List of a Lifetime

List of a Lifetime

Year: 2021

Runtime: 88 mins

Language: English

Director: Roxy Shih

TV MovieDrama

After receiving a breast cancer diagnosis, Brenda decides it’s time to start living and embarks on a bucket list journey. Along the way, she reconnects with the daughter she placed for adoption years earlier, and together they experience new adventures and confront past regrets.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – List of a Lifetime (2021)

Explore the full timeline and setting of List of a Lifetime (2021). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Present day

Set in the contemporary era, the story follows Brenda as she confronts triple-negative breast cancer and navigates whether to tell her daughter about the gene mutation. It weaves medical realities with family drama, including testing, diagnoses, and the emotional timelines of secrecy and reconciliation. The narrative tracks Brenda’s evolving choices as she balances hope, fear, and responsibility.

Location

Brenda's Home, Local Hospital, The Lake

The film unfolds across Brenda's everyday spaces—her home where cancer secrecy strains relationships, a local hospital where treatment decisions are discussed, and the lake that becomes a turning point for Brenda's courage. It juxtaposes intimate domestic moments with medical settings, highlighting how private fears collide with medical realities. The lake sequence marks a shift from withdrawal to choosing life for the sake of her daughter.

🏠 Home 🏥 Hospital 🏞️ Lake

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 10:12

Main Characters – List of a Lifetime (2021)

Meet the key characters of List of a Lifetime (2021), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Brenda Lee (Kelly Hu)

Brenda is a brave, guarded mother who learns she has triple-negative breast cancer and embarks on a mission to locate her birth daughter. She privately grapples with fear and guilt while trying to shield loved ones from the full truth. Her resilience grows as she weighs treatment choices against the impact on Talia and their future.

❤️ Family 🩺 Illness 🧭 Secrets

Talia (Sylvia Kwan)

Talia is Brenda’s daughter by birth who was adopted out. Curious and protective, she seeks to understand her origins and forms a tentative bond with her birth mother. She navigates tension with her adoptive mom and shows courage by meeting Brenda and asking personal questions.

❤️ Family 🔎 Discovery 💬 Dialogue

Meg (Patricia Velásquez)

Meg is a compassionate social worker and Brenda’s close friend who helps connect Brenda with Talia and supports her through the emotional turmoil of illness and secrecy. She offers practical guidance and steady emotional support.

🧭 Guidance 💪 Support 🧑‍⚕️ Social Work

Dr. Elisabeth Boyer (Jane Sibbett)

Dr. Boyer is Brenda’s physician who discusses treatment options, manages her care, and responds to the emotional stakes of Brenda’s decisions. She translates medical realities into actionable choices and provides professional care.

🏥 Medical 🩺 Health 👩‍⚕️ Doctor

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 10:12

Major Themes – List of a Lifetime (2021)

Explore the central themes of List of a Lifetime (2021), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

❤️ Family

The central thread is the mother–daughter bond between Brenda and Talia, exploring birth and adoptive family ties. The film shows how love persists across secrets and time, driving characters to seek connection. Reconciliation emerges through honesty, shared history, and choosing to protect one another.

🩺 Illness

Cancer acts as both obstacle and catalyst, forcing Brenda to face mortality while navigating treatment decisions and emotional turmoil. The story touches on PTSD from past losses, the fear surrounding chemotherapy, and the resilience required to continue living. Illness reshapes relationships and priorities, revealing what matters most.

🗝️ Secrets

Adoption, hidden diagnoses, and unspoken fears drive the plot, creating tension between truth-telling and protection. The pursuit of origins tests trust within family and friendship networks. The eventual revelation reframes what characters owe to each other and what they are willing to fight for.

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 10:12

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List of a Lifetime Summary

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List of a Lifetime Summary

List of a Lifetime Timeline

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List of a Lifetime Timeline

List of a Lifetime Spoiler-Free Summary

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List of a Lifetime Spoiler-Free Summary

More About List of a Lifetime

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More About List of a Lifetime