| Sex and the City | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Michael Patrick King |
| Written by | Michael Patrick King |
| Based on | |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | John Thomas |
| Edited by | Michael Berenbaum |
| Music by | Aaron Zigman |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures |
Release dates |
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Running time | 145 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $65 million |
| Box office | $418.8 million |
Sex and the City (marketed asSex and the City: The Movie) is a 2008 Americanromantic comedy film written and directed byMichael Patrick King in hisfeature film directorial debut.[2] It serves as a continuation of the HBO television seriesSex and the City (1998–2004), and follows the lives of four close friends—Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker),Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall),Charlotte York Goldenblatt (Kristin Davis), andMiranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon)—as they navigate relationships, careers, and personal challenges inNew York City.[2]
The film had its world premiere atLeicester Square inLondon on May 15, 2008, and was released theatrically in the United States on May 30. Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics—many describing it as an extended episode of the series—it was a major commercial success, grossing $418.8 million worldwide against a $65 million budget. A sequel,Sex and the City 2, was released in 2010, followed by a revival series,And Just Like That..., which premiered in 2021.
A few years after the events of the television series,Carrie Bradshaw andMr. Big are in acommitted relationship and preparing to move in together. They find an expensivepenthouse inNew York City, which Big agrees to purchase. Concerned about her lack of legal rights if they separate, Carrie considers selling her apartment to contribute financially. Big proposes marriage, and Carrie accepts.
Carrie is invited byVogue editor Enid to be featured in the magazine's bridal couture "Age Issue." She models several designer gowns and is especially drawn to aVivienne Westwood dress, which is later gifted to her. The attention surrounding the dress leads Carrie to plan a large, elaborate wedding. The scale of the event begins to cause anxiety for Big, who has been divorced twice.
Miranda Hobbes is struggling in her marriage to Steve. Their intimacy has declined due to work and parenting responsibilities. Steve admits to having anaffair, and Miranda decides to leave him. At Carrie and Big'srehearsal dinner, Steve attempts to reconcile, but Miranda remains upset and tells Big that marriage ruins everything. On the day of the wedding, Big experiences doubts and calls Carrie to cancel. Carrie, heartbroken, leaves the venue. When Big tries to speak to her outside, she hits him with her bouquet.
Carrie travels toMexico with Miranda, Charlotte, and Samantha on what was meant to be her honeymoon. After returning to New York, she hires an assistant, Louise, to help her reorganize her life. Louise eventually reconciles with her ex-boyfriend and moves back to St. Louis to marry him.
Charlotte York, who previously faced fertility challenges, learns that she is pregnant. Miranda confesses to Carrie that she made a discouraging remark about marriage to Big the night before the wedding. Carrie is angered and blames her for influencing Big's decision. Miranda later apologizes, and Carrie forgives her. Carrie encourages her to consider forgiving Steve, and the couple attendscounseling and reconciles.
Samantha is living inLos Angeles with Smith, whose acting career is thriving. She becomes increasingly dissatisfied in the relationship, especially as she finds herself attracted to her neighbor, Dante. Recognizing her unhappiness, she ends the relationship and returns to New York.
Charlotte runs into Big at a restaurant, and the encounter causes her water to break. Big takes her to the hospital and waits nearby in hopes of speaking with Carrie. Harry informs Carrie that Big had sent her numerous emails, which she discovers were stored by Louise. The messages include famouslove letters and an original note apologizing and expressing his love.
Carrie goes to the penthouse to retrieve a pair of shoes and finds Big there. They reconcile and get married at New York City Hall. Miranda, Charlotte, and Samantha arrive to celebrate, having been invited by Big. The four friends raise a toast to Samantha's 50th birthday and the years ahead.
Following the conclusion ofSex and the City in 2004, discussions began about a potential film continuation.HBO confirmed that Michael Patrick King was developing a script and was slated to direct the project.[3] However, later that year,Kim Cattrall declined to participate, citing delays in the script development and an uncertain production schedule, leading her to pursue other opportunities.[4] As a result, early plans for a feature film were shelved.
In mid-2007, development resumed after Cattrall agreed to return, reportedly under the condition of additional contractual terms, including prospects for a future HBO project.[5] In May 2007, the project was temporarily halted again when HBO indicated it could no longer finance the film independently. The proposal was circulated within Time Warner subsidiaries and was ultimately taken up byNew Line Cinema.
Principal photography took place in New York City between September and December 2007.[6][7] Filming occurred at various locations acrossManhattan, with additional scenes shot atSteiner Studios andSilvercup Studios. Production frequently faced disruptions from paparazzi and onlookers, necessitating the presence of police and private security to manage crowds.[8]
To preserve secrecy around the storyline, the filmmakers employed several strategies, including shooting multiple alternate endings.[9] Scenes filmed in public or with large numbers of extras were described by Ryan Jonathan Healy and members of the main cast as “dream sequences” to mislead onlookers and prevent spoilers.[10] The film also featured cameo appearances from Broadway performers, includingDaphne Rubin-Vega,Joanna Gleason, andAnnaleigh Ashford.[11]
As with the original television series, fashion played a central role in the production and storytelling of the film. Over 300 individual outfits were used throughout the film.[12] Costume designerPatricia Field, who was responsible for the styling of the series, returned to oversee costume design for the film.[13] Field initially expressed hesitation in joining the project due to both creative and financial concerns.[14]
For the film, Field opted not to follow current fashion trends, instead choosing to reflect the individual growth and personality evolution of each character since the end of the series.[14]Samantha's wardrobe was influenced by the glamorous aesthetics of American television seriesDynasty, whileCharlotte's style drew inspiration fromJackie Kennedy.Miranda's fashion transformation was considered the most significant, which Field attributed in part to the personal evolution of actressCynthia Nixon.[14]
Carrie's wedding dress was designed byVivienne Westwood.[15] The tutu that Carrie models for the other characters in one scene is the same as the iconic outfit worn in the opening credits of the television series. Carrie's assistant, Louise, is shown renting designer handbags from Bag Borrow or Steal.[16] Hats featured in Vivienne Westwood ensembles were created byPrudence Millinery. Jewelry for the film was provided by H. Stern, which lent over 300 pieces. Additional costume selections were drawn from collections byhaute couture designerGilles Montezin.[17]
The official soundtrack forSex and the City was released by New Line Records on May 27, 2008. It features a selection of pop, R&B, and contemporary tracks, including new recordings byFergie andJennifer Hudson, the latter of whom appears in the film as Carrie's assistant.
The soundtrack debuted at number two on the USBillboard 200 chart, marking the highest debut for a multi-artist theatrical film soundtrack sinceGet Rich or Die Tryin' (2005).[18] In the United Kingdom, it entered theUK Albums Chart at number six and has sold over 55,000 copies to date.
A second compilation,Sex and the City: Volume 2, was released on September 23, 2008, to coincide with the film's DVD release. It includes tracks by British artists such asEstelle,Craig David,Mutya Buena, andAmy Winehouse, as well as American performers includingJanet Jackson,Ciara, andElijah Kelley.
In December 2008, an orchestral score album titledSex and the City – The Score was released, featuring 18 tracks composed, co-orchestrated, and conducted byAaron Zigman. While the track order on the album does not match the sequence in which the music appears in the film, the release includes nearly the entire score used throughout the film.
The international premiere ofSex and the City took place on May 12, 2008, at theOdeon Luxe West End in London'sLeicester Square, attended by an audience of approximately 1,700 people.[19] The film then premiered inBerlin at the Sony Center inPotsdamer Platz on May 15, 2008.[20] The New York City premiere was held atRadio City Music Hall on May 27, 2008.[21]
Sex and the City emerged as a commercial success. Opening in 3,285 theaters in the United States and Canada, the film earned $26.9 million on its first day. It went on to gross $57 million in its opening weekend, averaging $17,363 per theater.[22] The film set records for the biggest opening weekend for both an R-rated comedy and a romantic comedy, surpassingAmerican Pie 2 andHitch, as well as for a film featuring an all-female leading cast.[23][24] It also recorded the fifth-highest opening weekend for an R-rated film at the time, followingThe Matrix Reloaded,The Passion of the Christ,300, andHannibal.[25]
As of March 2010, the film had grossed $152.6 million in the United States and Canada, and $262.6 million internationally, for a worldwide total of $415.2 million. It was the highest-grossing romantic comedy of 2008.[22]
Sex and the City received mixed reviews from critics. OnRotten Tomatoes, the film has a rating of 50%, based on 181 reviews, with anaverage score of 5.70/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Sex and the City loses steam in the transition to the big screen, but will still thrill fans of the show."[26]Metacritic gave the film a normalized average score of 53 out of 100, based on 38 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[27]
Brian Lowry ofVariety said the film "...feels a trifle half-hearted",[28] while Carina Chocano of theLos Angeles Times stated "the film tackles weighty issues with grace but is still very funny". She praisedMichael Patrick King's work saying very few films "are willing to go to such dark places while remaining a comedy in the Shakespearean sense".[29] Colin Bertram of theNew York Daily News dubbed the film a "great reunion", and was happy with the return of "The 'Oh, my God, they did not just do that!' moments, thenudity, theswearing, the unabashed love of human frailty and downright wackiness".[30] TheChicago Tribune's Jessica Reeves described it as "Witty, effervescent and unexpectedly thoughtful."[31] Michael Rechtshaffen atThe Hollywood Reporter praised the performances of the four leading ladies and said the film kept the essence of the series, but resembled a super-sized episode.[32]
Manohla Dargis ofThe New York Times found the film "a vulgar, shrill, deeply shallow—and, at 2 hours and 22 turgid minutes, overlong—addendum to a show",[33] whileThe Daily Telegraph's Sukhdev Sandhu panned the film saying "the ladies have become frozen,Spice Girls-style types–angsty, neurotic, predatory, princess–rather than individuals who might evolve or surprise us".[34] Rick Groen ofThe Globe and Mail slammed the film commenting on lack of script and adding that the characters "don't perform so much as parade, fixed in their roles as semi-animated clothes hangers on a cinematic runway". He gave the film zero stars out of four.[35]Anthony Lane, a film critic forThe New Yorker, called the film a "superannuated fantasy posing as a slice of modern life"; he noted that "almost sixty years afterAll About Eve, which also featured four major female roles, there is a deep sadness in the sight ofCarrie and friends defining themselves not asBette Davis,Anne Baxter,Celeste Holm, andThelma Ritter did—by their talents, their hats, and the swordplay of their wits—but purely by their ability to snare and keep a man....All the film lacks is a subtitle: "The Lying, the Bitch, and the Wardrobe."[36]
Ramin Setoodeh ofNewsweek speculated that some of the criticism for the film is derived possibly fromsexism: "when you listen to men talk about it (and this is coming from the perspective of a male writer), a strange thing happens. The talk turns hateful. Angry. Vengeful. Annoyed...Is this just poor sportsmanship? I can't help but wonder—cue the Carrie Bradshaw voiceover here—if it's not a case of 'Sexism in the City.' Men hated the movie before it even opened...Movie critics, an overwhelmingly male demographic, gave it such a nasty tongue lashing you would have thought they were talking about an ex-girlfriend...The movie might not beCitizen Kane—which, for the record, is a dude flick—but it's incredibly sweet and touching."[24]
The film featured on worst of 2008 lists including that ofThe Times,[37]Mark Kermode,The New York Observer,[38] theNME,[39] andThe Daily Telegraph.[40]
| Award | Date of the ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Trailer Awards | May 8, 2008 | Best Summer 2008 Blockbuster Poster | The Ant Farm | Nominated | [41] |
| MTV Movie Awards | June 1, 2008 | Best Summer Movie So Far | Sex and the City | Nominated | [42] |
| Teen Choice Awards | August 4, 2008 | Choice Movie – Chick Flick | Nominated | [43] | |
| Choice Movie – Comedy Actress | Sarah Jessica Parker | Nominated | |||
| National Movie Awards | September 8, 2008 | Best Comedy | Sex and the City | Nominated | [44][45] |
| Best Female Performance | Sarah Jessica Parker | Nominated | |||
| Satellite Awards | December 14, 2008 | Best Costume Design | Patricia Field | Nominated | [46] |
| People's Choice Awards | January 7, 2009 | Favorite Cast | Sarah Jessica Parker,Kim Cattrall,Kristin Davis,Cynthia Nixon, andChris Noth | Nominated | [47] |
| Favorite Song from a Soundtrack | "Labels or Love" byFergie | Nominated | |||
| Costume Designers Guild Awards | February 17, 2009 | Excellence in Contemporary Film | Patricia Field | Nominated | [48][49] |
| BMI Film & Television Music Awards | May 20, 2009 | BMI Film Music Award | Aaron Zigman | Won | [50] |
Sex and the City: The Movie was released on DVD and Blu-ray byNew Line Home Entertainment (distributed byWarner Home Video) on September 23, 2008.[51] Two versions of the film were released in the United States. The standard single-disc edition featured the theatrical cut in either fullscreen or widescreen formats, and included audio commentary,deleted scenes, and adigital copy of the film.
A two-disc special edition was released simultaneously, featuring anextended cut with six additional minutes of footage. It also included the commentary from the standard edition and a second disc containing bonus features, along with a digital copy of the theatrical version. TheBlu-ray release mirrored the two-disc extended edition in both content and features.
In December 2008, a third edition titledSex and the City: The Movie – The Wedding Collection was released. This four-disc set included the extended cut of the film, additional bonus features, a music CD featuring songs inspired by the film—including an alternate mix ofFergie’s “Labels or Love”—and a hardcover photo book with quotes. It also came packaged in a pink padded box with a numbered certificate of authenticity.
A fourth version, exclusive to Australia, included the two-disc special edition and aSex and the City-inspired black clutch bag with a faux snakeskin design.
In the United States, the DVD sold 3.55 million copies in 2008, generating revenue of over $72.4 million. In the United Kingdom, it became the fastest-selling DVD release of 2008, reaching number one on the UK DVD Chart and selling over 920,000 copies in its first week—surpassingRatatouille (2007) which had sold 700,000 copies and held the previous record. This record was later surpassed byMamma Mia!.
A sequel,Sex and the City 2, was released in theaters on May 27, 2010, in the United States and May 28, 2010, in the United Kingdom. The film was co-written, produced, and directed byMichael Patrick King.Sarah Jessica Parker,Kim Cattrall,Kristin Davis,Cynthia Nixon, andChris Noth reprised their roles from the original film and the television series. The cast also included cameo appearances byLiza Minnelli,Miley Cyrus,Tim Gunn,Ron White,Omid Djalili, andPenélope Cruz, as well asBroadway performersNorm Lewis,Kelli O'Hara, and Ryan Silverman. The DVD was released in the United Kingdom on November 29, 2010.
In December 2016, a third installment was announced, but in September 2017, Parker confirmed that the project had been cancelled.[52] The proposed third film was later reimagined as a revival series,And Just Like That..., which premiered in 2021 onHBO Max. Cattrall did not return for the series.[53]
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