When I was newly married, I moved thousands of miles away from my family and friends with my new spouse. My husband was in the military and would frequently be gone for weeks at a time. Nights — when I found myself alone in my new city — could be isolating.
When I found myself feeling a bit homesick and craving a night out with my friends I knew what would make me feel better – spending the night with the girls: Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha.
My initial affection for the girls of “Sex and the City” blossomed after I graduated from college and moved in with my dad and stepmom. My stepmom was already a devoted fan and we bonded through discussions of the drama and fun of the series and by talking about the fashion, a shared love.
The fashion in the show was enough to draw anyone with even a passing interest in the sartorial. Carrie’s style choices were mesmerizing and bold; the character had a fearless approach to getting dressed that was inspiring even when she hit an off note (anyone else remember the scene in which she rocked a fanny pack?).
However good the clothes, shoes and bags may have been (and they were fabulous) they weren’t enough to captivate an audience on their own. “Sex and the City” was a hit with generations of women because of the relatable characters and their relationship with one another.
Even though the girls are decades older than I am (my mom is actually younger than Samantha) I, like many women, find elements of each of their personalities easy to relate to. Carrie and I both enjoy writing, I share Charlotte’s love of tradition, can relate to Miranda’s skeptical nature, and I also admire Samantha’s fierce devotion to her girlfriends.
Most appealing of all, though, is the friendship and bond these four women share. I came to love the show at a time when my life was in flux and my dearest friends and I were embarking on futures that would scatter us across the country. The four women taking New York by storm have served as a model for the friendships I hope to nourish, sustain and enjoy through the triumphs and challenges of my own life.
The four Cosmo-sipping women are a family unto themselves, and the idea of creating a family of choice is one that appeals to our generation.
Our notion of family has changed and evolved in America to the point where we routinely consider anyone we love to be family, regardless of whether we’re related by blood or marriage (Lord knows it can sometimes be a challenge to love the people we do share blood with).
When you stop and think about it, the “Sex and the City” gals are a younger, better dressed version of “The Golden Girls” or a chicer, urban version of “Designing Women,” earlier quartets of TV women who helped redefine our definition of family, feminism and friendship.
Given my affection for the girls, I was sorry to see the series end … and thrilled when the first movie debuted. But a week after seeing it, I still haven’t decided if I liked “Sex and the City 2″ or not. I went with low expectations for the plot and was ready for lots of over-the-top camp — that’s about what I got so I wasn’t terribly disappointed.
Some of the scenes are so lavish and over-the-top they’re worth the price of admission on their own (I laughed so hard I was almost crying at the scene featuring Liza). Plus, between the clothes and the sets, it is a visually stunning movie.
There were definitely disappointments – some of the dialogue, especially in the opening scenes, sounded forced and the plot relies on lame stereotypes for laughs, especially in the Middle East scenes.
Ultimately, though, I still enjoyed seeing the girls together again.
Since I’m torn, I think a second screening is in order. Regardless of where I land on my opinion of this movie, I’m confident I’ll ultimately be singing the same tune as Megan Molnar, and hoping for a third movie.
If I’ve learned nothing else from the girls, I have learned that more is more.
Has “Sex and the City” been a part of your life? How so? Do you relate to the characters like I do, and were you happy to see them come back in “Sex and the City 2?”
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