It’s fair to say the four sassy ladies that make Sex and the City love to please their fans. It’s also fair to say that they love wearing the entire 2009-2010 Christian Louboutin (heel) collection and poofy Chanel skirts. So it’s a win for both worlds as (particularly) the ladies of the world are delivered another slice of Sex in what should be the group’s last adventure. Because by this point it’s become unnecessary, and because this time around they’ve grown up a bit more still – after the trials and tribulations that marriage (and surviving it) brings, where can you possibly go?
Their lavish lifestyles are still very much intact two years after the events of the first Sex and the City film, but with a cost. Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) and John’s (Chris Noth – he’s not Mr. Big anymore) marriage is entering its ‘terrible twos’, with arguments about going out versus becoming homebodies; Charlotte’s (Kristin Davis) expanding brood are literally the terrible two, while Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) and Samantha (Kim Cattrall) busy themselves with work. It’s the chance for an all-expenses-paid trip to Abu Dhabi, the ‘future of the Middle East’, that lets the girls kick – well, carefully take – off their heels and relax from their oh-so-hard lives. The misconception director/writer/producer Michael Patrick King creates of the perks that come with living and working in glamorous New York is enough to make you sick – but insanely jealous all the same. What we’ve seen from these girls throughout the TV series and then on the big screen is an unrealistic ideal, but presented in a way that is ultimately so fairytale – yet believable because we want it to be. Sex and the City 2 is different in showing us that not all of the real-life problems presented are fixable with a simple ‘I forgive you’. The past will always come back to you in one way or another and the issues that women face in their workplace and society can’t be addressed over a simple cup of coffee.
Controversy surrounded scenes shot in Morocco, which replaced Abu Dhabi due to permission restraints, where the ladies are faced with women who don’t have complete freedom and men who resist from breaking with tradition. Sex and the City has never shied from creating debate, and the same applies for this film, where there are run-ins with the ladies amidst the mix of Western and Muslim cultures. A lot has to do with their dress; it’s ludicrous seeing them walk out in $5000 outfits in between the sea of hijabs in a dinghy market. But in a nutshell, that’s what this film really is. Because as much as any fan of the four will tell you, while the web of entanglement that surrounds their lives still holds some appeal, at this point it’s all about the fashion. A bit of product placement too of course, with Rolex a lucky chosen one… but primarily, it falls on the clothes. And most of the outfits are breathtaking; it’s a visual delight seeing them carry off some absolutely crazy designs and combinations.
While times have changed and the four have grown, their wit hasn’t changed a bit. King has done well to maintain the wry comedy Sex and the City is so well known for, considering the over-stretched 146-minute running time. Cattrall as Samantha is so cringe-worthy it’s fantastic, while Parker isn’t as confident with some of her one-liners. However, the cast know their characters so well that any fault seems picky. It’s easy to be just that about the film in general because making it wasn’t integral to their story, but in retrospect Sex and the City has never exactly painted itself to be groundbreaking in its drama. Fans will appreciate the film regardless.
Verdict
A pointless but fun ride to what hopefully concludes the Sex for good.
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