I was in high school when the series began on HBO. I was instantly hooked on this risqué show. I probably shouldn't have been watching it, but I did. Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda are four unique characters that represent varying types of today's women. I have heard many people say, "Oh, I'm a Charlotte" or "I'm a Carrie." Like it or not, this show has had a major influence on our culture. A wonderful aspect of the show is the fact that the characters are not teenagers or in their twenties. These women have been around the block . . . several times. I was faithful for three and a half seasons before life interfered with my Sex and the City relationship. I was in college and I no longer had HBO, and I found myself busy on Sunday nights when the new episodes aired. I went through withdrawals, but soon my desire to watch the show faded away. I remember when the series ended. I felt I had really missed out on the last two and half seasons. However, I never managed to watch the rest of the series. I wasn't too interested when the news first began to buzz about the movie. However, as the trailers and reports saturated primetime television I began to get intrigued. My intrigued turned to excitement, and I couldn't wait to see the movie.

I appreciate this movie now more than I would have if it had been released in 2004. I was about to turn sixteen when the show premiered on HBO in 1998, and to be honest I really didn't identify with anything these women were going through. Fast forward to today, and I identify with many aspects of the characters' lives. While watching the movie, I felt more in tune with the married characters. Miranda and Charlotte are both married with one child, just like me. I think that is what is so special about these characters: there is one thing or another in this film which every adult woman will be able to identify with.

This movie is about much more than fashion and sex. In fact, I challenge those inclined to characterize this movie--as primarily about sex: it concerns love, friendship, and life. The movie picks up four years after the series ended. We learn very quickly in the opening credits what the women have been up to. This is a great refresher, and it also enables viewers who didn't watch the series to catch up. We are taken through issues such as infidelity, pregnancy, betrayal, and temptation. We can dress up in expensive designer shoes and live in beautiful homes, but deep down we are all struggling with trials and maturing along the way. If you can get past the nudity and language, you will find a story that respects marriage and friendship with all their ups and downs--a portrait of relationships where forgiveness prevails. Sex and the City, the movie, is a rollercoaster of emotions, but in a good way. One doesn't feel sick at the end, but elated and ready for another ride.