Satisfying Sex

By Dan Hudak

These gals are never too old for sex and cosmos.

The women of Sex and the City look good on the big screen, and it has nothing to do with beauty or fashion. In fact, the enjoyment of the movie comes from a story that is substantial enough to demand 148 minutes of our time but never feels long or too sappy. The results are an emotional whirlwind of laughter and tears that’ll have you sipping cosmos in delight afterward.

Based on the HBO hit series, Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Samantha (Kim Cattrall), Charlotte (Kristin Davis) and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) are just about where they left off when the television show ended its six-year run in 2004, and for the uninitiated, an expository recap over the opening credits fills in the back story nicely. Samantha lives in L.A. and continues to manage her boyfriend Smith’s (Jason Lewis) acting career, although her hunky and promiscuous neighbor (Gilles Marini) makes her doubt if a loving relationship is right for her. Charlotte and Evan (Harry Goldenblatt) are happy with their adopted Chinese daughter (Parker and Alexandra Fong), but Miranda and Steve (David Eigenberg) have stopped having sex after moving to Brooklyn.

As for Carrie, she’s happy with Mr. Big (Chris Noth). Early in the film, they buy a penthouse apartment, and Big offers a matter-of-fact proposal that Carrie happily accepts. After the strain of the wedding, Carrie hires a personal assistant named Louise (Jennifer Hudson, Dreamgirls) to keep her organized.

The movie was written and directed by Michael Patrick King, who worked on the television show and does a nice job of pacing the film so it never feels like one long episode. In fact, each woman has a nice character arc that keeps her interesting and relevant, and there’s some fine acting (particularly from Davis at a crucial moment) that keeps the story both funny and touching.

The odd decision to incorporate Hudson into the mix, however, remains a mystery. The Oscar winner does not appear until halfway into the movie, and when she does she’s a spunky soul with style but no relevance. Louise never interacts with Samantha, Charlotte or Miranda, and Carrie never mentions her to others, so it feels like Carrie makes a new friend that she really doesn’t need. Hudson’s scenes work because of her comic timing and wonderful screen presence, but that doesn’t negate the fact that she’s an unnecessary presence.    

Otherwise, there’s a whole lot of exactly what we expect: The women hanging out, drinking, talking, crying, laughing and wearing some of the most bizarre outfits this side of a Paris runway. Carrie’s wardrobe (and shoe obsession) has always been a quirky mix of “what the hell is that?” and “wow, that looks really nice!” but costume designer Patricia Field has outdone herself by dressing Carrie with a bird in her hair on her wedding day.

Fortunately, clothes don’t make the woman, and it’s always been the empathy we have for Carrie and Co. that keeps us interested in their lives. Judging by the cheering from the women surrounding me when the final credits rolled, it seems — like Samantha has always told us — you truly never can get enough Sex.