X
In Theaters Now
- 2024
- R
- Searchlight Pictures
- 1 h 49 m
- 2024
- R
- Searchlight Pictures
- 1 h 49 m
Summary While caring for her brother along with her audacious mother, a teenager strikes up an unlikely friendship with an eccentric activist who is protesting one of the most landmark medical cases of all time. Inspired by a semi-autobiographical story.
Directed By: Laura Chinn
Written By: Laura Chinn
In Theaters Now
- 2024
- R
- Searchlight Pictures
- 1 h 49 m
- 2024
- R
- Searchlight Pictures
- 1 h 49 m
Suncoast
61
5.5
Where to Watch
Summary While caring for her brother along with her audacious mother, a teenager strikes up an unlikely friendship with an eccentric activist who is protesting one of the most landmark medical cases of all time. Inspired by a semi-autobiographical story.
Directed By: Laura Chinn
Written By: Laura Chinn
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 23 Critic Reviews
61
52% Positive
12 Reviews
12 Reviews
43% Mixed
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
4% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 23 Critic Reviews
61
52% Positive
12 Reviews
12 Reviews
43% Mixed
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
4% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
Forswearing anything like a pedantic message and giving the audience plenty of reasons to be sympathetic to the viewpoints of all three characters, Ms. Chinn has created a heartbreakingly real coming-of-age story.
With the cinematography by Bruce Francis Cole capturing the mid-2000s Florida setting and the score from Este Haim and Christopher Stracey helping to set the right mood, “Suncoast” eschews heavy-handed messaging about whether one is really and truly alive when one cannot survive on their own in favor of a quietly moving, occasionally surprising and ultimately lovely and thought-provoking work.
User Score
Mixed or Average
Based on 17 User Ratings
5.5
53% Positive
9 Ratings
9 Ratings
24% Mixed
4 Ratings
4 Ratings
24% Negative
4 Ratings
4 Ratings
User Score
Mixed or Average
Based on 17 User Ratings
5.5
53% Positive
9 Ratings
9 Ratings
24% Mixed
4 Ratings
4 Ratings
24% Negative
4 Ratings
4 Ratings
IN A NUTSHELL:
The movie is inspired by the writer/director’s own life experience from the early 2000s. Her name is Laura Chinn. The story is about a teenage girl who lives with her strong-willed mother who has to take her brother to a hospice facility as he dies of brain cancer. She strikes up an unlikely friendship with an eccentric activist during one of the most controversial medical cases in real life: Terri Shiavo.
THINGS I LIKED:
The cast is really terrific and includes Laura Linney, Woody Harrelson, Matt Walsh, and Nico Parker. They do a great job blending drama with comedy. Laura Linney’s performance is absolutely stellar as the crazed, protective mother.
We’re able to identify what time period the story takes place due to various clues like magazine covers about current events, clothing, and the real Terri Schiavo case that occurred in Florida. We see the protestors at the hospice, calling her husband a monster for giving up and demanding his wife be force-fed to stay alive. In one scene, the teenage protagonist is asked about her opinion on the issue and she explained that we can never know which decision was best for Terri Schiavo because we’re simply not in hers or her husband’s shoes. We’re often too quick to judge others’ choices without know all of the delicate details. So true.
I loved it when the grief counselor said, “I’m so sorry you’re going through this.” That seems like such a simple, obvious thing to say, but it’s surprising how rarely people say that. Last year, 3 of my parents died within 3 months of each other. We were shocked that when we called the various funeral homes to help us in the end, not one person said that to us. To them, death is an everyday occurrence and their bread and butter, so I think they almost forget what it feels like, but most people only experience it a few times in their lives. Why aren’t the phone operators at funeral homes trained to simply say, “I’m so sorry you had to call us today”?
We get to see examples of how people grieve differently. There is no right or wrong way. We all just have to get through it as best as we can and learn from it, showing grace and patience to others who mourn differently from us. We see that growth in the characters in the movie.
While the movie is about death, there is humor, as well as other topics that prevent the film from being overly depressing. That’s quite an accomplishment. The movie ends with a positive feeling of hope.
The religion that’s represented is Christian, although this doesn’t feel like a classic Christian film. What is shown is how even Christians grapple with their faith while simultaneously looking for answers. At one point, someone says, “I know he’s in a better place. I feel it.” Until we can full understand doctrinal points, that’s a perfectly good place to start.
You WILL cry.
At the end of the movie, we get to see a picture of the director’s brother before he passed away. She dedicated the movie to him, Max Kenneth Chinn. He should be really proud of her for creating such a powerful film.
THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:
It’s sad to see vulnerable teens get mixed up with the wrong crowd and make terrible mistakes.
TIPS FOR PARENTS:
Kids will be bored.
A woman flips the bird.
Some profanity, including F-bombs
Teens drink alcohol and get drunk.
We see teens pop pills but we don’t know exactly what they are.
Some of the teens say extremely crude and inappropriate things.
Report
Suncoast is a strong feature debut from Chinn. It’s heartfelt and filled with warmth and messy emotions that are deeply felt.
As “mixed bag” coming-of-age dramas go, Suncoast surprises with its heart and consistently punches above its emotional weight.
There’s a core of authentically devastating family experience and personal investment that saves Suncoast from its unskilled handling, giving this grief drama, coming-of-age combo a heart to counter its predictability.
Though Suncoast features wonderful performances, its clichés dim its impact.
While there is a literal amount of truth running through the semi-autobiographical Suncoast, its glossy, uncertain cutesiness is as fake as Ron DeSantis’ height.
"Suncoast" trata sua protagonista adolescente com certo amoralismo muito bem vindo, tal qual no recente "How to have sex", mas aqui há outras camadas interessantes: sua relação com a mãe, com o irmão em estágio terminal, com um desconhecido que ela conhecera na frente do hospital, na escola cristã. Esse caldeirão muito bem feito, tem por trás a história real da diretora estreante Laura Chinn, e a julgar pela estreia, pode prometer muito no futuro.
Protagonizado pela excelente Nico Parker, gosto bastante como sua personagem inicialmente tímida vai desabrochando, embora sua personalidade mais recatada se mantem, e especialmente o contraponto com as meninas mais "descoladas" da escola, que lhe introduzem uma vida mais liberal, não se tornou uma cópia de algo visto em "Meninas malvadas", isto é, o roteiro inteligentemente não as rivaliza, embora tenha certas cenas de ciúme e competição típicos da adolescência mesmo.
Ainda acho que a situação na escola cristã foi mal desenvolvida, e a relação com a mãe, que dá mais atenção ao filho doente, também subiu o tom algumas vezes, mas ainda assim o filme graciosamente se livra de caricaturas e tenta humanizar aquela relação (o final do filme é exemplar).
Também achei que o personagem do Woody Harrelson tinha bem mais a contribuir, mas o lado bom é que tornou a situação bem crível. "Suncoast" é o hospital onde o irmão da garota está hospitalizado, e lá há uma campanha pra uma personagem internada lá, viralizando nas redes, com pessoas fazendo campanha por ela, e é maravilhosa a cena na escola que a jovem defende que não sabemos ao certo o que se passa, sendo meio descabido usar de discursos que não conhecem a realidade particular de cada pessoa, um tapa na cara de quem conhece apenas as manchetes das redes.
Com muita coisa acontecendo, o retrato é humano, mas também falta certa profundidade em alguns temas. Ainda assim, consegue passar uma mensagem poderosa sobre a dor da perda e o equilíbrio que devemos ter para seguir em frente, sobre aproveitar a vida, vivê-la intensamente, e ainda assim, ter cuidado com excessos, sem esquecer o que mais importa, essa ligação com o outro, com a mãe, com o irmão, com amigas, com um desconhecido... Filme lindo e muito sensível, e irá tocar mais ainda quem já teve uma perda repentina na vida.
Report
If this movie had a flavour, it would be vanilla ice cream. Decent storyline, albeit a bit dull. Great performances by the leading veteran actors, although the terrible, giddy, cliche performances by some of the younger actors made it seem a bit ridiculous. Never have I seen teenagers act the way they do in Suncoast.
Report
Good performances but the plotting is as deliberate and as predictable as they come, and an overall muddled message.
One of the all time weirdest "super bowl" interludes. They go watch it at a beach bar, in Florida, in the middle of the day.
Report
This film is takes place in the same hospice that cared for Terri Schiavo (in case you do't remember, look it up). A teen (Nico Parker) is facing the end of life for her younger brother in that facility. Meanwhile, her harried mother (Laura Linney) and an eccentric activist (Woody Harrelson) push and pull her thru frustration and irritation. To make matters even more complex, she's trying to fit in with a clique in high school. Parker navigates the sea of emotions effectively. Linney makes her frustrated character's constant complaints barely bearable, while Harrelson adds a lighter touch tinged with tender moments. Writer/director Laura Chinn handles the tragic subject with varying degrees of success. Her creation of the group of high school girls provides some of the most enjoyable moments of humor and warmth. Ultimately, this story of emotional hardship goes where expected, but there's genuine compassion in this affecting hybrid of coming of age story and grief drama.
Report
Another one of those formulaic Sundance dramedys. Its exploration of how people experience pain is superficial, not to mention that the film, about a family awaiting the death of one of its members in a vegetative state, clumsily juggles themes such as coming-of-age, mother and daughter relationships, unlikely friendships, and the ethical and religious implications of euthanasia. The three leads give good performances; Laura Linney never disappoints, and Nico Parker continues to demonstrate her talent. Unfortunately, Woody Harrelson's character is superfluous at best. A cute but bland film.
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Production Company
Freestyle Picture Company,
Searchlight Pictures,
Seven Deuce Entertainment
Release Date Feb 2, 2024
Duration 1 h 49 m
Rating R
Genres
Awards
Sundance Film Festival
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
