Carrie Bradshaw is one of the worst fictional friends in television history. Everyone knows this — it’s well documented in every Sex and the City critique you’ll ever read online (of which there are many).
The self-absorbed writer has copped an avalanche of flak over the years for being a shitty friend to her pals, and rightly so. From monopolising the conversation with her terrible life decisions to reaming Charlotte for not lending her a huge sum of money to slut-shaming Samantha (how DARE!), she’s the kind of friend you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy.
So it comes as a pretty huge surprise that upon reflection, my favourite show of friendship in film and television history is the moment from the Sex and the City movie (the first one, aka the good one) when Carrie rushes to Miranda’s side on New Year’s Eve so she wouldn’t be alone.
Let me set the scene: it’s New Year’s Eve and Miranda is sitting alone in her apartment as she’s recently separated from Steve after he cheated, and he’s taken their son Brady for the night. Yes, the child who knocked up Ben Stiller‘s daughter’s character in the And Just Like That finale. As you can see, time has moved on from 2009!
But anyway, back to the movie!
Carrie was also home alone, enjoying a steaming hot bowl of Ramen noodles, watching a black and white movie, then trotting off to bed early (my DREAM), when she’s awoken by a call from Miranda who expresses that she feels lonely. Although Carrie offers to jet over to accompany her, the pragmatic lawyer insists on Carrie going back to sleep as it’s snowing and too much of a mission.
Then, in a beautiful display of friendship and compassion, Carrie hops out of bed and treks it across town — during a snowstorm, mind you.
When she reaches Miranda’s door, she gets out of the cab and embraces her friend, assuring her: “You’re not alone.”
I swear to little baby cheeses, my eyes are going misty just from typing this up and recalling the scene.
Want to cry buckets with me?
Have a watch below:
In addition to being a visually stunning scene, what with the snow misting down and the gorgeous song “Auld Lang Syne” — a Scottish banger that celebrates the new year — playing, it’s also just a really powerful friendship moment and a reminder that the glue holding these women together is real, deep and kind of beautiful.
Nothing could’ve stopped Carrie from supporting her friend that night, not the snowstorm, not the hustle and bustle of New Year’s Eve, not even the Ramen food coma. She was determined to show up for her gal pal and remind her that although she finds herself single on New Years, she is by no means alone.
Never thought I’d say this, but: we could all do with a friend like Carrie.
