Movie Review Sex and the City

Sex and the City (2008)

Directed by Michael Patrick King

Written by Michael Patrick King 

Starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon, Kristen Davis, Chris Noth

Release Date May 12th, 2008

Published May 11th, 2008 

It's been four years since we last saw our friends Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Samantha (Kim Cattralll), Charlotte (Kristen Davis) and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon). In that time Carrie has been in a monogamous relationship with her Mr. Big (Chris Noth). Samantha also has been in a long term relationship with her actor boytoy Smith Jerrod. That relationship has taken Samantha from her beloved New York to Los Angeles where Smith's career has flourished. When last we saw Charlotte her adoption from China came through and her daughter is now almost 4 years old. Meanwhile Miranda has been married to Steve and living in Brooklyn for the past four years.

Memories refreshed with a quick montage we jump into the story and the latest complications. For Carrie, she and Big are moving in together. Moreover, they've decided to get married. Samantha and Smith? They are living together but Samantha has become infatuated with a sexy neighbor, an Italian hunk, who reminds her of her old self. He has sex with a different woman every night and this sparks feelings of nostalgia in Samantha who uses repeated trips to New York, amongst other things to avoid cheating on Smith.

Charlotte has a big surprise coming, one that will no doubt strike right at the heart of many SATC fans. Miranda meanwhile is focused on her career and trying to balance being a high powered lawyer with being a wife and a mother. Steve has a big surprise coming for Miranda which will then reverberate through the rest of the story in unexpected ways.

I am careful not to reveal too much. It's not that there are major, unpredictable twists and turns in SATC the Movie. Rather, just knowing too much might remove the impact of the many dramatic, romantic and comedic moments. Writer-director Michael Patrick King slips us right back into the lives of these characters with an effortlessness that is to be commended. For the uninitiated, the recap at the beginning is quick witted, light hearted and contains just the information you will need to enjoy the movie. And I think you will enjoy this movie, regardless of whether you are already a fan.

Sex and the City is a smart, sexy, funny adult comedy that does not pander to the audience. No attempt is made to soften the edges and make Sex more appealing to a wider audience. All of the sex, language, smoking and drinking of the TV series are in the movie. Sex and the City The Movie defines itself in its maturity in more ways than one. Not only does it not pander to find a wider, younger audience but also these characters play their age. They are 40 and fabulous and make no attempt to cover that up, no vain attempts to age down for these ladies, why Cattrall's Samantha celebrates her 50th birthday in the movie.

Unlike the vain egotist Sylvester Stallone, there is an effortless quality to the way Cattrall remains an object of desire. Where Stallone gets plastic surgery and pumps steroids and comes off as desperate not to show his age, Cattrall revels in the idea that she can look as good as she does and still be open about being 50. Guys, I know you may make fun but if someday your wife, at 50, puts in the hard work that Cattrall does to look like she does, you will appreciate it.

All four of these women work hard to look as good as they do but you never really see the effort on screen. The results however? Wow. Both Cattrall and Nixon have nude scenes in the film and Davis a near nude scene and all look amazing. One of the things that survived from the show is how Parker's Carrie always manages to be the one to keep her clothes on. I'm not complaining, it's just an observation. Any theories as to why she's able to escape the showing off, aside from her name being above the title, are appreciated. I'm curious if there is a deeper meaning to Carrie's private life being so often offscreen.

If there is one major issue with Sex and the City The Movie it is the length. At nearly 2 and a half hours, SATC is a slog. There is a good 25 to 30 minutes that could easily come out of this movie without damaging the stories that Michael Patrick King wants to tell. The length is merely indulgence. Do we need repeated scenes of a dog humping things? Do we need one character's severe gastro-intestinal troubles? The two fashion shows? Really? Get an editor or go back to HBO where you could cut together an economical season's worth of episodes that at 26 minutes apiece would make this indulgence easier to swallow.

That said, it's only a minor quibble. Spending time with these four terrifically funny, sexy, smart characters is not something to complain about too much. The Sex and the City movie pays tribute to the television show and sends it off in a proper fashion with romance, style and yes sex, plenty of sex.