It’s a shame that the first review of a film I’ve written is this one. After all there are so many good and wonderful movies out there, but SATC 2 drove me so potty I have to write about it. But I don’t really regard it as a film (more as just tripe) so therefore lets say, it’s a comment on a film, rather than a review.
I find it difficult to pinpoint the exact place or thing that bothers me most about this ‘film’. I think it would have to be the expectation. A lot of people, including my friends had really been looking forward to seeing this, for some reason they weren’t warned off by the first film. Or the TV series. That’s a joke; the TV series was good, enjoyable and shocking, but somehow relevant. (Okay not that relevant, I’m not in my 30s, desperately underweight or living in NYC…. But relatable in as much as it combined wishful thinking i.e. those shoes and some sense of realism, dating really is a awkward as they sometimes show it to be.)
What therefore bugs me is this. The expectation that the second ‘film’ would be good was a lingering but faint possibility. There was still a possibility it could be watchable.
I’m not saying I could have made a better film. Because actually I know I could have. For the simple reason a five year old could have made a better film, on a smaller budget and probably been less offensive.
After all these women are meant to be role models. My god, the character of Carrie is an insult to the term feminist let alone the word woman. At one point I swear she acts no older than the aforementioned five year old. Her immaturity and lack of awareness is practically sickening. She also has to be a masochist (not the shoes this time) her relationship with Big far from being one of those great old fashioned romances (see Casablanca, Brief Encounter, The End of the Affair) which the writer is so clearly trying to achieve. Instead you wonder how two ‘adults’ could have reached a point where one they thought their beheavour was acceptable and two felt it was alright to be treated the way they treat each other.
Sadly it extends past their relationship and onto the centre stage. The opening scene – where the script writer decides its high time we insulted the concept of gay marriage and homosexuality in general. That done, incredibly successfully, the writer and characters decide that the East’s turn to be mocked, insulted and shown what Western civilisation is all about (what I think it concluded was, Western civilisation is all about fashion and the right to wear it, oh and gesturing wildly about how great sex is.)
Truly tragically this is done in the most self righteous manner as if to say that yes, democracy and freedom and, in fact the whole of feminism really was invented so that we as women could just be more upfront about sex and wear pretty things. Isn’t that just a bit narrowing?
After all this film could have had such an impact. It is one of the few very successful series, films etc that features women over the age of forty. Rather than trying desperately to look like they are still twenty, isn’t there anything more interesting for these women to be doing and more importantly saying?
Furthermore, by deciding that the main character, Carrie would not have children they are diverting expectations and the general norm of heroines. Which I think is great. But what they fail to do is show any justifiable reason why she would choose not to reproduce… and instead of defending a perfecting legitimate lifestyle choice; it appears the only reason that she doesn’t want to have children is because, then where would she put her shoes?
Deciding not to have a child, is a legitimate decision and it would be nice if Hollywood or films could recognise this and stop betraying the individuals who decide against the norm, as selfish bores. This would have been possible perhaps if only Carrie actually had a life that extended beyond the shoes, rather than letting them define everything about her.
