Stars:
** 1/2
Rating: R for graphic
nudity, sexual situations and language
Run
Time: 2
hours, 25 minutes
The ladies
of “Sex” are back with a vengeance and their fan-base rejoices. Far be it from
me to criticize the fab four fashionistas and their waxing and waning love
lives.
But couldn’t
writer-director Michael Patrick King have worked up a cleaner concept than
re-treading final Season 6 into two and a half hours of, well, Season 6?
“SATC” the
movie more or less picks up where we left off four years ago, with symbolic
scribe Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) back in the arms of the elusive
Mr. Big (Chris Noth) who has finally seen the error of his ways by craving
Commitment.
Miranda
(Cynthia Nixon) still lives in Brooklyn, struggling to balance work and family
with son Brady and hubby Steve (David Eigenberg) whose frustrations with his
wife’s long hours have caused him to stray. Charlotte (Kristin Davis) and Harry
(Evan Handler) exist in Park Avenue bliss with adopted Chinese daughter Lily; a
place for everything and everything in its place.
Last but
not least Samantha, the hyper-sexed PR maven, is managing lover Smith Jerrod’s
(Jason Lewis) hotter than hot career in the glittering maw of Hollywood.
And what
happens to the iconic ladies who shop and lunch and wax rhapsodic on matters of
the heart? Not a whole lot. Big and Carrie decide to tie the knot and all the Drama
that that entails. Miranda is furious over Steve’s infidelity, Samantha is
unhappy taking a backseat to Smith’s rising star and Charlotte is content
playing the happy homemaker. Sigh.
“SATC” worked wonders in 30-minute HBO sound-bites
based on provocative Carrie-posed questions; short and sassy and leaving you
wanting more. The film is faithful to a fault and without a specific focus,
prolonging its fresh “labels and love” combo well beyond its natural shelf
life.
Sure it’s
packaged in glorious couture and some of the best location shoots in NYC, not
to mention a muy caliente Mexico resort where the girls escape on a moment’s notice
to nurse a broken heart. Naturally the quirky quartet falls back into designer
bags and baggage and the easy chemistry that shined on the small screen; catty
chatter, explicit relations and fearless fashion forums; check, check and
check.
Carrie’s stylish
wedding shoot for Vogue – as the Last Single Girl – is itself worth the price of
admission, a sumptuous fantasy of creamy crinoline and orgasmic organza that’s
every little girl’s dream.
Bottom line
the movie fails Movie Plot 101 by trying too hard. Too hard to appease its
fans, too hard to color within the lines and too hard to prove that love
conquers all.