In Practical Magic 2, Sally (Sandra Bullock) and Gillian (Nicole Kidman) must stick together through trials and triumphs to save Sally's daughter from both a family curse and a mystical threat. And they'll stick together because of the unbreakable bond that forms between two sisters that, even if they don't see eye-to-eye or hurt each other, they'll always find a way back to one another.
Practical Magic 2 presents sisterhood through three generations of sisters, all related and all connected deeply with each other:
- Franny (Stockard Channing) and Jet (Dianne Wiest) – the older generation of sisters
- Sally and Gillian – the middle generation
- Kylie (Joey King) and Antonia (Maisie Williams) – Sally's daughters
Each generation has its own relationship with the Owens family history and its legacy of witchcraft. Franny, Jet, Sally, and Gillian understand the powers and responsibilities that come with being witches. At the beginning of the movie, Sally, whose husband has passed away because of the centuries-old curse they thought they broke in the first film, is left to raise two daughters alone. To avoid the pains of loss, she makes Gillian promise not to reveal their family's history or the fact that they are a family of witches and then does what many people, and characters, do with a painful history: she buries it deep inside.
Practical Magic 2 explores what happens when the past comes back to haunt us and how to deal with a curse that gets passed on to the next generation.
The Bonds of Sisterhood
Practical Magic 2 relies on the bonds of sisterhood to tell its story; a concept initially foreign to director Susanne Bier until she got older.
"I don't have a sister, so the sisterhood thing was something that I was kind of invited into, and which I really thoroughly enjoyed," Bier said in an Irish Times interview. "I have friends who are like sisters, where we kind of know everything about each other. That feels like a very deep comfort and recognition for me. I wasn't brought up with it, but it talks to the idea that family can be something broader than just what you're born into. I think that's very meaningful and really important."
Sisters don't get to choose each other, so their relationships can be more complicated and compelling to watch versus a relationship forged by friendship. Sisters can be each other's biggest supporters, fiercest rivals, and know exactly how to push each other's buttons – all at the same time (as a father of two girls, I'm certainly seeing this play out in real time).
Practical Magic 2 is a great example of this, but if you want to explore other films with sisterhood at the core, check out:
- Frozen – Perhaps the most recent and popular example of sisterhood, Elsa (Idina Menzel) and Anna (Kristen Bell) act as each other's foils, with one trying to hide who they are (until they let it go...let it goooo) while the other just wants a sister to play with.
- Little Women – Greta Gerwig's adaptation follows the four March sisters as they come of age, each with different personalities, as they deal with family troubles.
- A League of Their Own – This brilliant film follows two sisters who play for the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League during World War II and shows what it's like to be supporters, rivals, and button-pushers.
- White Christmas – While the movie leans more on the two male leads, there's no denying the role that Betty (Rosemary Clooney) and Judy (Vera Ellen) play in the film. They both support each other's dreams while also struggling to pursue their own interests. When the audience is introduced to them, they sing "Sisters."
Practical Magic 2 isn't simply about two sisters, but about women carrying a centuries-old family history and how the next generation inherits it. And sisters, no matter how different they are, will always have something in common and a bond that can't be shared by anyone else.
A Brief Moment to Talk Female Friendship
Besties might act like sisters, but there is a difference. While tight bonds can form, friendships are chosen, whereas sisters are relatives.
That said, there are plenty of excellent films where female friendship feels like sisterhood. Here are a few examples to consider as well:
- The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants – Four best friends embark on different paths, but a magical pair of pants keeps them connected.
- Steel Magnolias – The movie follows a young woman who works at a beauty parlor and how the friends remain close amid grief, loss, and heartache.
- A League of Their Own – This one reappears under female friendship for how it captures the dynamic of a baseball team where women from all over the country come together and form an unforgettable family.
- Thelma and Louise – Thelma (Geena Davis) and Louise (Susan Sarandon) stick together after their road trip to escape from their crummy lives turns them into fugitives after they murder someone intent on doing them harm.
"You Ignore Your Heritage at Your Peril" or Generational Trauma
Professor Ian Wright (Lee Pace) says that quote in Practical Magic 2, and it speaks to the trouble Sally created for herself.
Generational trauma comes in many forms and, in Practical Magic 2, it manifests itself in the things Sally refuses to talk about, even when the Owens' curse and the witchcraft capabilities get passed from one generation to the next.
Sally might believe she's protecting her daughters from their inherited magic, but keeping it secret doesn't mean it disappears. In fact, Kylie and Antonia must deal with a legacy they didn't choose and weren't prepared for when it's suddenly thrust upon them.
That's what makes the three generations of women in Practical Magic 2 so important. Franny and Jet's history informs Sally and Gillian, and those choices will impact Kylie and Antonia. Franny, Jet, and Gillian didn't hide their magic; they just never performed it for Kylie and Antonia, essentially keeping them in the dark.
The thing about generational trauma: it never stays buried forever. And breaking the cycle requires confronting the past instead of running from it.
The Nostalgia Angle
There's something special about sharing a movie you loved when you were younger with your own children. While it's nostalgic for the adult, it's also a way to pass something meaningful down.
Practical Magic 2 is a return to a beloved 1990s movie that gained a cult classic following years later. It also shows why stories about sisterhood and female friendship resonate with audiences. We see pieces of our family in them, from arguments and secrets to shared history and memorable moments, and it helps reveal why these relationships remain strong even as we deal with the complexities of life.