Masand's Verdict: Sex And The City, brand orgy

UNSMART SLAPSTICK: The film is a mad orgy of designer brands; handbags, heels and wedding gowns.

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I wouldn't go so far as to say I'm a fan of the show, but I'll admit I've enjoyed reruns of Sex And The City every time I've caught one by accident. Of course what I think of the show doesn't matter here. The truth is, ladies everywhere have been waiting for this, and now it's finally here.

To be entirely honest, the Sex And The City movie doesn't actually feel like a cohesive feature at all. At two hours and twenty-five odd minutes, it feels more like a string of episodes slapped back-to-back, if you ask me. The girls are back for their big screen outing, but I'm disappointed to report, the fun's missing from this adventure.

Sex columnist-turned-author Carrie Bradshaw is planning a fancy wedding with Mr Big, but he's having second thoughts. Cynical, razor-sharp lawyer Miranda is having trouble trusting her husband again after he confesses to having had a casual sexual encounter. Nymphomaniac Samantha is missing her promiscuous lifestyle even as she's settled into a monogamous relationship with her actor boyfriend in LA. And ever the optimist Charlotte is enjoying a happy domestic life with her husband Harry and their adopted daughter Lily, but has never quite given up the hope of getting pregnant.

Now much of the show's success and popularity came from its effortless humour, the clever one-liners delivered by its characters, and their ability to laugh at themselves and at each other in the most delicate circumstances. The problem with the film is the humour's more slapstick than smart — there's a horny dog, a character who shits in her pants, and a scene involving Japanese food as a sex aid. The script fails in interweaving all the characters' storylines, and some characters simply don't get enough material to chew on.

On the upside, say hello to Jennifer Hudson who makes an inspired entry into the story as Carrie's personal assistant, adding a twenty-something perspective for female characters who're now in their forties. Also — and all you ladies , listen to this clearly — it's a mad orgy of designer brands; handbags, heels and wedding gowns, they're all there! The film doesn't cover much ground sadly, but like the show it ends up being about the bond these women share.

I'm going with two out of five and an average rating for Sex And The City: The Movie. Perhaps my opinion really doesn't count here — after all I'll never understand what all the fuss over that new Louis Vuitton handbag is all about.

Rating: 2 / 5 (Average)