Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel once said, “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street. Fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.”
The decades-old quote accurately describes this summer’s ultimate chick flick, “Sex and the City: The Movie.”
Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon), Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall), and Charlotte York (Kristin Davis) are back four years after the series finale in which Carrie and Mr. Big (Chris Noth) seemingly lived happily ever after.
The introduction of the film catches everyone up to speed with their favorite characters and is done in true “SATC” fashion, with the leading lady Carrie narrating the story, a golden touch and helps hold the movie together during its run of two hours, 15 minutes.
While Carrie dishes the 411 on her gal pals, the audience takes a trip down Candy Cane Lane. That is what it likely feels like for fans who were obsessed with the show’s fashion. The four best friends are dressed to the nines throughout the film clad in their Manolo Blahniks, Jimmy Choos, Prada and Gucci. The colors are vibrant and lively, and the clothes could have a movie all their own. It is the who’s who of top world designers.
A few over-the-top purses could have been left out of the movie. Advice from Coco Chanel should have been taken: “Simplicity is elegance.” In Carrie’s case, she should take this cue and only wear a particular belt once. It’s a three-inch black shiny belt with adorned with studs. It looked like a fancy version of a belt a punk rocker kid would buy at Hot Topic. It is fine, even looks great the first time she wears it. Yet it is the bug that just will not die.
The movie is longer than expected, which was a good thing for fans. It feels like watching four or five episode and not being able to pull away from the TV set.
There must have been two post production teams working on the music, or that’s how it seems. Taking a beloved TV show and bringing it to life on the big screen is no easy challenge. It is very noticeable that the minds behind the movie want the audience to know they are not sitting at home in front of their TVs, but sitting in a large movie theater.
The music in the first part of the movie is trying to hard to impress. In one scene, the four ladies are in Carrie’s apartment and what would be a great scene alone is paired with “Walk this Way” by Run DMC and Aerosmith, music not typical of the show. It is like watching a great episode and trying to ignore being interrupted by annoying loud sounds in the background. Post production also included violin music to try and heighten the intensity of scenes. The natural sounds of New York streets would suffice.
Once passed the first part of the movie, the music and action are in sync. The first song to truly enhance the moment the writers are trying convey isn’t even in English.
The actors are true to their characters. The ladies and their leading men slip back into their roles with ease. At the beginning of the film, it is noticeable during a few scenes with Davis’s character that she was happy to be at breakfast again with her friends. Giving her lines of happiness to Carrie’s big news, she has tears in her eyes and sheer delight on her face. It is clear she has been waiting and is ecstatic to be working on the film.
Ladies and gents with a flare for fashion and a love for “Sex and the City,” this movie is a must-see. Even if you never watched the show, it is ultimtately a big love story. Who doesn’t like to watch a movie where the guy gets the girl? Or does he?
