“Sex” Grows Up

GET THEE TO THE THEATRE

By Mande Wilkes

FITSNews – June 2, 2008 – So, the FITS gals bit the bullet, swallowed our pride, and set aside layers of righteous resentment, all in the name of journalistic integrity … well, at least as much as that term has ever applied to us.

Anyway, in keeping with that integrity, we’re admitting from the get-go that we were kind of biased against “Sex and the City.” Or more specifically, very biased against it.

For some time now, we’ve sanctimoniously wagged our fingers at the legions of women who dared to be sucked into the show. (Also: We’re still semi-bitter about the Melrose Place cancellation, and as such we boycott any attempted wannabe reincarnations).

Anyway, the movie …

What is wasn’t: cheesy, vapid, or predictable. Well okay, maybe it was a tad predictable, but in a comfortable sort of way.

Speaking of predictability, predictably present were several dozen references to Manolo Blahnik, the top shelf European shoemaker who once supplied the “you can wear them home” bartering chips for one of Sic Willie’s many threesomes.

Beyond the shoe silliness, though, the film iteration of ‘Sex’ actually had a plot, which is more than we can say for the TV show.

In fact when we think of the movie holistically, the word “closure” comes to mind, because we suspect that’s what die-hard SATC fans received. The girls grew up and got smart – but not before each of them supremely screwed the pooch.

Really, that was the gist of the movie: During the first three-fourths of the plot they messed up big-time, then for the remainder of the movie they learned and developed from those mistakes. This is where we wax philosophical for a moment (we know, you’re so welcome).

‘Sex’ is an apt case-study of feminism and its damaging accoutrements.

The entire SATC franchise has been built on a false foundation of feminism, shamelessly selling the lie that fantasy is better than reality.

That doesn’t translate to the movie.

Each in her own way, the characters recognize that the “I-am-woman-hear-me-roar” mantra cannot bring fulfillment – that comes through self-realization.

Carrie realizes that living together is in fact not akin to marrying; and after dating for a decade, she finally acts like a real woman and demands a commitment from Big.

Miranda, after enduring her husband’s infidelity, learns that interdependence is preferable to independence; she starts to treat her man like a husband instead of a roommate.

Heretofore the uber-slut, Samantha realizes that “casual sex” is an epic oxymoron, a lie women want to believe to secure their membership in the boys’ club. Through her struggles to stay faithful to her nice-but-bland boyfriend, it’s revealed to Samantha that sex rarely remains string-free, and that even the most fervent playboys eventually want a wife.

Charlotte, for her part, apparently learned these lessons early. She is the only happy one of the bunch, and it’s clear that she’s happy because of – not in spite of – her grown-up commitments.

We expected a cloying bitch-fest full of in-your-face-feminism, but refreshingly, SATC was actually a testament to Dr. Laura – yes, there was materialism, frivolity, and, of course, shoes, but under that shiny surface, there were also some important observations, meaningful declarations, and poignant nuances.

We so can’t believe we’re using the phrase “poignant nuance” in a SATC review, but what the hell.

In case you didn’t wade through our little diatribe above, we’ll “nutshell” it for you: The dialogue was snappy, the acting was believable, and now we completely get why Sarah Jessica Parker topped this list.

In short – get thee to a theatre.