Yesterday, I went to see Sex In The City 2 (SITC2), with a friend who is a therapist. This was the 2nd time, for me, because there was something disturbing about the movie, the first time I viewed it. The disturbing part had to do with the way the crowd responded to it and my unsettled feelings. Rarely, do I see a movie twice. I did see Star Wars 5 times, however, who didn’t?
I know that some of you are rolling your eyes about SITC2, however, bear with me for a few paragraphs.
This is a movie that came out a few weeks after the BP Gulf Oil disaster. The movie is set in the United Arab Republic. The incredible wealth earned from oil sales is so overwhelmingly ostentatious, as shown, by the 4 MayBach’s (409,000K average price) with one for each woman; 4 butlers, a $22,000 per night hotel suite; a sheik's personal airline with private, onboard suites for guests with a bar lounge, private TV and computer screens, on desks in the suites; the gold, bejeweled, hotel lobbies and, of course, the clothes, jewels, nanny's and NY Penthouse closets, most American women will never have access to in their lifetime. The juxtapositions, in the movie, bump up against today’s economic and social issues, for the US and most world populations, do not end with the above.
The movie also addresses gay marriage, homophobia, infidelity, marriage breakdown, Muslim laws controlling women, public affection, sexual intercourse, and classification of vitamins/minerals, for menopausal balancing, as illegal drugs, in Arab countries; many women's attempts to be the perfect mother, based on pressure from unrealistic, societal standards; and, Muslim women’s furtive attempts to challenge current laws regarding their freedom. Men's attempts to understand it all.
The movie juxtaposes all these issues in New York and Abu Dhabi, modern, power-wealth based mega-centers, against modern and ancient views of marriage and of women. The male paradigm in current business structure ,in treatment of women, as “less than”, is also addressed in SITC2. It is directed in such as way, however, that the viewer can ignore the social issues being addressed and solely focus on the 4 women, without any thought to the subtle and obvious serious issues ,which are directed, with great aplomb and diplomacy, by the director, Michael Patrick King, a gay man who had a great interview with Jon Stewart, last week.
You can tell me I am making too much of it, yet, the unsettled feelings you will experience in viewing it, will still be there.
My 20 year old niece went to see it and did not like it. At first, I thought it was because she had not understood the sub-context issues being addressed, however, after seeing the movie for the 2nd time, it was that she did get it at a very subtle level.
Men, may not like it since they are shown in an amazing way, as the husbands, bosses, lovers, ex-boyfriends, gay couple, Arabic males, and 2nd class, male foreign workers, who are placed in scenarios which show their vulnerabilities, fears, outmoded control issues, and modern day male issues, which are sometimes misinterpreted by the media and their partners.
Women may not like it, because it unsettles the personal images we have about ourselves, as it develops subtle messages about how we treat men, misinterpreting their actions because of our less-than-healthy attitudes about relationships, and it shows a group of women who are forced to wear veils, can be imprisoned for kissing in public, or can almost be stoned for attempting to have safe sex, or be denied the use vitamins and minerals to get through menopause.
Over the decades, many women have had the ability to speak their minds, act from a place of equality with men, in the western developed nations. We know that there are still women who are forced to wear masks and veils, we have read books written by many of those women who have death threats directed at them for their bravery in fighting for rights, in their countries, and many can never return. Slavery in any form is anathema to development of truth and freedom.
As we sit here, at day 53 of the Gulf disaster, and listen to news and excuses from president’s of oil companies, countries and heads of government agencies, still trying to point fingers away from themselves, is it any wonder why this movie has to hide the issues under bon mots and humor? I guess, all I can say, is go see the movie, even if you feel that some of the actresses involved are not to your liking. It reveals issues which we are still grappling with now, in 21st century consciousness, and it will also make you laugh in some ways, as we get a look at realities that may need some thinking about and maybe, if you have the energy, some action.
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