. Michael Patrick King has done a pleasing job with both the direction and the screenplay and despite having to mature their roles, he has managed to keep true to the spirit of the characters who are supposed to be in their 40-50s but still fabulous in every way.
In addition, cameo roles by several well-known stars let the audience know that Sex and the City 1, although not received well by most critics, was generally a box office success and allowed them to include cameos in the second film from some of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Although at times it seems almost unnecessary to include a snippet of a celebrity for a split second, it will undoubtedly deliver additional appeal, splendour and humour to fans of the show, with 64-year old superstar Liza Minnelli executing a perfectly choreographed dance to Beyoncé’s hit ‘Single Ladies’ being one of the most memorable laugh-out-loud scenes (and good on her for doing so too!)
Of course, what would Sex and the City be without our four favourite girls?
All four actresses resume their roles as Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Charlotte (Kristin Davis), Samantha (Kim Cattrall) and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) and we rejoin them two years after the first film where each are facing their own private challenges. Carrie has found that married life with Mr. Big (Chris Noth) a more monotonous and uneventful venture than what she expected. In Sex and the City 2 we see and hear more TV show-like Carrie Bradshaw insight and scenes of the ladies that lunch, discussing everything from beauty, sex and relationship talk to whether it is normal to make up your own rules for a successful marriage or to stick to prescribed convention. Sarah Jessica Parker, having played the role of Carrie Bradshaw since 1998 and also having been both executive producer for the television series and also producer on both films plays the role flawlessly and exactly how we have come to know and love the ever-stylish Carrie Bradshaw.
Kristin Davis plays Charlotte York, this time delivering a much more emotional role. Although Charlotte loves being a mother, looking after her two demanding children have brought her to almost breaking point and when questions arise about the sensibility of employing the braless Irish beauty for a nanny, Charlotte has the further struggle of suspicion between the Irish beauty and her husband Harry.
Kim Cattrall arguably has the most fabulous role of Samantha Jones, the feisty blonde bombshell PR guru, who despite being the oldest of the group, looks forever young in both body and mind and in ensnaring handsome younger men! She is truly the definition, if not the spokeswoman, for this new breed of ‘cougar women’. Sporting some hysterical lines and laugh-out-loud scenes, Kim Cattrall delivers a memorable performance as Samantha Jones and although these four characters are always supposed to be equal, she undoubtedly steals the show with her quick humour and bad girl attitude.
Finally Cynthia Nixon reprises her role as Miranda, the workaholic lawyer who has decided to quit her job at a place that she hates and spend some quality time with husband Steve, son Brady and the girls, and finally find a firm that she actually enjoys working at. Miranda’s quick wit doesn’t go unnoticed and she too has some great one liners, with the emotional scene between Charlotte and herself inventing a new drinking game called ‘drink every time you feel guilty’ being both an emotional and humorous scene.
In addition, the three men in their lives Harry Goldenblatt (Charlotte’s husband played by Evan Handler), Steve Brady (Miranda’s husband played byDavid Eigenberg) and John James Preston, better known as Mr. Big (Chris Noth) make an appearance, albeit somewhat limited, with Mr. Big of course having the biggest role. Smith Jerrod (Jason Lewis) also makes a short appearance as more of a plot developer than anything else, but it is good to see the blonde beau back in action and still important to Samantha’s life as a love once lost.
John Corbett returns as Aidan Shaw designed to complicate Carrie’s life further. Although his initial spoken lines to Carrie are somewhat confused and badly written, it is more than made up in the one to one onscreen chemistry between the old lovers. It is a joy to see John Corbett back as Aidan, the one that got away and who loved Carrie more than anything else in the world, the only thing was, her heart belonged to Big.
Two and a half hours of glitz and glamour, this instalment of Sex and the City really clocks up the theatre time, though some might consider this a long film for what it is, in my personal opinion, I think the running time was appropriate to the story. It needed to spend time on recapping what had happened previously and to emphasise the transition of going from the grey stressful New York City to the brightly coloured flamboyance of Abu Dhabi.
Often a little too showy and glitzy at times, Sex and the City 2 is of course mildly ridiculous, over-the-top but absolutely fabulous in every way! Critics may give it a slamming but Sex and the City 2 will be adored by its fans for all the fashion, escapism and witty charm it offers; this film will have a wide appeal amongst female viewers and this will more than likely be reflected in its box office takings.
Just like 2008’s Mamma Mia!, Sex and the City 2 is not going to change the world or win any Oscars. It should be taken for what it is, two and half hours of pure escapism and back into the comforting familiarity of gossiping and bitching with our favourite girls and gays.
Fans of the TV show who did not think Sex and the City 1 was great will thoroughly enjoy this second instalment. Although not without its faults, this film felt much more relaxed, bright and cheerful (i.e. Carrie did not spend what seemed like the entire time being depressed as in the first film) and included more cheekiness and mischief familiar of the television series. This welcome maturity of the Sex and the City franchise on the big screen has, in my opinion, led to a much more successful film and story and although this movie is tainted with areas of ridiculousness, Michael Patrick King has done a good job with going back to the roots of what Sex and the City is about and bringing the essence of the four girls into a new era and into Abu Dhabi luxury!
In addition, this film also touches on an interesting, if not slightly controversial area of women in society in cultures unlike our own. Going to the UAE, the girls are exposed to a Muslim society and have to learn to abide by their rules, for example dressing conservatively and not performing public displays of affection, something which Samantha finds particularly difficult!
With some spectacular cinematography, hilarious scenes and equal amounts of idealism and reality, Sex and the City 2 is a must-see for any fans of the show, though for fashion and escapism purposes, this film should generate a wider appeal. One word of advice: NOT SUITABLE FOR STRAIGHT MEN!
The Film Buzz Review Rating: (7/10)
Release Date: 28th May 2010
Director: Michael Patrick King
Writers: Michael Patrick King (screenplay), Candace Bushnell (characters from the book)
Links: IMDB, Official Site
