‘Suncoast’ is Surprising
An uneven yet meaningful exploration of life and death.
Suncoast introduces us to Doris (Nico Parker), a teenager whose brother, Max (Cree Kawa), has brain cancer and is near the end of his life. She is trying to be a regular teenager while also caring for him and dealing with her grieving and high-strung mother, Kristine (Laura Linney).
I was primarily drawn to this movie because Woody Harrelson is in it. On Hulu, he’s prominently featured on the banner image along with Laura Linney and Nico Parker. I didn’t know much other than that. I was surprised by both the content of this film and how little screen time Harrelson has.
Suncoast is set in Florida in the early 2000s when Terri Schiavo was dominating the news. In the film, Doris’ brother is at the same hospice facility as Terri, so she has to constantly pass by the protestors who have gathered outside. Paul (Harrelson) is one of these protestors who is advocating for Terri to remain alive.
While people are discussing weighty themes of life and death outside of the facility, Doris and Kristine are just trying to make it through the day. They’re having to cope with Max’s impending death while also going to school and work. It’s hard to go through the motions of life while your loved one is lying in hospice dying.
