Two Mothers For Zachary

Two Mothers for Zachary is a 1996 TV movie. It’s based on the events of a real-life custody battle. Within this framework, the film is almost exactly what I expected. The only thing that surprised me is the display of overall competence in executing this story.

The film focuses on young mother, Jody. Jody is divorced by the time she gives birth to her son, Zachary. For a time, she’s on welfare and living with her mother, Nancy. Nancy loves being a grandmother. She’s also overbearing and heavily judgmental. At her low-paying job, Jody meets Maggie, an open lesbian. Jody and Maggie not only begin a relationship but move in together. As Jody manages to get her life together, she relies less on her mother. But Nancy doesn’t care much for this. Nancy makes a custodial play for Zachary based on Jody’s living openly with a female lover.

What impressed me about the film is largely its screenplay. There is intent with almost every line in this script. Dialogue successfully conveys information and character backstory. There’s little filler dialogue here. That’s something to be celebrated. There’s also nuance to the characters. Nancy is obviously the villain, but the film offers some insight into her hate. She and Jody’s relationship likewise has complexity. At least initially, Jody depends on Nancy who is reliable. But there’s a lot of past events spoken about or alluded to which sour this relationship. Jody also feels like a real, flawed person instead of a overly sympathetic martyr. She has failures, flaws and a story that goes beyond being the poster child for gay custody.

Jody and Maggie’s relationship is also surprisingly strong. There’s little physical affection between the two of them; this is a 1996 TV movie. But in place of scenes where they might kiss, the film fills those moments of easy chemistry. Maggie and Jody share jokes and tragedies. The relationship develops slowly and naturally through the film. By the end, they feel like a stable, loving relationship.

Two Mothers for Zachary mostly exists to point out gay oppression. It does well in this. There’s a handful of microaggressions Jody and Maggie experience. But more than that, there’s the systemic problems. The custody battle is a great framework for showing double standards and unfair attitudes towards gay people. Jody is constantly pressed about the double standard for her lifestyle. And she’s right to be. Two Mothers for Zachary successfully highlights the discrimination gay parents and how foolish it is.

Two Mothers for Zachary is more manifesto than story. It takes a real life story and milks it for all the tragedy and commentary it can. This film shows a lot of tragedy. Jody’s life is difficult to begin with. And when Nancy takes custody of her child, things only get worse. This is definitely a case where a film garners sympathy for its queer characters by use of a whole bunch of sad shit. In 2022, we’ve mostly moved past that. And for queer viewers especially, seeing a story that’s almost entirely about the negatives of being queer can be exhausting. But I do think the film is well-meaning. It’s also a film made for straight audiences more than queer ones. Its use of persistent tragedy comes from a genuinely well-meaning place.

Two Mothers for Zachary is a well-meaning but undoubtedly dated TV movie. Its approach to gay rights is primarily to show gay oppression without victory. But I think the film is pretty successful in this goal. It adds a level of character nuance I wasn’t expecting. In 2022, the film is more interesting as a time capsule and display of cultural progress since its 1996 release. But given this future hindsight, it also gives the film a level of triumph not present upon first release. Gay people still face legal oppression. But in the United States, as much as it might not feel like it, progress has been made. And that’s something to celebrate even as you watch a film that depicts someone who lived in a recent but much more oppressive time.

Overall rating: 6.4/10

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