Common Sense Media Review
By S. Jhoanna Robledo
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fun, flighty adaptation has sex, materialism, language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Sex and the City: The Movie
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 8 parent reviews
Based on 19 kid reviews
Kids say this movie presents a mix of adult themes, humor, and strong friendship, making it appealing but also potentially inappropriate for younger viewers. Many reviews suggest it has a positive message about love and relationships, but caution is advised regarding its mature content.
- mature themes
- friendship
- positive message
- humor
- age suitability
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
When last we saw SEX AND THE CITY's fashionable foursome, they were off to their respective happily-ever-afters. But, as narrator Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) would likely put it, what does it all mean to live happily ever after? Four years later, Carrie and her beloved Big (Chris Noth)—now given a proper name, John James Preston—are still going strong. But when they decide to get married, what begins as a simple affair quickly gets complicated, threatening to overwhelm everything (much like Carrie's fantastical Vivienne Westwood wedding dress). Meanwhile, Brooklyn-based Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) and Steve (David Eigenberg) are stuck in a rut that gets a much-needed—if painful—jolt, and Samantha (Kim Cattrall), still with golden boy Smith (Jason Lewis), bristles under the constraints of an established relationship. Only Charlotte (Kristin Davis) seems perfectly happy, but that itself gives her reason to pause—if only because she worries when the proverbial other shoe will drop.
Is It Any Good?
This indulgent movie will make existing fans want to embrace SATC like a long-lost friend, but it might be just a quirky time capsule to newcomers. When Sex and the City: The Movie's original TV show first hit the scene, it was groundbreaking. It served up so much sex (the word is in the title, after all), and from a woman's point of view, at that. But it also fearlessly examined women's relationships with the men in their lives and, more importantly, with one another. While the movie doesn't blaze any new trails, and cultural stereotypes about Mexicans and transracial adoptees feel decidedly of the time, fans will still likely walk away satisfied. The movie serves up plenty of what made devotees watch in the first place: friendship, romance, and drama in the big city.
It's refreshing to see these women celebrate themselves as they are in their 40s, not pining for a youth that was so much better and brighter than the present. The men, too, seem to have gotten better with age, especially Big, who—though still confused—exudes a warmth rarely seen in the series. As a snapshot into the past, Sex and the City: The Movie delivers a fascinating look at what aughts-era feminism looked like: Lusty sexual appetites and economic independence were celebrated, conveyed with heady "girlboss" packaging that imagined that women could have it all—they only had to try hard enough. Today, there's a little more recognition of the systemic hurdles that women face, and the movie's full-throttle worship of designer goods strikes a different chord now than it did in the 2000s. But even though the movie shows its age, there are standout moments that remind us of SATC's singular ability to tap into authenticity amid all the frivolity.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Sex and the City: The Movie presents sex. Is it all just for fun, or are there consequences? If so, what are those consequences? What does the movie imply about people who aren't having sex frequently?
What messages are teens likely to take away from the movie about relationships? Do you think romance and sex are essential to happiness? Why, or why not?
What's the glue that binds these characters together? What role do friends have in your life? Do they sometimes take the place of family? Why?
How does this movie compare to other 2000s-era stories about fashion, such as The Devil Wears Prada or Ugly Betty? What are the running themes? What sets this film apart? Do they have different messages about consumerism, or do they all celebrate it?
Movie Details
- In theaters : May 29, 2008
- On DVD or streaming : September 22, 2008
- Cast : Cynthia Nixon , Kim Cattrall , Kristin Davis , Sarah Jessica Parker
- Director : Michael Patrick King
- Inclusion Information : Gay Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Queer Movie Actor(s) , Gay Movie Writer(s) , Queer Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : New Line
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Friendship
- Run time : 148 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong sexual content, graphic nudity and language
- Last updated : April 11, 2026
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