MovieMantz Review: ‘Sex And The City 2’

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New Line Cinema
Carrie and Mr. Big go eye-to-eye in ‘Sex and The City 2’

FIRST PUBLISHED: May 27, 2010 12:16 PM EDT

By Scott Mantz

LOS ANGELES, Calif. --

“Success and The ‘City’”

“Sex and The City 2”
Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis, Kim Cattrall
Directed by Michael Patrick King

I’m gonna cut to the chase and say that I liked “Sex and The City 2.” In fact, I liked it a lot more than the first movie. I say this off the bat because it’s getting trashed by critics, and quite frankly, it doesn’t deserve to be.

I’m not saying that it’s a great movie, since it’s wildly uneven, it’s way too long and it’s all over the map (literally and figuratively). And most of the supporting characters have barely-there storylines (especially the men).

But when it comes to capturing the irresistible spirit, the female empowerment and, of course, the superficial fashion sense that defined the original TV series, “Sex and The City 2” scores on all fronts. And like the first movie, “Sex 2” is for fans only – girly-girls who treated “Sex” like their very own “Star Wars,” right down to staging dress-up parties and seeing it on its opening weekend.

Those fans should break out the cosmos, because those fabulous fashionistas – better known as Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Samantha (Kim Cattrall), Charlotte (Kristin Davis) and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) – still have stories to tell 12 years after their stylish TV show first premiered on HBO.

That series concluded its sixth and final season in 2004 with Carrie getting her man, Mr. Big (Chris Noth), whose real name, we finally learned, is John James Preston. Four years later, they tied the knot in the first “Sex and The City” movie, which grossed more than $415 million worldwide.

But for all the excitement in seeing Carrie and her gal pals grace the big screen, the movie itself was kind of a downer, and it lacked the fast pace and the sharp writing that made the TV series so much fun. And with a running time of 2 hours and 25 minutes, it was far too long.

Returning writer/producer/director Michael Patrick King must not have gotten the memo about the excessive running time, because “Sex and The City 2” is even longer than its predecessor (though just by a minute). But thanks to a fun vibe, a faster pace and a screenplay that’s both poignant and laugh-out-loud hilarious, it’s an improvement in just about every other way.

With the exception of Samantha, whose appetite for sex is stronger than ever (despite fighting the effects of menopause), times have changed for the fabulous foursome. Overworked attorney Miranda is at her wits end with her boss, while Charlotte is overwhelmed by motherhood and worried that her husband (Evan Handler) has the hots for their gorgeous new Irish nanny (Alice Eve).

And just two years after getting hitched, the honeymoon appears to be over for Carrie and Big. She likes to go out for a night on the town, but he’d rather order takeout and watch TV. Since they went through such an emotional rollercoaster ride to end up together in the first place, it’s hard to believe that the sparkle is already gone from their relationship. That’s why I couldn’t help but wonder…

How do you keep the sparkle going after saying, “I do?”

“Sex and The City 2” is divided in two parts, and one of them works better than the other. The first half takes place in New York, and as long as it stays there, it plays out like a fun (and longer) version of the TV show. After the lavish wedding between Stanford (Willie Garson) and Anthony (Mario Cantone) – where none other than Liza Minnelli belts out a lively version of Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” – Miley Cyrus and Penelope Cruz pop up for amusing cameos.

But thanks to Samantha’s relationship with a flirty client (and the film’s $95 million budget), the girls take off to Abu Dhabi for an all-expense paid vacation. This is where the proceedings get a little silly and somewhat pointless, save for Carrie’s crucial encounter with an old flame (John Corbett) and an honest conversation between Charlotte and Miranda about the pressures of motherhood.

“Sex and The City 2” gives the fans what they want: more of everything. Haters will continue to hate it, but it’s not for them anyway. All that matters is that the fabulous Parker, Cattrall, Davis and Nixon are aging gracefully, proving that “Sex” is even better the second time around.

Verdict: SEE IT!

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