It’s the Sundance Film Festival time guyzzzz. So get ready cuz we’ll be covering a list of fresh movies for youuu. Toh chaliye, shuru karte hai. Today’s movie is “Suncoast,” a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age story by Laura Chinn. It tries to work with that heartwarming wholesome vibe that gets you teary eyes, or even worse, bawling by the end of the movie, but doesn’t really succeed. It’s that teenager trying to discover life while facing her own set of personal problems wala story—basically lots of feels, family drama, and finding yourself. But, does it really hit the mark? I’m afraid it does not.
Plot
“Suncoast” takes us back to the early 2000s in sunny Florida. We follow Doris (played by Nico Parker), a teen dealing with her terminally ill brother Max and their mom Kristine, who’s always on the edge of an emotional meltdown. So basically Doris is Raju Rastogi but in an alternate universe. Anyway, when Max’s condition worsens, they move him to a hospice, where Doris meets Paul (Woody Harrelson), an activist involved in the Terri Schiavo right-to-die case happening at the same hospital. That’s where they start to bond, and Doris starts to break out of her shell, making new friends, and throwing parties when her mom is away and all of that teenage stuff. But the plot soon gets vv serious and juggles too many plotlines, like Doris’s new social life, her family’s struggles, and her bond with Paul, without really diving deep into any of them.
Performances
I saw Nico Parker in The Last Of Us. She hardly had 30 minutes there, but damn, she had really impressed me. Naturally, I was vv excited seeing her get a main role here, and she absolutely shines as Doris. She’s got this mix of awkwardness and strength that makes you root for her. Laura Linney as Kristine, the mom delivers a solid performance, even though her character could’ve used more depth. She’s a mom who’s angry and heartbroken, and Linney nails it, though we don’t get to see enough of her softer side. But the biggest bummer is Woody Harrelson as Paul. He literally nails these kinda roles. But the problem here was the script. His character is kind of just… there. He pops in and out of the story without much impact. The group of new friends Doris makes (Ella Anderson, Daniella Taylor, Amarr, and Ariel Martin) are fun, but their characters feel a bit one-dimensional.
Direction and Writing
Laura Chinn is honestly a mixed bag as a director. She’s pretty good at how she handles Doris’s journey to stand out and finally live outside of her brother’s shadow. She also handles emotional moments well, and the scenes with Doris and Paul are pretty wholesome too. But the script? It’s kind of a mess. The relationship between Doris and Paul has potential but feels so half-baked. The family dynamics are interesting but, once again, underdeveloped. It just feels like a script that could’ve been so much better had they reduced the number of ideas and worked on the limited ones achhe se. Chinn tries to juggle too much, and the movie ends up feeling scattered and shallow.
Screenplay and Cinematography
I had started watching the movie thinking it’d be a proper tearjerker and I’d be all over the place by the end of it. But the screenplay let’s down big time. It’s like… you really wanna cry your heart out but the screenplay just doesn’t let you. It moves between different storylines without giving any of them the depth they need. Some dialogues are touching, but they don’t always pack the punch you’d hope for. Told ya, they let down emotionally. Visually, the movie nails the early 2000s Florida vibe—think warm, sunny shots that give off major nostalgia. But sometimes, this cheery aesthetic clashes with the movie’s heavier themes, and idk results in a weird combo of bittersweet vibes.
“Suncoast” is like that playlist you make with a bit of everything—it’s got some hits, but a lot of it feels like filler. Nico Parker is fantastic, and Laura Linney brings some serious feels, but the movie doesn’t quite know what it wants to be. It’s trying to be a heartfelt coming-of-age story and a family drama with social activism thrown in, but it ends up being just okay at all of them. If you’re looking for a sunny, easy watch with a few touching moments, give it a go. But if you’re hoping for something that sticks with you long after, “Suncoast” might not be it. It’s charming, sure, but it’s also kind of forgettable.
