Suncoast film is a coming-of-age tale that will break your heart. It is a sad and tragic story of a teenage girl Doris (Nico Parker), whose maturity and resilience are worth emulating.
Based on a book titled “Acne”, this film is a semi-autobiography by the writer and director Laura Chinn. The teenage’s coming-of-age film depicts the disease, pain, grief, death, etc.
But mostly there is love, and ultimately there is redemption. Laura Chinn (in this film, her character’s name is Doris) explores her trauma through anecdotes riddled with grit and humor, proving that in the face of unspeakable tragedy, it is possible to find success, love, and self-acceptance, zits and all.
Acne
Please note that “Suncoast” is the name of the hospice (or an executional Chamber as per Paul) in the film, So, Suncoast is a medical centre for individuals in the final stages of their illness, focusing on managing pain and providing emotional assistance to both the patient and their loved ones, usually avoiding extreme interventions to extend life.
Trailer of the Suncoast (2024) Movie
Synopsis [official] of the Suncoast (2024) Movie
Inspired by writer and director Laura Chinn’s real-life experience from the early 2000s, it follows a teenager Doris (Nico Parker) living with her strong-willed mother Kristine (Laura Linney), who must take her brother to live at a specialized facility. There, she strikes up an unlikely friendship with an eccentric activist Paul (Woody Harrelson) amidst protests surrounding one of the most landmark medical cases of all time.
Ratings of the Suncoast (2024) Movie
| FM Rating | 3.95/5 |
| FM Short Comments | We picked this film for two brilliant actors – Laura Linney (Kristine) and Woody Harrelson (Paul). But then, we ended up watching this young upcoming amazing actress Nico Parker, who plays the protagonist Doris. The entire cast has done a great job in this heart-rending tear-jerker film. |
Spoiler Free Review of the Suncoast (2024) Movie
The introduction
The layered story of this film deals with two distinct and contrasting lives of the young school-going teenage girl Doris (Nico Parker). In both lives, she is carrying a heavy burden of grief and sadness on her slender shoulder. The first one is her personal life, wherein her only brother is suffering from an incurable cancer disease. His dreaded disease has adversely affected the lives of Doris and her single mother Kristine (Laura Linney). The second is her public, wherein Doris is a fun-loving teenager, who is discovering the joys of growing up surrounded by friends from school. The story is about how Doris deals with life.
The Unique Selling Point (USP) of the Film
As we mentioned earlier, we came here for Laura and Woody but Nico stole our hearts with her heart-rendering acting performance. We had seen Nico in the Last of Us (2023) series, in a small role. In this bitter-sweet film about human emotions, all three main characters Doris (Nico Parker), Kristine (Laura Linney) and Paul (Woody Harrelson) are dealing with the unbearable pain of grief and loss. The rest of the ensemble cast has done well too.
We loved its layered storyline
Laura Chinn, the writer and director, shares a personal real-life account in this narrative. It vividly portrays the semi-autobiographical tale of her brother Max Kenneth Chinn’s passing, alongside her mother’s understandable anger and distress. Her mother confronts the impending tragedy with unwavering determination towards her ailing sibling.
So, Laura Chinn has shared an evocative movie about grief and loss. If we ignore the certain goof-ups, this is a well-written and directed film. Especially the deep and funny conversation between Paul and Doris in the film. We loved most of their short and meaningful interactions (including the Driving) in the film.
Paul: My wife was obsessed with them (Fish Tacos). She passed away. Doris: I'm sorry. Paul: Me too. Doris: My Dad died. He had a heart attack, when I was three. Paul: Christ, it ain't a competition. But if it was, you'd be winning.
All of us, humans, deal with pain and sadness in our unique ways. Some people like Kristine, become bitter and angry. While people like Paul process the loss differently, they become a philosopher and compassionate. Meanwhile, teenagers like Doris just do not understand the immense trauma associated with death and disease and death of the loved ones. Doris just wishes to forget her pain and live her life like a normal teenager, but can she?
The conclusion
The grief and loss can either tear you apart? Or it can bring people together? In the end, it depends on how some characters react to the given situation. We liked that both Kristine and Doris grow as a human in the film, as they deal with shared loss. We loved the satisfactory ending of the show. As all of them became understanding and grew closer. We loved this human drama about self-discovery and the coming-of-age. Laura/Doris will certainly touch your heart and soul with their realistic tale. So, go ahead and watch it.
Poster of the Suncoast (2024) Movie
Key Details of the Suncoast (2024) Movie
| Genre | Drama |
| Original language | English (USA) |
| Age-restrictions | R (18+) |
| Released | February 9, 2024 (Streaming) |
| Duration | 1 hour 49 minutes |
| Writer | Laura Chinn |
| Director | Laura Chinn |
| Cast | Nico Parker (Doris), Laura Linney (Kristine), Woody Harrelson (Paul Warren), Ella Anderson (Brittany), Daniella Taylor (Laci), Amarr (Nate), Ariel Martin (Megan Kaminski), Cree Kawa (Max), Matt Walsh (Mr Ladd), Keyla Monterroso Mejia (Nurse Mia), etc. |
| Network | Hulu, Disney+ |
Award / Nomination won by the Suncoast (2024) Movie
| Name of the Award | Winner/Nominee of the Award |
|---|---|
| Sundance Film Festival – 2024 | Nico Parker – Winner – U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award Breakthrough Performance |
| Sundance Film Festival – 2024 | Laura Chinn – Nominee – Grand Jury Prize – Dramatic |
Poster, Featured & Other Images of the Suncoast (2024) Movie | Pics. Credit: Hulu, Disney+