When Sarah Jessica Parker appeared on the "Late Show with David Letterman" last week, she said the new "Sex and the City" movie was intended to give the audience what it wanted. And indeed, it does.

Clocking in at about two hours and 15 minutes, the film looked and felt like four or five episodes woven together, and not a single character felt contrived or rusty despite the actors' four-year hiatus.

In short, if you loved the series, you will love this movie.

The HBO series ended in 2004, and the film, "Sex and the City," picks up in 2008. In a brief and funny opening, viewers are brought up to speed on what has changed since the series finale.

Main character Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) is still in love with Mr. Big (Chris Noth), and the two plan to move in together. Charlotte (Kristin Davis) is still married to Harry (Evan Handler), and the couple have a 3-year-old daughter adopted from China. Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) and Steve (David Eigenberg) still live in Brooklyn with their son, Brady.

Of the "fabulous four," Samantha (Kim Cattrall) has changed the most, and she now lives a monogamous lifestyle in Hollywood where she manages the career of her boyfriend, Smith (Jason Lewis).

Ironically, the film has little to do with sex and more to do with friendship and forgiveness. Sure, there are still some saucy scenes -- like when Samantha lays naked on her dining room table strategically covered in hand-rolled sushi -- but for the most part, the girls are a half-decade older, wiser and more grateful than ever to have one another.

The women's deep friendship produces a few touching moments in the film, like when Samantha finds her inner nurturer and spoon feeds an emotionally devastated Carrie.

Jennifer Hudson, who plays a Midwestern gal who came to New York City in search of love, adds a likable new character to the cast. Hudson plays Bradshaw's assistant who becomes another strong female friend. Hudson, who starred in "Dreamgirls," also contributes a song, "All Dressed Up In Love," to the soundtrack.

For the entire cast, the fashion is bolder than ever. Cattrall sports more of her signature expensive-but-gaudy get-ups and Parker, who looks extraordinarily buff, wears a dozen different pairs of shoes in the film. And when one of the character's plans a wedding, the dresses she tries on -- made by every fashion great alive and working -- are incredible.

Also, it turns out the "bird hat" that Parker wore to the London premiere of the film was a nod to something she wears in the movie.

Although four years have passed and all of the actresses are now over 40, they look pretty much the same. Kudos to the women for playing their real ages, especially Cattrall's character Samantha who celebrates her 50th birthday in the film. Although Cattrall is still extremely attractive, she appears to have aged the most since we saw her on the small screen. Nixon, however, looks better than ever, with the exception of a wedding scene where she wears a dumb barrette.

There are witty, insightful one-liners aplenty. I walked away loving this one the most: "In your 20s you have fun, in your 30s you learn your lessons, and in your 40s, you buy the drinks."

For the most part, "Sex" fans will find this film amazingly fulfilling. Hardcore followers wanted another tall, potent drink of "Sex and the City," and that's exactly what we got.

Oh, and yes, there is a death in the movie.