Grab yourself a Cosmopolitan, put on your best party dress, call your girlfriends, and get ready for the long-awaited film follow-up of the infamous series... 'cuz it's finally here!
They did it. They really pulled it off. You know how sometimes a TV series will try to spin itself into a feature-length film, and it fails miserably? Not so with this one, I'm pleased to report. Other than a few moments in the beginning where I felt the acting was a little bit stiff, the characters still had the same chemistry, and the laughs were plentiful (and out loud, too, as well as gasps and "OHs!" from this mixed Franco-American audience). In addition to Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, and Samantha, and their same four beaux, many of the secondary characters made appearances as well: Stanford, Anthony, Magda and even Candice Bergen's "Enid the editor at Vogue". I think I even caught a brief glimpse of Bitsy (or was it Mitsy?) von Muffling in one scene. I swear they even got the same kid to play Brady, Miranda's son. Everyone's life has progressed in "real time", and they're all 4 years older than they were when the series went off the air. And there's a great new addition: Jennifer Hudson as Carrie's A+ personal assistant.
And is there fashion? Oh, is there ever!
Did I love it or did I hate it? I can sum this up in one sentence, uttered while the credits were rolling and Georges looked at me and said, "Well?"
Me (hands clasped to my chest, a huge smile on my visage and eyes shining with remnants of tears):
"I am just SOOOOOO happy!"
I'm not going to discuss plot points because I don't want to ruin it for anyone. I will just say that I haven't been this happy walking out of a movie since the last Harry Potter film, and I was perhaps even happier. And if you're someone who, like Georges, has never seen the series (even if you're male and straight), never fear... you'll probably like it as well. Georges did. He found it entertaining and well done, he liked the characters and could even follow who was who (they did a little summary at the outset of the movie to help the non-fans in the audience catch up with the rest of us), and he said he quickly got caught up in the story. He totally got that it's not really about "sex" at all, despite the racy title (and some nudity)... it's about relationships. And yes, I even heard him laugh out loud. More than once.
Charlotte, Miranda, Samantha and Carrie are as much themselves in this movie as they ever were on the small screen. I am already eagerly anticipating seeing it a second time (at least), this time with some girlfriends. And this one, I'll even buy on DVD when it comes out, to complete my collection (I brought all six seasons with me to France, bien sûr).
So if you're wondering if you should bother seeing it... don't hesitate (even if you don't want to wear a cocktail dress and a blond "Carrie" wig, like one very cute Asian girl I met in the toilettes -- she was there with some friends who were doing a bachelorette night; how perfect!) I don't think you'll be disappointed. But do get to the theatre early: the lines at our theatre started 40 minutes before the start time (which in France means you still have another 30 minutes of ads and previews ahead of you once you get into the theatre) and wrapped clear around the corner café (we were at UGC Danton at Odéon).
Oh, and which SATC character am I? Georges agreed with me: I'm definitely the Carrie... minus the 400 pairs of designer shoes and the closet full of couture. (But I would if I could.)
