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Sex and the City 2

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Sex and the City 2
Theatrical release poster
Directed byMichael Patrick King
Written byMichael Patrick King
Based onCharacters
by Candace Bushnell
Sex and the City
by Darren Star
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyJohn Thomas
Edited byMichael Berenbaum
Music byAaron Zigman
Production
companies
Distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures[1]
Release date
  • May 27, 2010 (2010-05-27) (United States)
Running time
146 minutes[2]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$95 million[3][4]
Box office$294.7 million[4]

Sex and the City 2 is a 2010 American romantic comedy film written, co-produced, and directed by Michael Patrick King.[5] It is the sequel to the 2008 film Sex and the City,[6] based on the 1998–2004 television series. Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, and Cynthia Nixon reprised their roles as friends Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda, while Chris Noth co-stars as Carrie's husband Mr. Big. It features cameos from Liza Minnelli, Miley Cyrus, Tim Gunn, Ron White, Omid Djalili, Penélope Cruz, Norm Lewis, and Kelli O'Hara.

Sex and the City 2 was released theatrically on May 27, 2010, in the United States and the following day in the United Kingdom. The film was panned by critics, who lamented the plot, length, characterization and its depiction of the Middle East, which many saw as insensitive and stereotypical, but, like its predecessor, was a commercial success, grossing $294.7 million on a $95 million production budget.

A sequel television series, titled And Just Like That..., premiered on HBO Max in 2021.

Plot

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Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda attend Stanford and Anthony's wedding. Three of the four women are now married except for Samantha, who at 52, is trying to maintain her libido as she enters menopause.

Back in New York, Miranda quits her job after her firm's new managing partner disrespects her once too often. Charlotte's two children, Lily and Rose, are a handful, and she fears that her husband Harry is more attracted to their Irish nanny, Erin, than her. Carrie's marriage to Mr. Big has settled down, although they differ on how to spend their spare time. Carrie wants to go out often to dinner, parties and events, whereas he prefers to stay in and relax on the couch.

For their anniversary, Carrie gives Big an engraved, vintage Rolex while he, to her dismay, puts a new TV in their bedroom as his gift. He says that they can use it to watch old films together, something they did at a hotel which they seemed to enjoy. She is disappointed, as she had hoped for something more personal to maintain the spark in their marriage. Big starts to watch TV more often, making Carrie feel unappreciated.

Carrie spends two days at her old apartment to write, after which Big acts like he did when they were first dating and they have a romantic night out. Thrilled, he suggests that they do that every week so he can relax those two days, watching TV and lying on the couch, so the rest of the time he will have more energy to do what she wants to do. Carrie does not dismiss this, but fears they may drift apart.

Meanwhile, as Samantha is to devise a PR campaign for an Arab sheikh's business, he flies her and her friends on an all-expenses-paid luxury vacation to Abu Dhabi. Miranda, unfettered by a job for the first time in her life, is especially excited.

Upon entering Abu Dhabi, Samantha's hormones are confiscated under United Arab Emirates law, rendering her devoid of estrogen and hindering her libido. Charlotte tries to repeatedly call Harry; Miranda revels in the culture; and Carrie befriends her manservant Gaurau, who is an underpaid temporary worker from India. He warns Carrie of men with watches trying to take advantage.

On a visit to a souq (market), Carrie runs into her former lover, Aidan. He invites her to dinner à deux at his hotel. They enjoy themselves, reminiscing about old times. Aidan remarks how Carrie is "not like other women".

They decide to have dinner back at Carrie's hotel, leading to them kissing. Carrie flees in panic, returning to her room, where Miranda and Charlotte drink and discuss the difficulties of motherhood. She asks if she should tell Big about it, as they have no secrets. Miranda reflects on when Steve revealed his affair.[a] Samantha suggests that Carrie wait before deciding anything. However, she calls Big anyway. He is silent upon hearing the news, but only responds saying that he is busy at work and hangs up.

The four women find their Western style and attitudes clash with Muslim customs. Samantha, while on a date with a Danish architect, eventually gets arrested for public display of affection. She fondles him at a restaurant, giving him a visible erection, then kisses him on the beach. With the Sheikh's intervention, Samantha is released but gets a permanent police record.

When Carrie returns home, she finds the bedroom TV removed and Big gone. After an anxious day, he returns at night. Realizing that she needs a constant reminder of their commitment, Big gives her a black diamond engagement ring. When Carrie asks why a black diamond, he says that she is not like anyone else, echoing Aidan's earlier comment.

Big and Carrie combine their interests; Charlotte discovers that Erin is a lesbian, so no threat to her marriage; Miranda finds a new job at a more laid-back and diverse law firm where she is appreciated; and Samantha remains unchanged, even meeting for sex on the beach with the Danish architect, this time in the Hamptons.

Cast

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Production

[edit]
Sarah Jessica Parker at the movie set.

Development

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After months of speculation, the cast confirmed in February 2009 that a sequel was in the works. Filming began in August 2009.

The sequel is noticeably different from its predecessor and includes more exotic locales than the original. King credits this to the experience he had promoting the original film in such locales. He was also inspired by the recession to write something bigger more akin to the extravagant adventures and escapist comedies of the 1930s.[1] The location of Abu Dhabi was chosen because of its high fashion culture (although the authorities later revoked filming clearance) and also that it was a location relatively free from the recession.[1]

All four stars, Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis, and Kim Cattrall, returned in the sequel; Chris Noth also signed on to reprise the role of Mr. Big.[7] Evan Handler returned as Harry Goldenblatt, John Corbett as Aidan Shaw, David Eigenberg played Steve Brady once more, Willie Garson returned as Stanford Blatch, and Mario Cantone again played Anthony Marentino, making the original cast almost complete. In addition, Michael Patrick King wrote and directed again, and Patricia Field once again took charge of the costumes and wardrobe. Hats were once again created by Prudence Millinery for Vivienne Westwood.

Entertainment Weekly confirmed that the budget for the film was US$95 million,[8] exactly $30 million greater than the budget for the first film. Sarah Jessica Parker was paid US$15 million plus residuals for her dual role as a producer and starring as Carrie Bradshaw.[9]

Filming

[edit]

Filming in New York City was postponed to the end of July as Emirati authorities refused clearance for filming in the United Arab Emirates. Consequently, the Abu Dhabi segment of the film was filmed in Morocco.[10][11] All four leading actresses and other cast and crew were photographed[12] filming scenes in Morocco in November 2009, where they had originally planned to shoot for 13 days, which had to be extended to almost six weeks. Filming took place at several locations including the seaside town of Sidi Kaouki.[13]

The sequel officially began filming on September 1, 2009 and continued until the end of the year.

Casting

[edit]

In September 2009, American singer and actress Liza Minnelli confirmed to several media outlets that she appeared in a cameo role. Singer and actress Bette Midler had been photographed on set, but does not appear in the film. Penélope Cruz appears briefly as Carmen, a banker.[14] Miley Cyrus appeared in one scene where she appears at the premiere of Smith Jerrod's new film, wearing the same dress as Samantha. On October 17, Oceanup.com posted several pictures of Cyrus filming the scene.[15]

John Corbett was seen on location in Morocco, confirming his speculated involvement in the film as Aidan.[16]

Release

[edit]

Promotion began in December 2009, when the official teaser poster was released online, featuring Carrie in a white dress and gold sunglasses which reflect a Moroccan backdrop, and the tagline "Carrie On", a similar pun of the lead character's name as "Get Carried Away" from the first film.[17] The same image and tagline was used for the launch of the official Sex and the City 2 website, also launched in December 2009.

The teaser trailer premiered online on December 22, 2009.[18] In March 2010, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon attended ShoWest 2010 in Las Vegas to premiere the full length trailer and discuss the film (Kim Cattrall was in London performing on stage in the West End, and joined the rest of the cast for promotion when her stage run ended on May 3).

The full theatrical trailer premiered on Entertainment Tonight and online on April 8, 2010,[19] featuring the New York City-themed single "Empire State of Mind" by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, as well as Australian singer Ricki-Lee Coulter's song "Can't Touch It".

A full-scale promotional tour with all key cast members—including television, press conference and print—commenced in early May 2010, and continued throughout the film's release, encompassing many different countries and cities. The New York City premiere of the film was held on May 24, 2010.

Reception

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Critical response

[edit]

Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggregator, reports that 16% of 217 critics have given Sex and the City 2 a positive review; the average rating is 3.90/10.[20] By comparison, the first film received a score of 49% based on 183 reviews and has an average score of 5.70/10.[21] The critical consensus is: "Straining under a thin plot stretched to its limit by a bloated running time, Sex and the City 2 adds an unfortunate coda to the long-running HBO series."[20] Metacritic gave the film a score of 27/100 based on a normalized average of 39 reviews indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[22]

The film was criticized for its portrayal of the Middle East. Stephen Farber of The Hollywood Reporter called it "blatantly anti-Muslim"[23] and Hadley Freeman of the UK broadsheet The Guardian described the trailers as "borderline racist".[24] Andrew O'Hagan of the London Evening Standard wrote that the film "could be the most stupid, the most racist, the most polluting and women-hating film of the year".[25] Roger Ebert gave the film one star out of four; he wrote that the characters are "flyweight bubbleheads" and the visual style "arthritic", and criticized the voiceover narration as redundant.[26]

Lindy West wrote a noted[27][28] review of the film, saying that "SATC2 takes everything that I hold dear as a woman and as a human—working hard, contributing to society, not being an entitled cunt like it's my job—and rapes it to death with a stiletto that costs more than my car. It is 146 minutes long, which means that I entered the theater in the bloom of youth and emerged with a family of field mice living in my long, white mustache. This is an entirely inappropriate length for what is essentially a home video of gay men playing with giant Barbie dolls."[29]

British critic Mark Kermode gave one of his infamous rants [30] and later declared it the worst film of 2010,[31] saying he could think of nothing "more poisonous, more repugnant, more repulsive, more retrograde, more depressing than Sex and the City 2".[32] Time named it one of the 10 worst movies based on TV shows.[33]

Sex and the City 2 received seven nominations at the 31st Golden Raspberry Awards, including Worst Picture.[34] It went on to win three awards, including a joint Worst Actress award for the four “gal pals” (Parker, Cattrall, Nixon, and Davis).[35] David Eigenberg expressed interest in receiving the Worst Couple/Screen Ensemble Razzie, which was awarded to the entire cast. According to Razzies founder John J. B. Wilson, "[Eigenberg] said that he had never won an award of any kind and if this was what he won, he would accept it." Eigenberg then collaborated with Wilson to make a humorous acceptance video which was posted on the official YouTube channel of the Golden Raspberry Awards.[36]

In 2015, comedians Tim Batt and Guy Montgomery watched the film every week for a full year for the second season of their podcast, The Worst Idea of All Time.[37]

Box office

[edit]

Sex and the City 2 opened in 3,445 theaters on May 27, 2010, setting a record for one of the widest release for a R-rated romantic comedy film. Playing in 2,000 theaters, the film grossed $3 million from its midnight premiere.[38] On its opening day, the film topped the box office grossing $14.2 million,[39] for a projected $60 million for a four-day opening weekend, plus $75 million for a five-day Memorial Day weekend.[40] But it debuted in second place behind Shrek Forever After with $31 million, and its total to $45.2 million, for its four-day opening weekend, plus $51 million on its five-day opening weekend (Memorial Day).

Internationally, the sequel topped the charts in Germany for five weeks, the United Kingdom for three weeks, Australia for two weeks and exceeding the original in Japan and Greece. Sex and the City 2 sold more tickets than the first part in many other markets.[citation needed] As of August 19, 2010, the film's total US gross stands at $95.3 million. As of August 1, 2010, internationally it has grossed $199.3 million—giving it a worldwide total of $294.7 million. Although 27% lower than the first film, it was 2010's highest-grossing romantic comedy.[41]

Home media

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Sex and the City 2 was released on DVD, Blu-ray, and iTunes on October 26, 2010, in the US[42] where it entered the chart at number one selling almost one million copies in its first week.[43] It was released on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK on November 29, 2010, also entering the sales chart at number one.[44]

Soundtrack

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Main article: Sex and the City 2 (soundtrack)

Sex and the City 2: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was released on May 25, 2010, by WaterTower Music.

The score was recorded and mixed by Dennis S. Sands and Steve Kempster and performed by a large ensemble of the Hollywood Studio Symphony conducted by Stephen Coleman who orchestrated Aaron Zigman's score. Patrick Kirst also orchestrated.

Cancelled sequel and follow-up television series

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Main article: And Just Like That...

In December 2016, Radar Online reported that a script for the third film had been approved.[45] However, on September 28, 2017, Sarah Jessica Parker confirmed that the third film was not going to happen. She said, "We had this beautiful, funny, heartbreaking, joyful, very relatable script and story. It's not just disappointing that we don't get to tell the story and have that experience, but more so for that audience that has been so vocal in wanting another movie."[46] It was reported in 2018 that Kim Cattrall did not want to appear in the film when she learned of the storylines involving killing off Mr. Big and Samantha receiving sexting and nude pictures from Miranda's 14-year-old son, Brady.[47] Cattrall later clarified in 2019 that she opted not to appear in a third film, explaining she "went past the finish line" portraying the character of Samantha because of her love for the franchise.

The third movie plot was later readapted as the 2021 television series And Just Like That..., with Cattrall not returning, as agreed.[48] The series premiered on HBO Max on December 9, 2021. Originally billed as a miniseries, it was renewed for a second season in March 2022, and Cattrall reprised her role for a brief cameo in the second season finale.[49] A third season was announced in August 2023.

Accolades

[edit]
Award Year Category Recipient(s) Result Ref(s)
National Movie Awards 2010 Vue Most Anticipated Movie of the Summer Sex and the City 2 Nominated [50][51]
Golden Raspberry Awards 2011 Worst Picture Nominated [34][35]
Worst Actress Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, and Cynthia Nixon Won
Worst Supporting Actress Liza Minnelli Nominated
Worst Screen Ensemble The entire cast of Sex and the City 2 Won
Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel Sex and the City 2 Won
Worst Director Michael Patrick King Nominated
Worst Screenplay Nominated
People's Choice Awards Favorite Comedy Movie Sex and the City 2 Nominated [52]

Notes

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  1. ^ In the previous film, Sex and the City.

References

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