Sex and the City 2
Encyclopedia
Sex and the City 2 is a 2010 American romantic comedy film
directed by Michael Patrick King
. It is the sequel
to the 2008 film Sex and the City, which is based on the HBO TV series of the same name
.
The film was released in cinemas on May 27, 2010, in the United States and May 28, 2010, in the United Kingdom. The DVD was available for purchase in the United Kingdom on November 29, 2010. The film stars Sarah Jessica Parker
, Kim Cattrall
, Kristin Davis
, Cynthia Nixon
, and Chris Noth
, who reprised their roles from the previous film and TV series. It also features cameos from Liza Minnelli
, Miley Cyrus
, Tim Gunn
, Ron White
, Omid Djalili
and Penélope Cruz
. As well as Broadway
actors, Norm Lewis
, Kelli O'Hara
, and Ryan Silverman.
(Sarah Jessica Parker
), Samantha (Kim Cattrall
), Charlotte (Kristin Davis
) and Miranda
(Cynthia Nixon
) meeting up with each other at a shop in New York which turns into a flashback
to how Carrie arrived in New York City in 1986, then met Charlotte in 1987, Miranda in 1988, and finally Samantha in 1989.
The film then jumps to the present, two years after the events of the first film. At the Connecticut same-sex wedding
of Stanford Blatch (Willie Garson
) and Anthony Marentino (Mario Cantone
), Liza Minnelli
appears to officiate the wedding vows and sings Beyoncé
's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
".
The four friends now have lives that are more stressful than before: All are married except Samantha, who is now 52 and trying to keep her libido
alive with hormone
s while dealing with menopause
. Miranda quits her job after the new managing partner disrespects her once too often. Charlotte's two children are a handful and she's worried that Harry is attracted to their buxom Irish nanny, Erin (Alice Eve
).
Carrie's marriage to Mr. Big
(Chris Noth
) has settled down, though they differ on how to spend their spare time: she loves to go out, he would prefer to stay home every night, eating take-out meals and watching television. For their anniversary, Carrie gives Mr. Big a vintage Rolex
watch engraved with a romantic message, while he, much to her dismay, shows her a new television in their bedroom as his gift, which Big says they can use to watch old movies together as they did on vacation. Carrie is disappointed, as she had hoped for jewelry as a gift. She asks to spend some personal time alone in her old apartment, which seems to bring back the "spark" their relationship had in its youth. Big, to Carrie's dismay, asks to make it a weekly occurrence.
Meanwhile, Samantha has been approached by an Arab sheikh
to devise a PR
campaign for his business. He offers to fly her and her friends on an all-expenses-paid luxury vacation to Abu Dhabi
. The girls happily accept, although Carrie is worried about the separation from Big and Charlotte is worried about leaving her husband alone with the nanny. Only Miranda, unfettered by a job for the first time in her life, plunges enthusiastically into studying Arabic and planning sightseeing.
Upon entering Abu Dhabi, Samantha's hormone-enhancing drugs are confiscated under UAE law. This renders her devoid of estrogen; to her great dismay, her famous libido goes dead, unaroused even by Australian rugby players in Speedo
swimwear. Charlotte tries to call Harry every few minutes. Miranda revels in the luxury surrounding her, while Carrie befriends her manservant, Gaurau (Raza Jaffrey
), and learns of his long distance marriage - he can only afford to see his wife back in India once every three months.
While out shopping at the local souk with Miranda, Carrie runs into her former lover, Aidan (John Corbett). He proposes dinner à deux at his hotel, but she is noncommittal. The next day, however, she is crushed at reading a negative critique of her new book in The New Yorker
, and decides to meet Aidan for dinner, although Charlotte cautions her not to play with fire. The dinner is very enjoyable, with the two discussing old times. Aidan remarks on the ways Carrie is "not like other women", pointing out that when they were engaged, she would only wear her engagement ring on a chain around her neck; now that she's married, she still isn't wearing a diamond on her ring finger, only her wedding ring. In a moment of remembered passion, they kiss. Carrie runs away in a panic and returns to the hotel.
Meanwhile, back at the hotel, Miranda and Charlotte have drinks together and discuss the difficulties of motherhood. Miranda admits painfully that being a mother is not enough for her and that she misses her job. Charlotte confesses her guilt at enjoying her time away from her daughters and her frustration with trying to be the perfect mother at all times. She drinks so many cocktails to bolster her courage to be honest with Miranda that she becomes very tipsy.
At this point, Carrie bursts into the room, crying, "I played with fire!". After summoning Samantha, she tells her friends about the kiss, and asks them whether or not she should tell Big, as she says they have no secrets between them. Miranda reflects on the events of the previous film, when her husband, Steve
(David Eigenberg
), told her about his affair and how in retrospect, while it helped clear his conscience, she is not sure that knowing was worth the pain she went through. Charlotte is too drunk to be any help, but Carrie already knows where she stands. Samantha counsels Carrie to wait and sleep on it before deciding anything.
Carrie opts to call Big from Abu Dhabi to tell him. Previously, in the television series, Carrie had had an affair with Big, who was then married to Natasha, while dating Aidan, which subsequently caused both couples to break up. Big is silent upon hearing the news, and after saying a few words, hangs up.
The four women find their style and Western attitudes
contrast with Muslim customs, with Samantha facing the most conflict. While on a date with Rikard (Max Ryan), a handsome Dane, Samantha is arrested for public indecency after fondling him at a restaurant and making out with him on the beach (she claims they were just kissing). With the Sheikh's intervention, Samantha is released, but is left with a permanent police record. Worse, due to her display of disrespect for local custom, the Sheikh cancels the PR meeting and ceases paying for the women's luxurious perks.
They quickly pack their bags and leave, but must return to the souk to find Carrie's passport, where Charlotte is nearly detained by some overenthusiastic traders in illegal watches. When Samantha's flamboyance nearly incites a riot, the girls are rescued by a group of Muslim women who share their sense of style under their black robes.
When Carrie returns home, she finds the bedroom television removed and Big gone. She passes an anxious day, at the end of which he returns. Big tells her that although he was "pretty torn up", he realizes that she is "a rookie at this marriage thing", and that what she needs is something to remind her at all times that she is married. He hands her a jewelry box which reveals an engagement-style ring set with a black diamond. When Carrie asks him why a black diamond, he says, "Because you're not like anyone else", echoing Aidan's earlier comment.
The movie ends with a few scenes showing the problems the women faced at the beginning of the film being resolved. Big and Carrie combine their interests. Charlotte's nanny, Erin, turns out to be a lesbian
and is no threat to her marriage. Miranda finds a new job where she is appreciated, and Samantha stays the same. In the final scene, Big and Carrie are watching an old black-and-white movie (The Talk of the Town) where 'The End' appears on the TV screen.
was in the works. Filming began in August 2009 for a May 27, 2010 release.
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
. The exact location of Abu Dhabi
was chosen because of its high fashion culture and also that it was a location free from the recession.
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. Evan Handler
returned as Harry Goldenblatt, John Corbett as Aiden 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 USD$95 million, exactly $30 million greater than the budget for the first film. Sarah Jessica Parker
was paid $15 million for her dual role as a producer and starring as Carrie Bradshaw
.
was postponed to the end of July as Emirati authorities refused clearance for filming in the emirate
. As a result, the Abu Dhabi
segment of the film was filmed in Morocco
. All four leading ladies and other cast and crew were photographed 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.
The sequel officially began filming on September 1, 2009 and continued until the end of the year. Photos of all four leading women filming scenes around New York together and separately have emerged, featuring present-day scenes as well as a range of looks believed to be flashbacks from the earlier years of Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte's long-standing friendships. Images of Samantha in a wedding dress have also been released. Additionally, scenes featuring prominent characters such as Mr. Big, Magda, Smith, Steve, and the children of Miranda and Charlotte have been filmed and photographed.
confirmed to several media outlets that she appeared in a cameo role. Singer/actress Bette Midler
had been photographed on set, but does not appear in the film. Penélope Cruz
appears briefly as Carmen, a banker. 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 Miley filming the scene.
John Corbett was seen on location in Morocco, confirming his speculated involvement in the film as Aidan. The involvement of newcomers Scott Fisher and Michelle Cauchi as Carrie
and Samantha's assistants respectively was confirmed later.
The teaser trailer for the film premiered online on December 22, 2009. In March 2010, new promotional stills were released, predominantly featuring scenes from the Moroccan portion of the film. Also in March, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristen 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, featuring current New York City-themed hit "Empire State of Mind
" by Jay-Z
and Alicia Keys
as well as Australian R&B/Pop singer, Ricki-Lee's platinum selling hit, "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 24 May 2010.
reports that 15% of critics have given the film a positive review based on 192 reviews, with an average score of 3.7/10. By comparison the first film received a score of 49% based on 172 reviews, with an average score of 5.5/10.
9% of selected top critics gave the film a positive review based on 32 reviews. 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."
Metacritic
gave the film a score of 27/100 based on a normalized average of 39 reviews indicating generally unfavorable reviews.
The film was also criticized for its portrayal of the Middle East
. Stephen Farber of The Hollywood Reporter
called it "blatantly anti-Muslim" and Hadley Freeman
of the UK broadsheet The Guardian
described the trailers as "borderline racist".
Andrew O'Hagan
of the London Evening Standard described the movie as ugly on the inside, and ended by saying: "This could be the most stupid, the most racist, the most polluting and women-hating film of the year".
Roger Ebert
gave the film one star out of four. He wrote, "I am obliged to report that this film will no doubt be deliriously enjoyed by its fans, for the reasons described above. Male couch potatoes dragged to the film against their will may find some consolation. Reader, I must confess that while attending the sneak preview with its overwhelmingly female audience, I was gob-smacked by the delightful cleavage on display."
Mitu Sengupta, a Toronto-based academic
, criticized the film for exploiting women's and gay rights, and "pitifully" turning them into "badges of national honor" and "smug patriotic pride." She wrote: "what's really worrying about Sex and the City 2 is not its Orientalism
or crass materialism
, but how easily this seemingly benign bubble-gum flick ends up fighting a very macho war of global one-upsmanship on the bodies of women and gay men."
British film critic Mark Kermode
declared it the worst film of 2010, saying he couldn't think of anything civilization had made that was "more poisonous, more repugnant, more repulsive, more retrograde, more depressing than Sex and the City 2."
The film received seven nominations at the 31st Golden Raspberry Awards
including Worst Picture. It went on to win three awards, including a joint worst actress award for the film's four principal actresses: Sarah Jessica Parker
, Kim Cattrall
, Cynthia Nixon
, and Kristin Davis
. 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.
weekend. But it debuted in second place behind Shrek Forever After
with $32.1 million, and its total to $45.3 million, for its 4-day opening weekend, plus $53 million on its 5-day opening weekend (Memorial Day). The film added $27 million overseas giving it a worldwide total to $73 million. The first film debuted in first place at the box office taking in $57 million in 2008 in the US.
However, overseas, the sequel was a bigger success topping the charts in Germany for 5 weeks, Britain for 3 weeks, Australia for 2 weeks and exceeding the original in Japan and Greece. In fact,Sex and the City 2 sold more tickets than the first part in many of the foreign markets. As of August 19, 2010, the film's total domestic gross stands at $95,347,692 and as of August 1, 2010, overseas, it has grossed $193,000,000 - giving it a worldwide total of $288,347,692, which is 30% lower than part 1. However, it was 2010's highest-grossing romantic comedy.
The release of the home video, saw the movie gross a further $16,805,557 in its first week, with a total gross of $305,153,249.
, iTunes
and Blu-ray
on October 26, 2010, in the US and November 29, 2010, in the UK.
Track listing
Not included on the soundtrack.
Romantic comedy film
Romantic comedy films are films with light-hearted, humorous plotlines, centered on romantic ideals such as that true love is able to surmount most obstacles. One dictionary definition is "a funny movie, play, or television program about a love story that ends happily"...
directed by Michael Patrick King
Michael Patrick King
Michael Patrick King is an American director, writer and producer for television shows.-Life and career:King was born to an Irish American family in Scranton, Pennsylvania and was raised as a Roman Catholic...
. It is the sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
to the 2008 film Sex and the City, which is based on the HBO TV series of the same name
Sex and the City
Sex and the City is an American television comedy-drama series created by Darren Star and produced by HBO. Broadcast from 1998 until 2004, the original run of the show had a total of ninety-four episodes...
.
The film was released in cinemas on May 27, 2010, in the United States and May 28, 2010, in the United Kingdom. The DVD was available for purchase in the United Kingdom on November 29, 2010. The film stars Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker is an American film, television, and theater actress and producer.She is best known for her leading role as Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO television series Sex and the City , for which she won four Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Emmy Awards...
, Kim Cattrall
Kim Cattrall
Kim Victoria Cattrall is an English actress. She is known for her role as Samantha Jones in the HBO comedy/romance series Sex and the City, and for her leading roles in the 1980s films Police Academy, Big Trouble in Little China, Mannequin, and Porky's...
, Kristin Davis
Kristin Davis
Kristin Landen Davis is an American actress.She first rose to prominence and achieved fame for playing the role of Charlotte York Goldenblatt on HBO's Sex and the City. She has achieved success appearing in roles in film and television.-Early life and education:Davis was born in Boulder, Colorado...
, Cynthia Nixon
Cynthia Nixon
Cynthia Ellen Nixon is an American actress, known for her portrayal of Miranda Hobbes in the HBO series Sex and the City . She has received two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Emmy Awards, a Tony Award, and a Grammy Award....
, and Chris Noth
Chris Noth
Christopher David "Chris" Noth is an American actor. He is known for long-running television roles as Det. Mike Logan on the police procedural and legal drama television series, Law & Order and Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and as Big on Sex and the City. For the latter role, he has been...
, who reprised their roles from the previous film and TV series. It also features cameos from Liza Minnelli
Liza Minnelli
Liza May Minnelli is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of singer and actress Judy Garland and film director Vincente Minnelli....
, Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus is an American actress and pop singer-songwriter. She achieved wide fame for her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana....
, Tim Gunn
Tim Gunn
Timothy M. "Tim" Gunn is an American fashion consultant and television personality. He was on the faculty of Parsons The New School for Design from 1982 to 2007 and was chair of fashion design at the school from August 2000 to March 2007, after which he joined Liz Claiborne as its chief creative...
, Ron White
Ron White
Ronald "Ron" White is an American stand up comedian and satirist who has had two Grammy Award-nominations, and is RIAA certified 10x Platinum for CD and DVD sales of over 10 million units...
, Omid Djalili
Omid Djalili
Omid Djalili is a British Iranian stand-up comedian, actor, television producer and writer.-Personal life:Djalili was born in Chelsea, London to Iranian Bahá'í parents and is a Bahá'í himself...
and Penélope Cruz
Penélope Cruz
Penélope Cruz Sánchez is a Spanish actress. Signed by an agent at age 15, she made her acting debut at 16 on television and her feature film debut the following year in Jamón, jamón , to critical acclaim...
. As well as Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
actors, Norm Lewis
Norm Lewis
Norm Lewis is an American actor and baritone singer. He has appeared on Broadway as well as in regional theatre.-Life:Lewis was born in Tallahassee, Florida and grew up in Eatonville, Florida...
, Kelli O'Hara
Kelli O'Hara
Kelli O'Hara is an American actress, singer, and songwriter.O'Hara has been nominated for three Tony Awards: for her performance as Clara Johnson in The Light in the Piazza; for her performance as Babe Williams in the Roundabout Theatre Company's revival of The Pajama Game, where she starred...
, and Ryan Silverman.
Plot
Set two years after the first film, the film begins with CarrieCarrie Bradshaw
Carrie Preston is the fictional narrator and lead character of the HBO sitcom/drama Sex and the City, portrayed by actress Sarah Jessica Parker. She is a semi-autobiographical character created by Candace Bushnell, who published the book Sex and the City, based on her own columns in the New York...
(Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker is an American film, television, and theater actress and producer.She is best known for her leading role as Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO television series Sex and the City , for which she won four Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Emmy Awards...
), Samantha (Kim Cattrall
Kim Cattrall
Kim Victoria Cattrall is an English actress. She is known for her role as Samantha Jones in the HBO comedy/romance series Sex and the City, and for her leading roles in the 1980s films Police Academy, Big Trouble in Little China, Mannequin, and Porky's...
), Charlotte (Kristin Davis
Kristin Davis
Kristin Landen Davis is an American actress.She first rose to prominence and achieved fame for playing the role of Charlotte York Goldenblatt on HBO's Sex and the City. She has achieved success appearing in roles in film and television.-Early life and education:Davis was born in Boulder, Colorado...
) and Miranda
Miranda Hobbes
Miranda Hobbes is a fictional character on the American HBO television comedy series Sex and the City and subsequent movies. She is portrayed by actress Cynthia Nixon.-Character analysis:...
(Cynthia Nixon
Cynthia Nixon
Cynthia Ellen Nixon is an American actress, known for her portrayal of Miranda Hobbes in the HBO series Sex and the City . She has received two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Emmy Awards, a Tony Award, and a Grammy Award....
) meeting up with each other at a shop in New York which turns into a flashback
Flashback (narrative)
Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial backstory...
to how Carrie arrived in New York City in 1986, then met Charlotte in 1987, Miranda in 1988, and finally Samantha in 1989.
The film then jumps to the present, two years after the events of the first film. At the Connecticut same-sex wedding
Same-sex marriage in Connecticut
Connecticut joined Massachusetts as one of two states in the U.S. to perform marriages of same-sex couples on November 12, 2008. Connecticut was the third state to do so, but only the second where the decision was not repealed.-Civil union:...
of Stanford Blatch (Willie Garson
Willie Garson
Willie Garson is an American character actor. He has appeared in over 50 movies, usually playing minor roles...
) and Anthony Marentino (Mario Cantone
Mario Cantone
Mario Cantone is an American stand-up comedian, writer and actor, with numerous appearances on Comedy Central including Chappelle's Show. He also played Anthony Marentino on Sex and the City...
), Liza Minnelli
Liza Minnelli
Liza May Minnelli is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of singer and actress Judy Garland and film director Vincente Minnelli....
appears to officiate the wedding vows and sings Beyoncé
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
"Single Ladies " is a song by American recording artist Beyoncé Knowles from her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce. It was released by Columbia Records on October 12, 2008 as the album's lead single, and appeared with "If I Were a Boy" as a double A-side single, demonstrating the...
".
The four friends now have lives that are more stressful than before: All are married except Samantha, who is now 52 and trying to keep her libido
Libido
Libido refers to a person's sex drive or desire for sexual activity. The desire for sex is an aspect of a person's sexuality, but varies enormously from one person to another, and it also varies depending on circumstances at a particular time. A person who has extremely frequent or a suddenly...
alive with hormone
Hormone
A hormone is a chemical released by a cell or a gland in one part of the body that sends out messages that affect cells in other parts of the organism. Only a small amount of hormone is required to alter cell metabolism. In essence, it is a chemical messenger that transports a signal from one...
s while dealing with menopause
Menopause
Menopause is a term used to describe the permanent cessation of the primary functions of the human ovaries: the ripening and release of ova and the release of hormones that cause both the creation of the uterine lining and the subsequent shedding of the uterine lining...
. Miranda quits her job after the new managing partner disrespects her once too often. Charlotte's two children are a handful and she's worried that Harry is attracted to their buxom Irish nanny, Erin (Alice Eve
Alice Eve
Alice Sophia Eve is an English actress. She is known for her lead in She's Out of My League and also appeared in Sex and the City 2. She will also star in the up-coming The Decoy Bride and Men in Black III.- Early life :...
).
Carrie's marriage to Mr. Big
Mr. Big (Sex and the City)
"Mr. Big" is a fictional character in the HBO series Sex and the City, portrayed by Chris Noth. The character's name is mentioned in the pilot episode but not used throughout the series until the last episode, when his first name is shown on Carries mobile. His full name is John James Preston...
(Chris Noth
Chris Noth
Christopher David "Chris" Noth is an American actor. He is known for long-running television roles as Det. Mike Logan on the police procedural and legal drama television series, Law & Order and Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and as Big on Sex and the City. For the latter role, he has been...
) has settled down, though they differ on how to spend their spare time: she loves to go out, he would prefer to stay home every night, eating take-out meals and watching television. For their anniversary, Carrie gives Mr. Big a vintage Rolex
Rolex
Rolex SA is a Swiss watchmaking manufacturer of high-quality, luxury wristwatches. Rolex watches are popularly regarded as status symbols and BusinessWeek magazine ranks Rolex No.71 on its 2007 annual list of the 100 most valuable global brands...
watch engraved with a romantic message, while he, much to her dismay, shows her a new television in their bedroom as his gift, which Big says they can use to watch old movies together as they did on vacation. Carrie is disappointed, as she had hoped for jewelry as a gift. She asks to spend some personal time alone in her old apartment, which seems to bring back the "spark" their relationship had in its youth. Big, to Carrie's dismay, asks to make it a weekly occurrence.
Meanwhile, Samantha has been approached by an Arab sheikh
Sheikh
Not to be confused with sikhSheikh — also spelled Sheik or Shaikh, or transliterated as Shaykh — is an honorific in the Arabic language that literally means "elder" and carries the meaning "leader and/or governor"...
to devise a PR
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
campaign for his business. He offers to fly her and her friends on an all-expenses-paid luxury vacation to Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
. The girls happily accept, although Carrie is worried about the separation from Big and Charlotte is worried about leaving her husband alone with the nanny. Only Miranda, unfettered by a job for the first time in her life, plunges enthusiastically into studying Arabic and planning sightseeing.
Upon entering Abu Dhabi, Samantha's hormone-enhancing drugs are confiscated under UAE law. This renders her devoid of estrogen; to her great dismay, her famous libido goes dead, unaroused even by Australian rugby players in Speedo
Speedo
Speedo International Ltd. is a manufacturer and distributor of swimwear and swim-related accessories. Founded in Australia in 1914, the industry leading company is now a subsidiary of Pentland Group Plc. Today, the Speedo brand can be found on products ranging from swimsuits and goggles to wrist...
swimwear. Charlotte tries to call Harry every few minutes. Miranda revels in the luxury surrounding her, while Carrie befriends her manservant, Gaurau (Raza Jaffrey
Raza Jaffrey
Raza Jaffrey is a British actor, most notable for playing the character of Zafar Younis in the BBC1 television spy drama Spooks / MI-5.-Early life:...
), and learns of his long distance marriage - he can only afford to see his wife back in India once every three months.
While out shopping at the local souk with Miranda, Carrie runs into her former lover, Aidan (John Corbett). He proposes dinner à deux at his hotel, but she is noncommittal. The next day, however, she is crushed at reading a negative critique of her new book in The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
, and decides to meet Aidan for dinner, although Charlotte cautions her not to play with fire. The dinner is very enjoyable, with the two discussing old times. Aidan remarks on the ways Carrie is "not like other women", pointing out that when they were engaged, she would only wear her engagement ring on a chain around her neck; now that she's married, she still isn't wearing a diamond on her ring finger, only her wedding ring. In a moment of remembered passion, they kiss. Carrie runs away in a panic and returns to the hotel.
Meanwhile, back at the hotel, Miranda and Charlotte have drinks together and discuss the difficulties of motherhood. Miranda admits painfully that being a mother is not enough for her and that she misses her job. Charlotte confesses her guilt at enjoying her time away from her daughters and her frustration with trying to be the perfect mother at all times. She drinks so many cocktails to bolster her courage to be honest with Miranda that she becomes very tipsy.
At this point, Carrie bursts into the room, crying, "I played with fire!". After summoning Samantha, she tells her friends about the kiss, and asks them whether or not she should tell Big, as she says they have no secrets between them. Miranda reflects on the events of the previous film, when her husband, Steve
Steve Brady
Steven 'Steve' Brady is a fictional character on HBO series, Sex and The City, played by David Eigenberg.-Background:Introduced in the second season, Steve is a bartender who has an unconventional on-again, off-again relationship with Miranda throughout the remainder of the series.-Season...
(David Eigenberg
David Eigenberg
David Eigenberg is an American actor. He is known for his role of Steve Brady on the HBO comedy Sex and the City.-Personal life:Eigenberg was born in Long Island, New York and grew up in Naperville, Illinois...
), told her about his affair and how in retrospect, while it helped clear his conscience, she is not sure that knowing was worth the pain she went through. Charlotte is too drunk to be any help, but Carrie already knows where she stands. Samantha counsels Carrie to wait and sleep on it before deciding anything.
Carrie opts to call Big from Abu Dhabi to tell him. Previously, in the television series, Carrie had had an affair with Big, who was then married to Natasha, while dating Aidan, which subsequently caused both couples to break up. Big is silent upon hearing the news, and after saying a few words, hangs up.
The four women find their style and Western attitudes
Western culture
Western culture, sometimes equated with Western civilization or European civilization, refers to cultures of European origin and is used very broadly to refer to a heritage of social norms, ethical values, traditional customs, religious beliefs, political systems, and specific artifacts and...
contrast with Muslim customs, with Samantha facing the most conflict. While on a date with Rikard (Max Ryan), a handsome Dane, Samantha is arrested for public indecency after fondling him at a restaurant and making out with him on the beach (she claims they were just kissing). With the Sheikh's intervention, Samantha is released, but is left with a permanent police record. Worse, due to her display of disrespect for local custom, the Sheikh cancels the PR meeting and ceases paying for the women's luxurious perks.
They quickly pack their bags and leave, but must return to the souk to find Carrie's passport, where Charlotte is nearly detained by some overenthusiastic traders in illegal watches. When Samantha's flamboyance nearly incites a riot, the girls are rescued by a group of Muslim women who share their sense of style under their black robes.
When Carrie returns home, she finds the bedroom television removed and Big gone. She passes an anxious day, at the end of which he returns. Big tells her that although he was "pretty torn up", he realizes that she is "a rookie at this marriage thing", and that what she needs is something to remind her at all times that she is married. He hands her a jewelry box which reveals an engagement-style ring set with a black diamond. When Carrie asks him why a black diamond, he says, "Because you're not like anyone else", echoing Aidan's earlier comment.
The movie ends with a few scenes showing the problems the women faced at the beginning of the film being resolved. Big and Carrie combine their interests. Charlotte's nanny, Erin, turns out to be a lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
and is no threat to her marriage. Miranda finds a new job where she is appreciated, and Samantha stays the same. In the final scene, Big and Carrie are watching an old black-and-white movie (The Talk of the Town) where 'The End' appears on the TV screen.
Cast
- Sarah Jessica ParkerSarah Jessica ParkerSarah Jessica Parker is an American film, television, and theater actress and producer.She is best known for her leading role as Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO television series Sex and the City , for which she won four Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Emmy Awards...
as Carrie BradshawCarrie BradshawCarrie Preston is the fictional narrator and lead character of the HBO sitcom/drama Sex and the City, portrayed by actress Sarah Jessica Parker. She is a semi-autobiographical character created by Candace Bushnell, who published the book Sex and the City, based on her own columns in the New York... - Kim CattrallKim CattrallKim Victoria Cattrall is an English actress. She is known for her role as Samantha Jones in the HBO comedy/romance series Sex and the City, and for her leading roles in the 1980s films Police Academy, Big Trouble in Little China, Mannequin, and Porky's...
as Samantha Jones - Kristin DavisKristin DavisKristin Landen Davis is an American actress.She first rose to prominence and achieved fame for playing the role of Charlotte York Goldenblatt on HBO's Sex and the City. She has achieved success appearing in roles in film and television.-Early life and education:Davis was born in Boulder, Colorado...
as Charlotte York Goldenblatt - Cynthia NixonCynthia NixonCynthia Ellen Nixon is an American actress, known for her portrayal of Miranda Hobbes in the HBO series Sex and the City . She has received two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Emmy Awards, a Tony Award, and a Grammy Award....
as Miranda HobbesMiranda HobbesMiranda Hobbes is a fictional character on the American HBO television comedy series Sex and the City and subsequent movies. She is portrayed by actress Cynthia Nixon.-Character analysis:... - Chris NothChris NothChristopher David "Chris" Noth is an American actor. He is known for long-running television roles as Det. Mike Logan on the police procedural and legal drama television series, Law & Order and Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and as Big on Sex and the City. For the latter role, he has been...
as John James Preston / Mr. BigMr. Big (Sex and the City)"Mr. Big" is a fictional character in the HBO series Sex and the City, portrayed by Chris Noth. The character's name is mentioned in the pilot episode but not used throughout the series until the last episode, when his first name is shown on Carries mobile. His full name is John James Preston... - John Corbett as Aidan Shaw
- David EigenbergDavid EigenbergDavid Eigenberg is an American actor. He is known for his role of Steve Brady on the HBO comedy Sex and the City.-Personal life:Eigenberg was born in Long Island, New York and grew up in Naperville, Illinois...
as Steve BradySteve BradySteven 'Steve' Brady is a fictional character on HBO series, Sex and The City, played by David Eigenberg.-Background:Introduced in the second season, Steve is a bartender who has an unconventional on-again, off-again relationship with Miranda throughout the remainder of the series.-Season... - Evan HandlerEvan HandlerEvan Handler is an American actor who is best known for playing Harry Goldenblatt, Charlotte's divorce attorney and later husband, on Sex and the City, and Charlie Runkle, Hank's comically bumbling friend and agent, on Californication.-Early life:Handler was born in New York City, the son of Enid...
as Harry Goldenblatt - Jason Lewis as Jerry "Smith" Jerrod
- Willie GarsonWillie GarsonWillie Garson is an American character actor. He has appeared in over 50 movies, usually playing minor roles...
as Stanford Blatch - Mario CantoneMario CantoneMario Cantone is an American stand-up comedian, writer and actor, with numerous appearances on Comedy Central including Chappelle's Show. He also played Anthony Marentino on Sex and the City...
as Anthony Marentino - Lynn CohenLynn CohenLynn Cohen is an American actress. She is probably best known for playing Magda in the HBO series Sex and the City and the 2008 film of the same name. She has also played Judge Elizabeth Mizener several times on Law & Order, and has appeared in the movies Munich, Vanya on 42nd Street, Synecdoche,...
as Magda - Alice EveAlice EveAlice Sophia Eve is an English actress. She is known for her lead in She's Out of My League and also appeared in Sex and the City 2. She will also star in the up-coming The Decoy Bride and Men in Black III.- Early life :...
as Erin - Noah MillsNoah Mills-Career:After beginning his career in 2003 at the age of twenty, Mills progressed into working with a number of fashion companies, most notably Willhellmina, from which he received considerable public exposure. In 2004, Mills made his debut as a runway model for the fall Gucci and Yves Saint...
as Nicky Marentino - Megan BooneMegan BooneMegan Boone is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Junior Deputy District Attorney Lauren Stanton on the NBC television series Law & Order: Los Angeles. Boone left the series in 2011 due to a creative overhaul....
as Allie - Max Ryan as Dr. Rikard Spirt
- Raza JaffreyRaza JaffreyRaza Jaffrey is a British actor, most notable for playing the character of Zafar Younis in the BBC1 television spy drama Spooks / MI-5.-Early life:...
as Gaurau, Carrie's butler - Omid DjaliliOmid DjaliliOmid Djalili is a British Iranian stand-up comedian, actor, television producer and writer.-Personal life:Djalili was born in Chelsea, London to Iranian Bahá'í parents and is a Bahá'í himself...
as Mr. Safir, Hotel Manager - Dhaffer L'AbidineDhaffer L'AbidineDhaffer L'Abidine is a Tunisian former professional soccer player and now actor, who has starred in Sky One's Dream Team, BBC's Spooks and ITV's The Bill and more recently starred in the controversial film The Mark of Cain as Omar Abdullah.-Film:*Mark of Cain*Children of Men *The...
as Mahmud - Art MalikArt MalikArt Malik is a Pakistani-born British actor who achieved international fame in the 1980s through his starring and subsidiary roles in assorted British and Merchant-Ivory television serials and films...
as Sheikh Khaled - Penélope CruzPenélope CruzPenélope Cruz Sánchez is a Spanish actress. Signed by an agent at age 15, she made her acting debut at 16 on television and her feature film debut the following year in Jamón, jamón , to critical acclaim...
as Carmen Garcia Carrión - Liza MinnelliLiza MinnelliLiza May Minnelli is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of singer and actress Judy Garland and film director Vincente Minnelli....
as Herself - Miley CyrusMiley CyrusMiley Ray Cyrus is an American actress and pop singer-songwriter. She achieved wide fame for her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana....
as Herself - Tuesday KnightTuesday KnightTuesday Lynn Knight is an American actress. The daughter of composer Baker Knight, she is perhaps best remembered for her role as Kristen Parker in the 1988 horror film A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master. Also an accomplished musician, Tuesday recorded the song "Nightmare," used during...
as Herself
Development
After months of speculation, the cast confirmed in February 2009 that a sequelSequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
was in the works. Filming began in August 2009 for a May 27, 2010 release.
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
1930s
File:1930s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: Dorothea Lange's photo of the homeless Florence Thompson show the effects of the Great Depression; Due to the economic collapse, the farms become dry and the Dust Bowl spreads through America; The Battle of Wuhan during the Second Sino-Japanese...
. The exact location of Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
was chosen because of its high fashion culture and also that it was a location free from the recession.
All four stars, Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker is an American film, television, and theater actress and producer.She is best known for her leading role as Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO television series Sex and the City , for which she won four Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Emmy Awards...
, Cynthia Nixon
Cynthia Nixon
Cynthia Ellen Nixon is an American actress, known for her portrayal of Miranda Hobbes in the HBO series Sex and the City . She has received two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Emmy Awards, a Tony Award, and a Grammy Award....
, Kristin Davis
Kristin Davis
Kristin Landen Davis is an American actress.She first rose to prominence and achieved fame for playing the role of Charlotte York Goldenblatt on HBO's Sex and the City. She has achieved success appearing in roles in film and television.-Early life and education:Davis was born in Boulder, Colorado...
, and Kim Cattrall
Kim Cattrall
Kim Victoria Cattrall is an English actress. She is known for her role as Samantha Jones in the HBO comedy/romance series Sex and the City, and for her leading roles in the 1980s films Police Academy, Big Trouble in Little China, Mannequin, and Porky's...
returned in the sequel; Chris Noth
Chris Noth
Christopher David "Chris" Noth is an American actor. He is known for long-running television roles as Det. Mike Logan on the police procedural and legal drama television series, Law & Order and Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and as Big on Sex and the City. For the latter role, he has been...
also signed on to reprise the role of Mr. Big. Evan Handler
Evan Handler
Evan Handler is an American actor who is best known for playing Harry Goldenblatt, Charlotte's divorce attorney and later husband, on Sex and the City, and Charlie Runkle, Hank's comically bumbling friend and agent, on Californication.-Early life:Handler was born in New York City, the son of Enid...
returned as Harry Goldenblatt, John Corbett as Aiden Shaw, David Eigenberg
David Eigenberg
David Eigenberg is an American actor. He is known for his role of Steve Brady on the HBO comedy Sex and the City.-Personal life:Eigenberg was born in Long Island, New York and grew up in Naperville, Illinois...
played Steve Brady once more, Willie Garson
Willie Garson
Willie Garson is an American character actor. He has appeared in over 50 movies, usually playing minor roles...
returned as Stanford Blatch, and Mario Cantone
Mario Cantone
Mario Cantone is an American stand-up comedian, writer and actor, with numerous appearances on Comedy Central including Chappelle's Show. He also played Anthony Marentino on Sex and the City...
again played Anthony Marentino, making the original cast almost complete. In addition, Michael Patrick King
Michael Patrick King
Michael Patrick King is an American director, writer and producer for television shows.-Life and career:King was born to an Irish American family in Scranton, Pennsylvania and was raised as a Roman Catholic...
wrote and directed again, and Patricia Field
Patricia Field
Patricia Field is an American costume designer, stylist and fashion designer.-Life and career:Field was born in 1941 in New York City to Greek and Armenian parents, who emigrated from Lesvos, Greece. She was raised in Astoria, Queens and has claimed credit for inventing the modern legging for...
once again took charge of the costumes and wardrobe. Hats were once again created by Prudence Millinery
Prudence Millinery
Prudence, designer for Prudence Millinery, designs and makes couture hats for major designers all over the world.- A brief history :Prudence was born in 1963 in New-York, USA. A graduate of New York's Fashion Institute of Technology and a former assistant buyer for the Associated Merchandising...
for Vivienne Westwood
Vivienne Westwood
Dame Vivienne Westwood, DBE, RDI is a British fashion designer and businesswoman, largely responsible for bringing modern punk and new wave fashions into the mainstream.-Early life:...
.
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
confirmed that the budget for the film was USD$95 million, exactly $30 million greater than the budget for the first film. Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker is an American film, television, and theater actress and producer.She is best known for her leading role as Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO television series Sex and the City , for which she won four Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Emmy Awards...
was paid $15 million for her dual role as a producer and starring as Carrie Bradshaw
Carrie Bradshaw
Carrie Preston is the fictional narrator and lead character of the HBO sitcom/drama Sex and the City, portrayed by actress Sarah Jessica Parker. She is a semi-autobiographical character created by Candace Bushnell, who published the book Sex and the City, based on her own columns in the New York...
.
Filming
Filming in New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
was postponed to the end of July as Emirati authorities refused clearance for filming in the emirate
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
. As a result, the Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
segment of the film was filmed in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
. All four leading ladies and other cast and crew were photographed filming scenes in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
in November 2009, where they had originally planned to shoot for 13 days, which had to be extended to almost six weeks.
The sequel officially began filming on September 1, 2009 and continued until the end of the year. Photos of all four leading women filming scenes around New York together and separately have emerged, featuring present-day scenes as well as a range of looks believed to be flashbacks from the earlier years of Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte's long-standing friendships. Images of Samantha in a wedding dress have also been released. Additionally, scenes featuring prominent characters such as Mr. Big, Magda, Smith, Steve, and the children of Miranda and Charlotte have been filmed and photographed.
Casting
In September 2009, American singer/actress Liza MinnelliLiza Minnelli
Liza May Minnelli is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of singer and actress Judy Garland and film director Vincente Minnelli....
confirmed to several media outlets that she appeared in a cameo role. Singer/actress Bette Midler
Bette Midler
Bette Midler is an American singer, actress, and comedian, also known by her informal stage name, The Divine Miss M. She became famous as a cabaret and concert headliner, and went on to star in successful and acclaimed films such as The Rose, Ruthless People, Beaches, and For The Boys...
had been photographed on set, but does not appear in the film. Penélope Cruz
Penélope Cruz
Penélope Cruz Sánchez is a Spanish actress. Signed by an agent at age 15, she made her acting debut at 16 on television and her feature film debut the following year in Jamón, jamón , to critical acclaim...
appears briefly as Carmen, a banker. Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus is an American actress and pop singer-songwriter. She achieved wide fame for her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana....
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 Miley filming the scene.
John Corbett was seen on location in Morocco, confirming his speculated involvement in the film as Aidan. The involvement of newcomers Scott Fisher and Michelle Cauchi as Carrie
Carrie Bradshaw
Carrie Preston is the fictional narrator and lead character of the HBO sitcom/drama Sex and the City, portrayed by actress Sarah Jessica Parker. She is a semi-autobiographical character created by Candace Bushnell, who published the book Sex and the City, based on her own columns in the New York...
and Samantha's assistants respectively was confirmed later.
Release
Promotion for the film 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. 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 for the film premiered online on December 22, 2009. In March 2010, new promotional stills were released, predominantly featuring scenes from the Moroccan portion of the film. Also in March, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristen 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
Trailer (film)
A trailer or preview is an advertisement or a commercial for a feature film that will be exhibited in the future at a cinema. The term "trailer" comes from their having originally been shown at the end of a feature film screening. That practice did not last long, because patrons tended to leave the...
premiered on Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight is a daily tabloid television entertainment television news show that is syndicated by CBS Television Distribution throughout the United States, Canada and in many countries around the world. Linda Bell Blue is currently the program's executive producer...
and online on April 8, 2010, featuring current New York City-themed hit "Empire State of Mind
Empire State of Mind
"Empire State of Mind" is a song by American rapper and hip hop artist Jay-Z, featuring vocals and a chorus from R&B and soul singer Alicia Keys. It was released as the third single from Jay-Z's 11th studio album The Blueprint 3 by his Roc Nation label in October 2009...
" by Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
and Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...
as well as Australian R&B/Pop singer, Ricki-Lee's platinum selling hit, "Can't Touch It
Can't Touch It
"Can't Touch It" is a song performed by Australian singer-songwriter, Ricki-Lee Coulter. It was released on 4 August 2007 and serves as the lead single from her second album, Brand New Day....
".
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 24 May 2010.
Critical response
The film has received largely negative reviews. Review aggregate Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
reports that 15% of critics have given the film a positive review based on 192 reviews, with an average score of 3.7/10. By comparison the first film received a score of 49% based on 172 reviews, with an average score of 5.5/10.
9% of selected top critics gave the film a positive review based on 32 reviews. 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."
Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
gave the film a score of 27/100 based on a normalized average of 39 reviews indicating generally unfavorable reviews.
The film was also criticized for its portrayal of the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. Stephen Farber of The Hollywood Reporter
The Hollywood Reporter
Formerly a daily trade magazine, The Hollywood Reporter re-launched in late 2010 as a unique hybrid publication serving the entertainment industry and a consumer audience...
called it "blatantly anti-Muslim" and Hadley Freeman
Hadley Freeman
Hadley Freeman is an American journalist formerly based in London, but now living in New York.She was born in New York to Jewish parents, and attended St Anne's College, Oxford University where she read English Literature and edited Cherwell....
of the UK broadsheet The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
described the trailers as "borderline racist".
Andrew O'Hagan
Andrew O'Hagan
Andrew O'Hagan, FRSL is a Scottish novelist and non-fiction author. He is also an Editor at Large of Esquire and is currently a creative writing fellow at King's College London. He was selected by for inclusion in their 2003 list of the top 20 young British novelists. His novels appear...
of the London Evening Standard described the movie as ugly on the inside, and ended by saying: "This could be the most stupid, the most racist, the most polluting and women-hating film of the year".
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
gave the film one star out of four. He wrote, "I am obliged to report that this film will no doubt be deliriously enjoyed by its fans, for the reasons described above. Male couch potatoes dragged to the film against their will may find some consolation. Reader, I must confess that while attending the sneak preview with its overwhelmingly female audience, I was gob-smacked by the delightful cleavage on display."
Mitu Sengupta, a Toronto-based academic
Academia
Academia is the community of students and scholars engaged in higher education and research.-Etymology:The word comes from the akademeia in ancient Greece. Outside the city walls of Athens, the gymnasium was made famous by Plato as a center of learning...
, criticized the film for exploiting women's and gay rights, and "pitifully" turning them into "badges of national honor" and "smug patriotic pride." She wrote: "what's really worrying about Sex and the City 2 is not its Orientalism
Orientalism
Orientalism is a term used for the imitation or depiction of aspects of Eastern cultures in the West by writers, designers and artists, as well as having other meanings...
or crass materialism
Consumerism
Consumerism is a social and economic order that is based on the systematic creation and fostering of a desire to purchase goods and services in ever greater amounts. The term is often associated with criticisms of consumption starting with Thorstein Veblen...
, but how easily this seemingly benign bubble-gum flick ends up fighting a very macho war of global one-upsmanship on the bodies of women and gay men."
British film critic Mark Kermode
Mark Kermode
Mark Kermode is an English film critic, musician and a member of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. He contributes to Sight and Sound magazine, The Observer newspaper and BBC Radio 5 Live, where he presents Kermode and Mayo's Film Reviews with Simon Mayo on Friday afternoons...
declared it the worst film of 2010, saying he couldn't think of anything civilization had made that was "more poisonous, more repugnant, more repulsive, more retrograde, more depressing than Sex and the City 2."
The film received seven nominations at the 31st Golden Raspberry Awards
31st Golden Raspberry Awards
The 31st Golden Raspberry Awards or Razzies is a parodic award ceremony that was held on February 26, 2011, at the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre in Hollywood to honor the worst films of 2010. The nominations were announced on January 24. Per Razzies tradition, both the nominee announcements and...
including Worst Picture. It went on to win three awards, including a joint worst actress award for the film's four principal actresses: Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker is an American film, television, and theater actress and producer.She is best known for her leading role as Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO television series Sex and the City , for which she won four Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Emmy Awards...
, Kim Cattrall
Kim Cattrall
Kim Victoria Cattrall is an English actress. She is known for her role as Samantha Jones in the HBO comedy/romance series Sex and the City, and for her leading roles in the 1980s films Police Academy, Big Trouble in Little China, Mannequin, and Porky's...
, Cynthia Nixon
Cynthia Nixon
Cynthia Ellen Nixon is an American actress, known for her portrayal of Miranda Hobbes in the HBO series Sex and the City . She has received two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Emmy Awards, a Tony Award, and a Grammy Award....
, and Kristin Davis
Kristin Davis
Kristin Landen Davis is an American actress.She first rose to prominence and achieved fame for playing the role of Charlotte York Goldenblatt on HBO's Sex and the City. She has achieved success appearing in roles in film and television.-Early life and education:Davis was born in Boulder, Colorado...
. David Eigenberg
David Eigenberg
David Eigenberg is an American actor. He is known for his role of Steve Brady on the HBO comedy Sex and the City.-Personal life:Eigenberg was born in Long Island, New York and grew up in Naperville, Illinois...
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
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
channel of the Golden Raspberry Awards.
Box office
The film 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. On its opening day, the film topped the box office grossing $14.2 million, for a projected $60 million for a 4-day opening weekend, plus $75 million for a 5-day Memorial dayMemorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
weekend. But it debuted in second place behind Shrek Forever After
Shrek Forever After
Shrek Forever After, taglined as The Final Chapter, is a 2010 animated fantasy-comedy film, and the fourth and final installment in the Shrek film series, produced by DreamWorks Animation. The film was released by Paramount Pictures in cinemas on May 20, 2010 in Russia, and on May 21 in the United...
with $32.1 million, and its total to $45.3 million, for its 4-day opening weekend, plus $53 million on its 5-day opening weekend (Memorial Day). The film added $27 million overseas giving it a worldwide total to $73 million. The first film debuted in first place at the box office taking in $57 million in 2008 in the US.
However, overseas, the sequel was a bigger success topping the charts in Germany for 5 weeks, Britain for 3 weeks, Australia for 2 weeks and exceeding the original in Japan and Greece. In fact,Sex and the City 2 sold more tickets than the first part in many of the foreign markets. As of August 19, 2010, the film's total domestic gross stands at $95,347,692 and as of August 1, 2010, overseas, it has grossed $193,000,000 - giving it a worldwide total of $288,347,692, which is 30% lower than part 1. However, it was 2010's highest-grossing romantic comedy.
The release of the home video, saw the movie gross a further $16,805,557 in its first week, with a total gross of $305,153,249.
Home release
Sex and the City 2 was released on DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
and Blu-ray
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
on October 26, 2010, in the US and November 29, 2010, in the UK.
DVD Charts
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
Sales Units | DVD Gross |
|---|---|---|---|
| US DVD Sales Chart | 1 | 989,144 | $18,422,358 |
| UK DVD Chart UK DVD Chart The UK Video Charts is a group of charts compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British Video Association. The charts are based on weekly DVD and VHS sales in 6,500 retailers across the UK. It does not receive any airplay. The main chart combines the sales of all video sales in... |
1 | Unknown | Unknown |
Soundtrack
Sex and the City 2 original motion picture soundtrack was released on May 25, 2010.Track listing
- "RaptureRapture (song)"Rapture" is a single by the American new wave band Blondie. It was released in January 1981 and was the second and final song to be released from the band's 1980 top 10 album Autoamerican, the first being "The Tide Is High", which had topped the chart in the US and UK. "Rapture" went on to reach...
" – Alicia KeysAlicia KeysAlicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...
(BlondieBlondie (band)Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
) - "Everything to LoseEverything To Lose"Everything to Lose" is a song released by British singer Dido, as the first and only single taken from the soundtrack of the motion picture Sex and the City 2. The song premiered on Dido's official YouTube channel on May 9, 2010. The song was premiered on radio stations on 4 June, 2010...
" – DidoDido (singer)Dido Florian Cloud de Bounevialle O'Malley Armstrong , known as Dido, is an English singer-songwriter.Dido shot to worldwide success with her debut album, No Angel... - "Language of Love" – Cee Lo
- "Window SeatWindow Seat (song)"Window Seat" is a song by Erykah Badu. It is the lead single from her album New Amerykah Part Two . It was produced by Badu and James Poyser. The song is low-tempo ballad with lyrics that concern escapism and longing for a lover...
" – Erykah BaduErykah BaduErica Abi Wright , better known by her stage name Erykah Badu , is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Her work includes elements from R&B, hip hop and jazz. She is best known for her role in the rise of the neo soul sub-genre, and for her eccentric, cerebral musical... - "Kidda" – Natacha AtlasNatacha AtlasNatacha Atlas is a Belgian singer known for her fusion of Arabic and Western electronic music, particularly hip-hop. She once termed her music "cha'abi moderne" . Her music has been influenced by many styles including Arabic, hip hop, drum 'n' bass and reggae.Atlas began her career as part of...
- "Euphrates Dream" – Michael McGregor
- "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)"Single Ladies " is a song by American recording artist Beyoncé Knowles from her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce. It was released by Columbia Records on October 12, 2008 as the album's lead single, and appeared with "If I Were a Boy" as a double A-side single, demonstrating the...
" – Liza MinnelliLiza MinnelliLiza May Minnelli is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of singer and actress Judy Garland and film director Vincente Minnelli....
(BeyoncéBeyoncé KnowlesBeyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
) - "Can't Touch ItCan't Touch It"Can't Touch It" is a song performed by Australian singer-songwriter, Ricki-Lee Coulter. It was released on 4 August 2007 and serves as the lead single from her second album, Brand New Day....
" – Ricki-LeeRicki-Lee CoulterRicki-Lee Coulter is an Australian recording artist and television and radio presenter. In 2004, Coulter was placed seventh place on the second season of Australian Idol... - "Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken DownEmpire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down"Empire State of Mind Broken Down" is a song performed by American recording artist Alicia Keys. It is an answer song to the Billboard Hot 100 number-one hit "Empire State of Mind" by Jay-Z, on which Keys is featured...
" – Alicia Keys - "Love Is Your Color" – Jennifer HudsonJennifer HudsonJennifer Kate Hudson is an American recording artist, actress and spokesperson. She came to prominence in 2004 as one of the finalists on the third season of American Idol coming in seventh place...
& Leona LewisLeona LewisLeona Louise Lewis is a British singer and songwriter. Lewis first came to prominence in 2006 when she won the third series of the British television series The X Factor.... - "I Am WomanI Am Woman"I Am Woman" is a song cowritten by Helen Reddy and singer/songwriter/guitarist Ray Burton and performed by Reddy. Released in its most well-known version in 1970, the song became an enduring anthem for the women’s liberation movement.-Success:...
" – Sarah Jessica ParkerSarah Jessica ParkerSarah Jessica Parker is an American film, television, and theater actress and producer.She is best known for her leading role as Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO television series Sex and the City , for which she won four Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Emmy Awards...
, Kim CattrallKim CattrallKim Victoria Cattrall is an English actress. She is known for her role as Samantha Jones in the HBO comedy/romance series Sex and the City, and for her leading roles in the 1980s films Police Academy, Big Trouble in Little China, Mannequin, and Porky's...
, Kristin DavisKristin DavisKristin Landen Davis is an American actress.She first rose to prominence and achieved fame for playing the role of Charlotte York Goldenblatt on HBO's Sex and the City. She has achieved success appearing in roles in film and television.-Early life and education:Davis was born in Boulder, Colorado...
, Cynthia NixonCynthia NixonCynthia Ellen Nixon is an American actress, known for her portrayal of Miranda Hobbes in the HBO series Sex and the City . She has received two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Emmy Awards, a Tony Award, and a Grammy Award.... - "If Ever I Would Leave You" – Sex and the City Men's Choir
- "Sunrise, SunsetFiddler on the RoofFiddler on the Roof is a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set in Tsarist Russia in 1905. It is based on Tevye and his Daughters by Sholem Aleichem...
" – Sex and the City Men's Choir - "Till There Was YouTill There Was You"Till There Was You" is a song written by Meredith Willson for his 1957 musical play The Music Man, and which also appeared in the 1962 movie version...
" – Sex and the City Men's Choir - "Bewitched, Bothered and BewilderedBewitched, Bothered and Bewildered"Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" is a show tune and popular song from the 1940 Rodgers and Hart musical Pal Joey. The song was introduced by Vivienne Segal in the 1940 Broadway production, and also sung by Miss Segal both on the 1950 hit record and in the 1952 Broadway revival...
" – Shayna SteeleShayna SteeleShayna Steele is an American singer and songwriter and a Broadway stage actress. Her Broadway credits include Rent at the Nederlander Theatre, the revival of Jesus Christ Superstar at the Foxwoods Theatre , and the original Broadway cast of Hairspray, in which she played a member of the girl group...
, Jordan Ballard, Kamilah Marshall - "Ev'ry Time We Say GoodbyeEv'ry Time We Say GoodbyePublished by Chappell & Company, "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" is a song with lyrics and music by Cole Porter. It was introduced in 1944 in Billy Rose's musical revue, Seven Lively Arts....
" – Liza Minnelli with Billy Stritch (Cole PorterCole PorterCole Albert Porter was an American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, he defied the wishes of his domineering grandfather and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn towards musical theatre...
) - "True ColorsTrue Colors (song)"True Colors" is a song written by songwriters Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, additional lyrics by Cyndi Lauper. It was both the title track and the first single released from Cyndi Lauper's second album. It was the only original song on the album that Lauper did not help write...
" – Cyndi LauperCyndi LauperCynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper is an American singer, songwriter, actress and LGBT rights activist. She achieved success in the mid-1980s with the release of the album She's So Unusual and became the first female singer to have four top-five singles released from one album... - "Divas and Dunes" – Aaron Zigman
Not included on the soundtrack.
- "Songs Remind Me of YouSongs Remind Me of You"Songs Remind Me of You" is a song by Norwegian recording artist Annie from her second studio album, Don't Stop. Written by Richard X and Hannah Robinson, the track was released digitally on 17 August 2009 as the album's lead single.-Background:...
" by Annie appears in the background of the after party scene, but is not included on the soundtrack. - "Empire State of MindEmpire State of Mind"Empire State of Mind" is a song by American rapper and hip hop artist Jay-Z, featuring vocals and a chorus from R&B and soul singer Alicia Keys. It was released as the third single from Jay-Z's 11th studio album The Blueprint 3 by his Roc Nation label in October 2009...
" by Jay-ZJay-ZShawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
featuring Alicia Keys appears in the background of the Smith's movie premiere scene, and official trailer, but is not included on the soundtrack.
Charts
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Compilation Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
7 |
| Irish Top 30 Compilation Chart Irish Albums Chart The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically... |
2 |
| Australian Albums Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
7 |
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
13 |
| Italian Top 30 Compilation Chart Federation of the Italian Music Industry The Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy.... |
15 |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | National Movie Awards National Movie Awards The National Movie Awards is a British movie awards ceremony broadcast by ITV in which the winners of the awards are chosen via popular vote. The awards were initiated in 2007 following the success of the National Television Awards, the highest-rating awards ceremony for television... |
Anticipated Movie of the Summer | Sex and the City 2 | |
| 2011 | People's Choice Awards People's Choice Awards The People's Choice Awards is an American awards show recognizing the people and the work of popular culture. The show has been held annually since 1975 and is voted on by the general public. The People's Choice Awards air on CBS and are produced by Procter & Gamble and Survivor magnate Mark Burnett... |
Favorite Comedy Movie | ||
| Golden Raspberry Awards Golden Raspberry Awards A Golden Raspberry Award, or Razzie for short, is an award presented in recognition of the worst in movies. Founded by American copywriter and publicist John J.B. Wilson in 1981, the annual Razzie Awards ceremony in Los Angeles precedes the corresponding Academy Awards ceremony by one day... |
Worst Picture | |||
| Worst Actress | Kim Cattrall Kim Cattrall Kim Victoria Cattrall is an English actress. She is known for her role as Samantha Jones in the HBO comedy/romance series Sex and the City, and for her leading roles in the 1980s films Police Academy, Big Trouble in Little China, Mannequin, and Porky's... , Kristin Davis Kristin Davis Kristin Landen Davis is an American actress.She first rose to prominence and achieved fame for playing the role of Charlotte York Goldenblatt on HBO's Sex and the City. She has achieved success appearing in roles in film and television.-Early life and education:Davis was born in Boulder, Colorado... , Cynthia Nixon Cynthia Nixon Cynthia Ellen Nixon is an American actress, known for her portrayal of Miranda Hobbes in the HBO series Sex and the City . She has received two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Emmy Awards, a Tony Award, and a Grammy Award.... and Sarah Jessica Parker Sarah Jessica Parker Sarah Jessica Parker is an American film, television, and theater actress and producer.She is best known for her leading role as Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO television series Sex and the City , for which she won four Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Emmy Awards... |
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| Worst Supporting Actress | Liza Minnelli Liza Minnelli Liza May Minnelli is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of singer and actress Judy Garland and film director Vincente Minnelli.... |
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| Worst Director | Michael Patrick King Michael Patrick King Michael Patrick King is an American director, writer and producer for television shows.-Life and career:King was born to an Irish American family in Scranton, Pennsylvania and was raised as a Roman Catholic... |
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| Worst Screenplay | Michael Patrick King Michael Patrick King Michael Patrick King is an American director, writer and producer for television shows.-Life and career:King was born to an Irish American family in Scranton, Pennsylvania and was raised as a Roman Catholic... |
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| Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel | ||||
| Worst Screen Ensemble |