I went for it! Despite the half star rating, the trashy reviews in the papers and the verdict on E!, I went for it anyway. I am a HUGE fan of the series. Of course, it will never be as dear as FRIENDS, but still I absolutely love all the six seasons. The clever puns, the zesty episodes, the messages hidden in every episode, and most of all, the women! Independent, smart, out there and not afraid of being themselves, on some level everyone could relate to each one of them.
A continuation of the first movie (where Carrie and Big finally tie the knot in City Hall), the sequel left me really baffled. Considering the bad reviews, my expectations weren’t too high to begin with, but still I was kind of disappointed. It begins with a gay wedding; Stanford and Anthony who hated each other decide to exchange vows in the gayest wedding in American history. When the wedding gets over, the movie depicts exactly what’s going on in the girls’ lives. Carrie and Big have absolutely no chemistry. The spark, which was kept alive despite their on again off again relationship in the series for six years is completely missing. Miranda is frazzled about her new boss from hell who hates her. Charlotte is in the process of realizing that motherhood is no joyride after all. Her younger one is giving them sleepless nights and the braless nanny from Ireland is doing all she can to stop the Goldenblatts from exploding. Samantha, at 52, despite her ravishing personality, fails to work her charm. Obsessed with battling menopause and hot flashes, it’s no surprise sex and getting laid are the only things on her mind, yes even after 14 years!
Miranda quits her job; yes the career shark, cynical, more upfront than anyone lady decides she deserves better treatment at work. Carrie oh Carrie! Her biggest complaint is that she has to eat takeout dinner more than two nights a week. Oh and she hates the fact that Big won’t dress up and go to a party with her on a Monday night. She can’t take the emotional upheaval of his behaviour. How could he not get off the couch, only be interested in watching movies on weeknights after work? She needs some sparkle! Yes, after all they are not planning on having kids, and suddenly it dawns on her just the two of them with a bedroom LCD and takeout dinner? She realizes she didn’t sign up for this.
Courtesy of Samantha, Charlotte begins to get apprehensive about her Nanny, Aaron who seems to be the favourite of the girls and Harry. But imagining her life without this full-time help is like having a closet full of haute couture in size 2, when you are a size 8! Samantha catches up with old flame Smith (who looks smoking hot) at his movie premiere. She also meets a Sheikh from Abu Dhabi at the party who is interested in doing business with her! The poor souls, bogged down by their worldly responsibilities take up Samantha’s offer to go to the Middle East for a lavish, all expense paid week at the Sheikh’s hotel.
Just before Carrie’s holiday, Big decides to bounce off an unconventional idea! He wants two days a week away from Carrie, so that they can both have their space to do their own thing. In Charlotte’s words they make marriage sound like a job, where the employees need a break from work on the weekend before they get back to the grind on Monday! Carrie herself is contemplating the idea; as on some level she realizes getting the man she wanted throughout the series and living with him night after night for the rest of her life, isn’t as exciting as it looked!
The dream vacation can be described in four letters – BLAH! The prime service, plush cars, state-of-the-art hotel, and Samantha without her hormones! You do the math! Charlotte wants to stay in touch with Harry all the time to make sure he isn’t cheating. Miranda, the only sane character, is out to have a good time and explore fun facts about Abu Dhabi. Samantha is bickering and bickering throughout the holiday, until she meets this Dutch guy who revs up her sex drive. Carrie bumps into Aidan at a local market and decides to have dinner with him. Bumping into him in Abu Dhabi after all these years must mean something right?
The dinner with Aidan, strictly against Charlotte’s advice is something Carrie highly regrets. They talk about their marriages and Aidan shows her the pics of his three little boys. Carrie, starved for attention and flirtation, is initially very happy with her decision of meeting him. They end up kissing while saying good bye and Carrie, flees off to the hotel to meet her girls. Meanwhile Miranda and Charlotte open their hearts out about motherhood and life after family. Miss. Bradshaw and her dilemmas never cease to amaze her friends. After a big discussion of whether or not to tell Big, Carrie calls him anyway and lets him know! After all, she has had a rough day; given the Aidan accident and the New Yorker she read that bashed her new book on marriages and vows.
The holiday comes to an abysmal and abrupt end. The girls are forced to leave the hotel unceremoniously after Samantha is caught by the police for making out on the beach with the Dutch man. Back home, Carrie apologises to Big and he forgives her; can’t really get mad for kissing another man; after all he did leave her at the altar in the last movie! Carrie realizes her mistake and takes new vows; she finally gives in; watching old movies on the couch and eating takeout is not that bad after all. Miranda finds a new job and Charlotte gets busy with her family.
My main confusion is – do you think Aidan kissed Carrie only to get back at Big on some level? So here’s it in a nutshell. She met Aidan, a good guy after Big broke her heart for the second time. She cheated on Aidan with Big, while Big was married to Natasha, and then she begged Aidan to take her back and dumped him because he put a ring on her. She finally got back with Big after he went all the way to Paris to bring her back. In the first movie, they decided to get married and Big panicked and ditched. In the end, however, they did get married and in two years Carrie got bored enough to kiss Aidan. Phew!
Miranda’s and Charlotte’s characters have matured into poised ladies taking their life and responsibilities seriously, and still managing to have some fun. Samantha, oh Samantha, we all know you love sex and can pull off the same outfit as Miley Cyrus who isn’t even 20! But are you f***ing capable of talking or thinking about anything else?
Michael Patrick King! Time to hang up your boots and move on to another project! This is a serious case of overkill. You aren’t going to grow more wealth with this. The only thing growing are the girls’ Botox bills! I swear on Chanel and Manolo Blahnik!
