Morgan Stewart’s Coming Home (1987) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The movie is set in Virginia, primarily at the Stewart family's upscale suburban home and various campaign locations. The story uses these settings to contrast the family's private life with the public political world of Senator Stewart's re-election campaign.

• virginia
• setting
• washington
• campaign
• senate

The movie is set in the mid-to-late 1980s, specifically during a political season around Thanksgiving. The era is characterized by media scrutiny, campaign hardware, and the tension of a family navigating public persona versus private truth.

• 1980s
• 1987
• time period
• political season
• thanksgiving

The film explores three core themes: family values tested by political ambition, the corruptive nature of politics and power, and Morgan's coming-of-age journey from rebellious teen to responsible adult. These themes intersect as private loyalties collide with public duties.

• themes
• family
• politics
• coming of age
• ambition

Morgan Stewart is a 17-year-old spoiled heir, played by Jon Cryer, who has been expelled from ten prep schools and returns home to find his parents ignoring him. He is a restless, rule-breaking teenager who wants to connect with his family while rejecting their rigid expectations.

• morgan stewart
• jon cryer
• main character
• teen
• protagonist

Nancy Stewart, played by Lynn Redgrave, is Morgan's mother and a poised but controlling figure who values tradition and public image. She uses her power to keep the family aligned with the political campaign, even installing cameras in Morgan's room to monitor him.

• nancy stewart
• lynn redgrave
• mother
• senator wife
• controlling

Jay Le Soto, played by Paul Gleason, is the Stewart campaign manager and the film's antagonist. He is a schemer who pushes the family toward political success at any cost, manipulating funds and creating a web of deceit that threatens both Morgan and the campaign.

• jay le soto
• paul gleason
• campaign manager
• villain
• corruption

Emily, played by Viveka Davis, is Morgan's love interest who shares his love for horror films. She becomes his romantic partner amidst the campaign stress, eventually forgiving him after his lies and helping him mature through their relationship.

• emily
• love interest
• romance
• horror film fan
• viveka davis

The Stewart family is defined by the tension between private loyalties and public duties. Senator Tom Stewart balances public duty with family affection, while Nancy controls the family's image. Morgan, as the rebellious son, challenges the family's rigid expectations while ultimately seeking belonging.

• stewart family
• senator
• family dynamics
• parents
• tension

The film critiques political ambition and corruption, showing how campaigns demand conformity and compromise personal integrity. Through Jay Le Soto's scheme, the movie reveals the fragility of trust within a political machine and the price of maintaining public image.

• politics
• campaign
• senate
• corruption
• power

The film emphasizes that family remains the core unit even when values are tested by ambition and public life. Morgan's journey shows that despite different expectations and conflicts, family bonds can be mended through honesty, responsibility, and reconciliation.

• family
• reconciliation
• loyalty
• values
• belonging

Morgan's arc involves reconciling his rebellious impulses with family expectations. He learns to own up to his mistakes, mends relationships, and discovers responsibility beyond personal gratification, a humorous but meaningful transition from adolescence to adulthood.

• coming of age
• growth
• maturity
• responsibility
• rebellion