Why Every Lesbian Needs to Watch Two of Us (2019)

If you’re a lesbian who spends half her life hunting for good representation that doesn’t end in tragedy, bury the gay, or feel like it was written by a straight man who read one Tumblr post in 2014… girl, let me put you on to Two of Us (original title: Deux) – the 2019 French film that absolutely wrecked me in the best way possible.

This movie flew way too under the radar. It’s criminal how few lesbians are talking about it, because honestly? It might be one of the most authentic portrayals of long-term lesbian love I’ve ever seen on screen.

The story follows Nina and Madeleine, two retired women in their late 60s who have been secretly together for decades. They live in apartments across the hall from each other because – classic lesbian drama – Madeleine never came out to her adult children. They’ve been planning to sell everything, move to Rome, and finally live openly together in retirement. You know, the dream every older lesbian has whispered about at some point.

And then… life happens. One sudden event changes everything, and the film becomes this heartbreaking look at what happens when society refuses to recognize your lesbian relationship as real, even after 40+ years of love.

Listen, I’m not gonna lie – I cried like a baby. Multiple times. But it’s not a “sad gay movie” in the way we’re used to. There’s no murder, no suicide, no hate crime. The pain is quieter, more insidious, and somehow that makes it hurt more. It’s the kind of pain a lot of us in the lesbian community know too well: being erased, being treated like “just close friends,” having your entire life partnership invalidated because there’s no ring, no paperwork, no “proof.”

The chemistry between Barbara Sukowa (Nina) and Martine Chevallier (Madeleine) is off the charts. You believe they’ve been in love since the 1970s. The little touches, the way they look at each other when no one’s watching, the comfortable domesticity… it’s rare to see older lesbians portrayed with this much tenderness and realism. No stereotypes, no jokes about flannel or cats (okay, maybe one cat), just two women who built a whole secret life together because the world wouldn’t let them do it openly.

What hit me hardest is how the movie doesn’t shy away from the messy parts of long-term lesbian relationships either. The resentment, the compromises, the years of hiding… but also the deep, unshakable love underneath it all. When Nina says “I’ve been waiting for you my whole life” – ma’am, I had to pause the film and stare at the wall for ten minutes.

Also, can we talk about how rare it is to see women over 60 as romantic and sexual beings in film? Especially lesbian women? Two of Us says “fuck that” and gives us longing glances, gentle caresses, and yes, actual intimacy that feels real and respectful. It’s not exploitative. It’s beautiful.

If you loved Carol, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, or Imagine Me & You, you need this film in your life. It’s quieter than those, more contained, but no less powerful. Actually, scratch that – it might hit harder because it feels like something that could happen to any of us who’ve had to hide parts of ourselves.

Final verdict: Two of Us is essential viewing for any lesbian who’s ever loved someone in secret, who’s ever dreamed of running away together, or who just wants to see our love treated with the gravity and beauty it deserves.

Stream it, buy it, pirate it if you have to (no judgment), but please watch this movie. Your lesbian heart will thank you… and also probably need therapy afterward.

Have you seen Two of Us yet? Drop your thoughts in the comments – did it destroy you too? Which scene had you ugly crying? Let’s talk about it, because the lesbians deserve to scream about this masterpiece together. 🏳️‍🌈

(And yes, I’ll be over here rewatching it for the fourth time while crying into my wine. Don’t @ me.)