Daniel’s Daughter

Daniel’s Daughter

Year: 2008

Runtime: 88 mins

Language: English

DramaTV MovieRomance

When a woman learns that her father has passed away, she must confront the past (and the town) she left behind.

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Timeline & Setting – Daniel’s Daughter (2008)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Daniel’s Daughter (2008). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1982, 2008

The story opens in 1982 with Cate's mother’s death and a promise from her father. Twenty-six years later, around 2008, Cate returns to scatter his ashes and heal the rifts in her life. The dual timeline emphasizes the lasting impact of the past on present choices, especially in love and family.

Location

New Kerry, Massachusetts, New York City

New Kerry is a small town in Massachusetts that provides the emotional center of the story, where Cate confronts family history and old wounds. The film contrasts the cozy, close-knit atmosphere of New Kerry with the fast-paced, high-society world of New York City, highlighting Cate's tug-of-war between roots and career. The setting shifts between these places as Cate fulfills her father’s final wish and navigates love, friendship, and forgiveness.

❄️ Small-town 🗽 Urban contrast

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:10

Main Characters – Daniel’s Daughter (2008)

Meet the key characters of Daniel’s Daughter (2008), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Cate Madighan (Laura Leighton)

A highly successful editor-in-chief in New York City who runs a popular lifestyle magazine. She is engaged to Stewart but grapples with his reluctance to have children again, revealing a clash between personal desire and social expectations. She returns to New Kerry to fulfill her father’s last wish, discovers a simpler, more meaningful life, and falls in love with Conner while weighing what she truly wants.

🌆 NYC-based ❤️ Protagonist 💼 Career-driven 🏡 Homecoming

Conner Bailey

A local man from New Kerry who helps Cate reconnect with her roots. He offers a grounded, patient perspective and becomes the person she falls in love with, challenging her to choose happiness over obligation. His presence prompts Cate to reevaluate a life planned with Stewart and to consider a future that aligns with her heart.

🌿 Small-town 💖 Love interest 🧭 Life-changing

Stewart Wallach

Cate's fiancé, a powerful NYC media tycoon who is older and deeply invested in his career. He is reluctant to have children again, representing a symbolic obstacle to Cate’s desire for a family and a more intimate connection. His stance underscores the tension between stability and personal fulfillment.

💼 Powerful 💍 Engagement 🧓 Traditional

Marie Madighan

Cate's mother, who died in 1982, leaving a lasting void and shaping Cate's guarded approach to relationships. Her absence drives Cate to seek closure and understanding within her family history.

💔 Absent mother 🕊️ Remembrance

Donahue

One of the two Irish singers associated with Cate’s father; he forms part of the group whose friendship with Cavanaugh has frayed over time. His presence, along with Cavanaugh, becomes central to fulfilling the father’s last request and mending old wounds.

🎵 Music 🤝 Friendship 💬 Reconciliation

Jim Cavanaugh

The other Irish singer and longtime friend of Donahue; his estranged relationship with Donahue represents a central obstacle Cate seeks to resolve. Their reunion forms a key emotional moment in the homecoming arc.

🎵 Music 🤝 Friendship 💬 Reconciliation

Jeffrey Lerner

Cate's loyal personal assistant who accompanies her back to New Kerry and helps manage the trip’s practicalities. He supports Cate’s decision to follow through on her father’s final wish.

🗂️ Assistant 💬 Support

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:10

Major Themes – Daniel’s Daughter (2008)

Explore the central themes of Daniel’s Daughter (2008), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🤝 Family & Reconciliation

A dying father’s wish forces Cate to confront unresolved family history and repair frayed bonds. The effort to reconcile Cavanaugh and Donahue mirrors a broader search for forgiveness in long-standing friendships. The narrative shows that healing can come from facing the past together, not from avoiding it. Reconciliation becomes a catalyst for Cate’s own life choices.

💞 Love vs Duty

Cate’s engagement to Stewart lays bare the expectations and constraints of a successful, public life. Her growing feelings for Conner challenge her to choose authenticity over security. The film examines whether career and reputation should override personal happiness and true connection. In the end, love pushes Cate to redefine what she wants from life.

🏡 Homecoming

Returning to New Kerry forces Cate to reassess where she belongs and who she is beyond status and titles. The quiet rhythms of small-town life contrast with NYC’s bustle, prompting inner reflection. The journey from guarded to open reveals the emotional transformation she undergoes. Home becomes about belonging to people, not just a place.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:10

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Daniel’s Daughter Summary

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Daniel’s Daughter Summary

Daniel’s Daughter Timeline

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Daniel’s Daughter Timeline

Daniel’s Daughter Spoiler-Free Summary

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Daniel’s Daughter Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Daniel’s Daughter

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