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Sex and the City (2008)

Director: Michael Patrick King

Time Out rating

Average user rating

101 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

Straight men never got television series 'Sex and the City', but really – what was not to get? Brunch without calories, sex without consequences, friendship without recrimination and shoes without price tickets: the programme about four thirtysomething women single and loving it in the big bad Apple was the ultimate consumer fantasy. So it’s no surprise that, despite years of denials, there’s now a feature-length version: isn’t capitalism all about stuff that’s surplus to requirements?

We didn’t need it but boy, do we want it: the night I went the queues were half an hour long – and we’d all pre-bought tickets. Happily, our independently earned cash wasn’t spent in vain. Writer-director Michael Patrick King (a stalwart of the TV series) hoves straight in with a mission statement by fashionista columnist Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) to the effect that she’s a fortysomething and life is different, but friendship never changes. The girls have moved on a couple of years but are all pretty settled: Charlotte (Kristin Davis) and her Harry have a cute adopted daughter; Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) is still in Brooklyn with Steve and little Brady; and Samantha (Kim Cattrall) may be out in Hollywood managing her boyfriend Smith’s career, but her killer Manolos must be leaving some seriously inelegant carbon footprints, because she’s back in New York every other minute.

The emphasis has shifted, as is probably proper for this demographic: it’s still about relationships but they’re no longer hypothetical. The questions are larger in scope: Carrie has her Big – but will he marry her? Should he marry her? Is there life after a happy ending? They’re all good issues, even if they're treated so frothily as to disappoint. Nobody wants existentialism from 'SATC', but as Carrie might once have put it, I couldn’t help but wonder why, when Love with a capital L slinks into the penthouse, sex and banter both apparently sashay straight out.

Never mind: there are good lines and plenty of laughter, even if there are none of the verbal doubles that made every TV episode feel like a really good Wimbledon final. And there’s some gleeful hypocrisy: this is not just a fashion film where the men look a hell of a lot better than the women (Carrie’s makeup bag must be bigger than her walk-in wardrobe) but we also detect a sanctimonious whisper that fashion labels – hush, now! – are just calorie-free gateaux for women whose appetites, of all kinds, aren’t being satisfied. Apparently, you can be rich, good-looking and in a relationship and still not be happy. Thank goodness for Cosmopolitans.

Author: Nina Caplan 2008-05-29 12:20:47

Time Out London Issue 1971 May 28- June 3, 2008

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User reviews of this film

becky tambo said...

Posted on Oct 16 2009 10:33 i really love the way that lesbian moves. she inspires me to be who i am .

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zoe said...

Posted on May 07 2009 22:30 love it and im only 12

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zoe said...

Posted on May 07 2009 22:30 love it and im only 12

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Will Rothery said...

Posted on Sep 29 2008 12:40 Two words, my good friends.
FLANGE MAGNET.

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laura said...

Posted on Sep 13 2008 11:52 fab its the best

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bela lugosi said...

Posted on Jul 10 2008 12:35 This ones in response to Rebecca's comment Posted on Jun 20 2008 14:21.
We are entitled to our own opinion, i'm off to see this movie with my wife tonight, so will post my comment tomorrow. Whats the point in having a comments section if it only shows +ve feedback?
I suspect i may fall asleep during this film also, but then again the series was good even though the repeats knocked me out like Tyson would.
I really don't think that in 30years time this movie will be remembered like some of the greats are today. but then again i shouldn't comment until after i've watched it.
Take heed little girl.

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brooklyn said...

Posted on Jul 07 2008 15:05 hello!!!!

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watzzupp said...

Posted on Jul 06 2008 17:23 wicked laughter all d way must watch who eva has missed out on it you dont know wat uv missed out on.

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wicca witch said...

Posted on Jul 05 2008 16:48 uuum enjoy the tv series and its endless repeats very much but the fillm never had the same feeling for me too long too sad with very little of the humour we know and love i reckon they tried to make it too real lets face it life can be sad enough without the humour being taken off our screens and our favourite characters. the girls were shown as maturing and the pit falls werent as funny as the short slots on tv

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rachel said...

Posted on Jul 03 2008 11:50 I was really looking forward to this film.So, I got my popcorn and my drink, found a comfy seat (The cinema was packed, unsurprisingly), and proceeded to watch.
Let me just say, I am never getting those 2 hours back.
I didn't really enjoy this very much. It has it's moments as a film where it really embraces the spirit of the sex and the city tv show - the humour is there but I found the girls seemed fake now as opposed to friendly.
For all those that love fashion, some of the outfits will make your jaw drop (mmmmmm gladiator style laboutins - yum). But for the die hard SATC fans, you'll find this a little hit and miss.
My view, okay but it could have been shortened by half an hour and work much better. Is just not as succinct as the television series, and so in my opinion works best on the small screen.

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Elaine said...

Posted on Jul 01 2008 17:57 Do not go to the cinema very often. Have never watched the tv series but thoroughly enjoyed film.

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Rosemary Kenny said...

Posted on Jul 01 2008 17:50 I love the series & glad its repeated on Ch5, as for the film what can I saay except I loved it so much I've seen it with my husband (who thought it boring & nearly fell asleep), 2 girlfriends(1 of whom had never even seen the TV version!), on my own & tonigt with another girlfriend...every time is different & the music's cool too. My lovely son got me the CD & I play it in the house, the car, the office etc. Hurry up with SATC2please!!!

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Rosemary Kenny said...

Posted on Jul 01 2008 17:45 I love the series & glad it's repeated again on Channel 5 - as for the film, have seen it with my husband (found it boring & nearly nodded off), two of my girlfriends (one of whom had never even watched the series & so had no preconceived opinion)- both loved it & hve alsoon my own & going with another girlfriend tonight! I love it so much I can't get enough of it & think each time I notice something different & the music's good enough to justify its CD which my lovely son got me! Everyone should see it at least once. Hurry up with SATC2 please!!

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Casey said...

Posted on Jun 28 2008 16:18 Clearly its a film to go and see if u truelly love SATC, people may have fort it was shit but personally i thought it was brilliant it really shows u the humour and the not so happy things that come with being in love as well as showing you the struggles of many different things...yes sex and the city is alot to do with sex, love and shoes with in New York but the film throws in so much more than that.

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kayleigh said...

Posted on Jun 27 2008 16:17 was soo boring, fell asleep but towards te end it was ok.

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