I've been waiting for someone to mention the Sex and the City movie, and no one I've read in the past few days has, so I will.
The movie was simply dreadful. I say this as a devoted fan of the show. Hell, that show was my life during my late twenties. Again, I could recite dialogue. It even got me to branch out a little from the black, which anyone who has seen me daily during any period of my life since, like, 8th grade, could tell you is a freaking miracle. I even have a necklace with my name on it in cursive, I loved the show so much.
I'm aware that the show has its detractors, and I recognize their criticisms. But at its best, the show was witty and fun. It broke new ground, and it was better than much of the tripe that passes for entertainment these days. And then they decided to make this movie.
There are so many things about the movie that made me flinch -- the unsophisticated, pandering, lowest-common-denominator jokes, the pointless plot line, the unexplained departures from the essences of some of the characters, and the gaudy, overbearing materialism, to name a few -- but there was one moment that really made my blood boil a little.
[WARNING: SPOILER ALERT -- if you haven't seen previews yet and don't want to know any of the plot, stop reading now.]
I knew from previews that Charlotte gets pregnant in the movie, and even though I was involuntarily happy for her because I want that happy ending for every woman who's been through fertility troubles, even if she is a fictional character, I knew that that plot point, without elaboration, would perpetuate the inexorable myth that adoption causes pregnancy.
But then they had to elaborate. And Charlotte said that her doctor told her -- her DOCTOR, people, not her mother or the girl at the checkout counter at the grocery store -- that she had known this to happen to several of her patients. Not only did the movie make the low, ill-informed choice to perpetuate the infertility myth that refuses to die, they used a doctor as a mouthpiece to do so.
I was not amused. And I think that was even before they pulled that stupid humping dog gag.
The movie was simply dreadful. I say this as a devoted fan of the show. Hell, that show was my life during my late twenties. Again, I could recite dialogue. It even got me to branch out a little from the black, which anyone who has seen me daily during any period of my life since, like, 8th grade, could tell you is a freaking miracle. I even have a necklace with my name on it in cursive, I loved the show so much.
I'm aware that the show has its detractors, and I recognize their criticisms. But at its best, the show was witty and fun. It broke new ground, and it was better than much of the tripe that passes for entertainment these days. And then they decided to make this movie.
There are so many things about the movie that made me flinch -- the unsophisticated, pandering, lowest-common-denominator jokes, the pointless plot line, the unexplained departures from the essences of some of the characters, and the gaudy, overbearing materialism, to name a few -- but there was one moment that really made my blood boil a little.
[WARNING: SPOILER ALERT -- if you haven't seen previews yet and don't want to know any of the plot, stop reading now.]
I knew from previews that Charlotte gets pregnant in the movie, and even though I was involuntarily happy for her because I want that happy ending for every woman who's been through fertility troubles, even if she is a fictional character, I knew that that plot point, without elaboration, would perpetuate the inexorable myth that adoption causes pregnancy.
But then they had to elaborate. And Charlotte said that her doctor told her -- her DOCTOR, people, not her mother or the girl at the checkout counter at the grocery store -- that she had known this to happen to several of her patients. Not only did the movie make the low, ill-informed choice to perpetuate the infertility myth that refuses to die, they used a doctor as a mouthpiece to do so.
I was not amused. And I think that was even before they pulled that stupid humping dog gag.
Hmmm - someone else on another blog said the same thing! Clearly the producers wanted to be upbeat about a difficult issue, but surely just the fact that she fell pregnant should be enough without saying something stupid like that!
Posted by: Sam | June 04, 2008 at 08:27 AM
I didn't like that line either! But I did enjoy the movie, it just felt like a long version of the show to me, but with all the characters wearing WAY more makeup! What was up with that! Sorry it was a disappointment to you! I hate it when movies disappoint!
here from NaComLeavMo
Posted by: Alicia | June 04, 2008 at 11:00 PM
I liked the TV series but have zero desire to see the movie. I don't think it was necessary -- I thought the series ended perfectly -- and I'm recoiling at all the frippery of the press coverage, and SJP bitching about the "unethical" behavior of a designer in allowing her to wear a dress to the premiere that has, gasp, been worn previously. And now, the Charlotte storyline just pisses me off.
Posted by: Ellen K. | June 05, 2008 at 02:17 PM