Suncoast Review: Nico Parker Brings An Emotionally Complex Situation To Life In Heartwarming Drama

A semi-autobiographical film by first-time feature writer-director Laura Chinn, Suncoast is an emotional marvel. Occasionally raw and tender, but no less lighthearted and endearing, the film — which follows Nico Parker’s Doris, a teenager who straddles having a normal high school experience with taking care of her terminally ill brother — is a lovely coming-of-age story that weaves together grief with a complex mother-daughter relationship.

Suncoast is an autobiographical drama film by writer-director Laura Chinn, released in 2024. The film explores stories from Laura Chinn’s own life, including her brother, who was taken to a specialized facility to care for his detrimental illness. At the facility, however, she meets an eccentric man rallying against the medical system, which sets off a historical series of events.

Pros

• Suncoast beautifully captures different stages of grief
• Nico Parker is excellent in an emotionally nuanced role
• The film explores the complexities of its mother-daughter relationship

Cons

• Parker & Woody Harrelson’s onscreen friendship isn’t wholly necessary

Suncoast Wonderfully Breaks Down Complex Emotions

The film is set during Terri Schiavo’s final days. Schiavo’s case made headlines for years as a battle raged between her husband and parents about whether she should remain on artificial life support. Her feeding tube was finally removed in 2005, and Suncoast, also the name of the hospice where Doris’ brother lives, creates the moral backbone of the story. As ethical matters are debated about in class, Doris stands in the middle of hypothetical arguments and reality, and Chinn does a tremendous job of allowing the complexities of the character’s life and emotions shine through.

Suncoast soars when its focus is on Doris’ complicated feelings, as she deals with the guilt of not being with her brother 24/7 and the weight of responsibility and emotional manipulation by her mother, Christine (Laura Linney). Between caring for her brother and helping her mother, the teenager hasn’t exactly had any time to simply live on her own terms, or experience regular things. For the first time ever, she’s got real friends — who could have easily been snooty mean girls, as that’s initially implied, but the script avoids such tropes — and she isn’t so cooped up at home.

Doris even makes friends with a Schiavo protestor (Woody Harrelson), who understands grief after losing his wife years prior. Harrelson is helpful in filling in the role of parent, since Christine is so preoccupied with caring for her son that she doesn’t give Doris the kind of attention she deserves, nor does she acknowledge her needs. But despite a nice friendship that develops between them, Harrelson’s place in the narrative is less concrete than everything else in the story. Through him, though, Doris is able to see things (even him) more clearly and express grievances with her mother.

Nico Parker Delivers An Emotionally Nuanced Performance

Laura Linney is also a standout in an occasionally unlikable role

Parker, who made her debut in the live-action Dumbo, is excellent as the quiet, yet frustrated Doris. The young actress allows various emotions — anger, confusion, resentment, shyness, and everything in between — to play across her face so effortlessly, bringing us into Doris’ tumultuous world. A particularly devastating scene near the end of the film opens up the emotional floodgates and establishes Parker as a truly talented actress capable of making us chuckle with her line deliveries and our eyes water with unshed tears.

Christine is far less likable, at least at first, but Linney manages to infuse depth and humanity into her performance that gives way to understanding. Stubborn and hyper-focused on her son, Linney’s character is not without her faults, but she’s also not one-note. There’s far more to her than being an irate and occasionally careless mother, and Linney unfolds the layers of meaning behind Christine’s every action. Harrelson is reliably good, and his gentleness with Doris nicely juxtaposes Christine’s harshness.

Suncoast is a strong feature debut from Chinn. It’s heartfelt and filled with warmth and messy emotions that are deeply felt. Despite the centering of grief at every stage, the film is not a complete downer, and it’s even occasionally funny (this is especially true of Doris’ friends, who provide the story with the most levity). Touching and layered — emotionally and ethically — Suncoast is a beautiful film with lovely performances, capturing difficult times and complex family dynamics.