Sex and the City 2 brings back those lovable but very materialistic girls from New York City and explores more of their “problems.” This sequel focuses on marriage (traditional and non-traditional), cheating, motherhood, and, of course, sex. Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Mr. Big (Chris Noth) have been married close to 2 years and he likes to stay in and watch old movies while she likes to go out on the town. She is afraid that their marriage will turn boring and they will spend more time watching television than communicating. Living in a marriage of silence.
Samantha (Kim Cattrall) is past 50 years old but is taking as many vitamins as humanly possible and applying creams to stay young, or tricking her body into thinking its young. Charlotte (Kristin Davis) is dealing with her two kids and suspects her husband of maybe cheating on her with the nanny who never wears a bra. And Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) is trying to find her voice in the workplace where she can be appreciated and respected. So guess what the girls decide to do to escape everything! You guessed it! A vacation! An all expenses paid vacation to Abu Dhabi in the Middle East.
What a fantasy life these ladies live. And in Abu Dhabi is where Carrie runs in to her old flame Aidan (John Corbett). Her friends warn her that she may be playing with fire. All of these problems are expected and repeated. The first movie was about marriage, cheating, sex and motherhood. Director Michael Patrick King just mixed it up a little bit, but essentially it is the same issues. Just like the first one, they go on a trip that is from a dream world where everything is beautiful, expensive, yet free for them. Except this Abu Dhabi trip lasts way too long. The movie itself is too long.
Sex and the City 2 is almost 2 hours and 30 minutes, and most of the movie does not even take place in New York. Part of the series and movie’s charm is having New York as the backdrop. Instead, having most of the movie in a different part of the world will somehow make it better and original, and it does not. Now I know it seems like all I am doing is bashing this sequel. But the first movie was a surprise to me because I thought it was going to be terrible. It was actually good and very well done. It’s a shame to see such a highly anticipated sequel not deliver the goods.
Now these four actresses know their characters so well as do their audience. Parker, Cattrall, Davis and Nixon have a grasp on how their characters would act and respond to every situation. They have been a part of their lives for a long time so there is no problem with the performances. And this sequel does have its nice, sentimental moments that bring heart and emotion to the material. It could make you cry and I am sure there will be times you will laugh or at least smile. I know I smiled when I saw Liza Minnelli sing her version of Beyoncé’s hit “Single Ladies.”
Sex and the City 2 is elegant, sophisticated, beautiful and entertaining at times. Then there are these moments where the characters and their environment appear to be so fake that you cannot help but roll your eyes at it. And the fashion in this movie is ridiculous. Some items no one could or would wear out in public. There are several things that are so far from reality that it becomes too much.
However, with everything that I just said, I know the movie will make money and the SATC fans will love it. This sequel will have them eating out of the palm of their hand. But when it is over, they may even notice that some of the SATC charm and quality is missing. Sex and the City 2 is a good sequel that serves to their audience, but it is not a flawless one.
Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association and the Southeastern Film Critics Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of The Vick’s Flicks Podcast. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
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