Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Green
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Emotionally intense docu with mature themes; some language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Daughters
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In DAUGHTERS, a group of incarcerated men in Washington, DC are invited to participate in a daddy-daughter dance event. For many, it will be the first time in years they are allowed to spend time in person with their daughters. They must agree first to 10 weeks of fatherhood and life coaching sessions as a group. Here, they will share their feelings about their lives, being in prison, what fatherhood means to them, and their hopes and plans. Meanwhile, their daughters, ages 5 to 15, also prepare for the dance. Each struggles to fill the hole of their missing fathers.
Is It Any Good?
With surprising access both inside and outside of prison, this heartrending documentary touches on a range of personal and social topics solely through its subjects' words and experiences. Daughters makes its commentary through its topic choice and its filming and editing, rather than any added editorializing about the circumstances around the incarcerated dads and their growing daughters. Couched in their stories are messages about systemic racism, shortcomings of the prison system, the important role of parents in a child's life, and the power of community.
Interviews and footage help relay the personalities of individual girls and men. In the group coaching sessions, one man reveals he doesn't usually have the opportunity to talk honestly and share his emotions. Some viewers might miss more candor about why these men have been incarcerated (in one case for up to 30 years). But that's not the focus of Daughters, and it would be hard not to get swept up in the emotional human stories on display. One storyline is constructed to suggest the contact helped a teenage girl go from suicidal to high school graduation. Closing credits tell us that 95% of the dads in the "Date with Dad" program, founded by co-director Patton, don't return to prison.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the program "Date with Dad," which is behind the dance documented in Daughters. What is your opinion of this program, its rationale, and its outcomes? Where can you find more information?
How do the dads, daughters, and the moms all show courage and communication? Why are these qualities essential for this program to work?
Did you find the film emotional to watch? Were there any specific scenes or sections that impacted you especially as a viewer?
The film doesn't specify the men's crimes. Would your view of the dads change if you knew more about why they were in prison? Is this important to know? Why or why not?
The film makes use of natural light, in homes, on the street, and in the prison footage. What mood does the lighting evoke for you? Can you think of any specific examples?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : August 14, 2024
- Cast : Audrey Smith , Ja’Ana Crudup , Raziah Lewis
- Directors : Angela Patton , Natalie Rae
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Documentary
- Topics : Activism
- Character Strengths : Communication , Courage
- Run time : 108 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : some thematic elements and language
- Awards : BAFTA - BAFTA Nominee , NAACP Image Award - NAACP Image Award Nominee
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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