If These Walls Could Talk 2 Movie Review

『Lesbian Love Across Eras and the Hidden Pain and Hope Behind It』

🎥 Movie Overview

🎬 Title: If These Walls Could Talk 2 (2000)
🌍 Country: 🇺🇸 United States
🎞️ Genre: Drama / Anthology / LGBTQ+
🗓️ Airing: HBO Original Movie (2000)
📢 Directors: Jane Anderson, Martha Coolidge, Anne Heche
📺 Platforms: HBO Max, selected VOD services

👩‍💼 Cast: [1961 Episode] Vanessa Redgrave – Edith Tree, Marian Seldes – Abby Hedley
[1972 Episode] Michelle Williams – Linda, Chloë Sevigny – Amy
[2000 Episode] Sharon Stone – Fran, Ellen DeGeneres – Kal

🧩 Story Deep Dive (Spoilers)

🕰️ 1961 – Loving but Unrecognized by Family

This story follows Edith and Abby, an elderly lesbian couple who have lived together for many years. When Abby suddenly collapses and is hospitalized, Edith is not recognized as 'family' because they are not legally married, and she is even denied visitation rights. After Abby passes away, the legally recognized owner of the house being in Abby’s name allows her cold-hearted niece and her husband (played by Paul Giamatti) to claim rights to the house and furniture, stripping Edith of her home. The narrative highlights the lack of legal rights for same-sex couples (hospital visitation, inheritance, home ownership), societal pressure to conceal homosexuality, and the resulting silent grief.

🌿 1972 – Internal Conflict and Identity Confusion

This story depicts young lesbian feminist college students living together. Linda and her friends face rejection from mainstream feminist groups solely because they are lesbians. During a visit to a lesbian bar, they meet butch lesbian Amy, who dresses masculinely. Linda is strongly attracted to Amy, but her femme friends mock and criticize Amy’s gender-nonconforming attire, expressing discomfort at the idea of a woman appearing masculine. Despite her friends’ criticism, Linda defends Amy and chooses her authentic desire and love without prejudice. Themes include debates in lesbian feminist movements, butch/femme identity, and prejudices and discrimination within the LGBTQ+ community.

🌈 2000 – Preserving Love Against Institutional and Social Barriers

Set in the new millennium, the story follows lesbian couple Kal and Fran as they attempt to have a child in a relatively lighthearted narrative. They decide to conceive through sperm donation and seek an anonymous donor. They try various approaches, including asking a gay couple friend for donation, and eventually succeed through an anonymous donor. The story touches on family formation for same-sex couples, emotional challenges during the pregnancy process, and portrays the everyday, ordinary life of a lesbian couple with warmth and humor. Unlike the previous two eras, it depicts a future with expanded social acceptance.

🦋 Emotional Resonance and Significance

🎥 Changes Across Eras and Persistent Discrimination

Despite being produced in the early 2000s, 《If These Walls Could Talk 2》 is considered one of the most comprehensive and historically grounded films about lesbian life. The contrast across three eras clearly illustrates how the lives of lesbians have evolved. From the suffocating silence of 1961 to the public attempts at family formation in 2000, it traces the trajectory of LGBTQ+ rights activism.

The directors realistically portray the social climate of each era, the discrimination, conflicts, and love experienced by lesbian couples, emphasizing the continuity of love and struggle across time.

⚡ Strength of the Cast

Featuring star performers across generations such as Vanessa Redgrave, Michelle Williams, Chloë Sevigny, Sharon Stone, and Ellen DeGeneres, the film drew significant attention. In particular, Vanessa Redgrave’s 1961 performance was highly praised for perfectly conveying restrained sorrow.

💖 The Power of Love and Thematic Insight

The film extends its thematic depth by addressing not only external homophobia but also hierarchical and gender conflicts within the community (the 1972 butch/femme debate). It also explores in depth how legal equality significantly impacts personal life and love.

🎯 Personal Rating

💕 Love Scene Intensity: ♥♥♥♥
⭐ Rating: ★★★★★