Entertainment Ireland

Better than the first - Aine

Viewer Rating:

Probably not the way the producers, directors, cast and clothes wanted me to react – but I laughed my way though this movie. I'm not entirely sure that there was a better way to handle it; and you know what, I'm not complaining as I enjoyed it thoroughly.

For starters, SATC2 opens somewhere in Connecticut where Carrie is going to be the best man for Stanford Blatch's wedding to wedding planner Anthony. All four ladies are there, and the set is ridiculously over the top. Probably the best sequence of the movie happens in about the first fifteen minutes – someone quips that it couldn't possibly get any more gay and then up pops Liza Minnelli. Apparently where “this many gays gather, Liza manifests”. Yes Liza Minnelli guest stars and does a turn at single ladies.
I guess the actual point of the movie is that Carrie needs to grow up and accept her marriage for what it is. It becomes evident during the wedding scenes (especially when Carrie and Big are in bed) that things aren't as she thought they would be. Big bless him seems to be quite happy. He got the girl, girl did up apartment, he gets food and drink….he's pretty happy. Girl on the other hand, well she still wants her single girl lifestyle and hasn't ever grown up. The first seeds of doubt are planted when a woman in the table next to them declares that she has Carrie's life, she's expecting a child with her new husband and they're horrified when Carrie and Big say that kids aren't for them. This opens an entire can of worms eventually culminating in Samantha organising for the 4 of them to fly all expenses paid to Abu Dhabi.
The scenery and everything is wonderful. The clothes are gloriously over the top, the lifestyle is indulgent; every thing looks great. From that point of view, SATC2 is a visual treat. There is no way you could take this seriously
What I really liked here and was a criticism I had of the series and the first movie is that EVERYTHING was through the Carrie filter (yes I know I talk about her being the title character but there are 4 leading ladies right?), what I could never get was that for 4 women who were close, no one ever seemed to interact outside of Carrie. There are some lovely scenes here especially between Miranda and Charlotte talking and complaining about how hard it is to be a mother and the problems they have etc. It sounds odd to say it's a lovely scene but it is, it's real…it's human and it's something that has always been missing until now. Miranda doesn't have much of a part to play really over all, she's randomly sprouting facts and trying to learn some Arabic which gets very tedious. Charlotte's life feels like it's going down the toilet, as usual her she worries because she has everything she ever wanted its all going pear shaped. Samantha though is a hoot. Kim Cattrell looks amazing and does very well with Samantha as ever. The obsession with pills is quite funny. Her part is almost predictable (promiscuity personified in a Muslim country ?!) but really she could nearly have had an entire movie to herself as there wasn't too much over lap with her story line and anyone else's.
Carrie is a pain. She's selfish and self centred and she starts unravelling her marriage. She judges her friends non stop, but not only that, she's mean. Very mean yet expects boundless sympathy. She has become a parody of herself and for almost the title character; this is not a good thing. The whole Aidan incident is ridiculous and stupid and very very annoying. Any chance of another story line here instead of constantly Aidan V Big? That got old quickly in the series.
Also it was far too long. 2.5 hours – easily at least half an hour could have been lobbed off the movie and it would have been the better for it.

All in all, this was enjoyable but something I'd hold out for on DVD. Far more viewing friendly than its predecessor.

Review published on the 02 July 2010 15:35

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