'Suncoast,' starring Woody Harrelson and Laura Linney, is predictable. That's why it works

Writer and director Laura Chinn's semi-autobiographical coming-of-age film debut "Suncoast" expertly navigates living, dying, ethics and faith with a refreshing predictability.

I know we all want to go to the movies and be surprised and blown away, but sometimes I want to know exactly what I'm getting into while still being entertained.

"Suncoast" did exactly that.

Part of the film's charm is knowing from the beginning that this is going to be heartwarming, heartbreaking and wholly predictable. Instead of working against tropes, Chinn leans into them and presents a film reminiscent of a classic indie darling of the early 2000s.

What is 'Suncoast' about?

With sunny, vibrant Clearwater, Florida as the backdrop, "Suncoast," set in 2005, follows Doris (Nico Parker) and her mom Kristine (Laura Linney) as they navigate the inevitable death of Doris' terminally ill brother Max (Cree Kawa).

Doris was stripped of her childhood after her brother Max was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, which has, over the years, spread to his lungs. Helping take care of him while their mother works to make ends meet has been all Doris knows. Now, with Max's condition worsening, he's been moved to Suncoast, a hospice care center.

Suncoast also happens to be where Terri Schiavo, a woman who in real life had been in a coma for 15 years, is, while a media circus happens outside with protests over the removal of her feeding tube by her husband.

We follow Doris as she grapples with conflicting emotions surrounding her brother's coming death, the ethical and religious dilemma of assisted death and wanting to live like a typical 17-year-old.

Along the way she meets Paul (Woody Harrelson), who is the textbook wise man in disguise: cutoff shorts, Hawaiin shirt, a cigarette dangling from his mostly gray-bearded mouth spouting wisdom and personal regrets surrounding his wife's sudden death.

Despite her brother's condition and because of her mother's neglect towards her soon-to-be only living child, Doris makes friends with the cool kids, throws house parties and sneaks into clubs.

However, along the way, she experiences true friendship for the first time and learns she is her own person outside of her daughter/sister/caretaker role.

'Suncoast' is more impactful than surprising

I may have guessed from early on exactly how this film would play out, but that didn't keep me from crying like a baby at the end.

The cast is one of the film's strengths; they go all-in on their performances. Linney and Harrelson are veterans, and their performances feel like an easy ocean breeze. Meanwhile, Parker's wide-eyed awkwardness and soft-spoken voice carry the film to its untimely end.

This isn't a film that presents a whole lot of opportunities for flashy cinematography or even high-stakes arguments (sorry, Doris doesn't go full Adam Driver and punch a wall at the climax of this story). Chinn instead allows the performances to be completely grounded and not overworked, making you feel the weight and impact without intense music or slinging insults.

Chinn also uses more subtle camera choices, allowing the audience to feel like they are witnessing a series of private moments. One that stands out is early in the film when Doris and Kristine are talking in Max's hospital room. The camera is outside the window, peering in from the hallway, making you feel like an eavesdropper.

Overall, "Suncoast" is a mostly feel-good film that pulls the characters and audience together to ask questions about ethics, faith, humanity and grief, without offering any real answers.

Which is why it works.

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'Suncoast' 3.5 stars

Great ★★★★★ Good ★★★★

Fair ★★★ Bad ★★ Bomb ★

Director: Laura Chinn.

Cast: Nico Parker, Laura Linney, Woody Harrelson.

Rating: Rated R for teen drug and alcohol use, language and some sexual references.

How to watch: Opens in select theaters on Feb. 2 and streaming on Hulu beginning Feb. 9.

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Meredith G. White is the entertainment reporter for The Arizona Republic |azcentral.com. You can find her on Facebook as Meredith G. White, on Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter, as @meredithgwhite, and email her at meredith.white@arizonarepublic.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 'Suncoast' with Laura Linney is exactly what you're looking for