Why Suncoast is rated R? Parents guide - explained

UK Special Screening Of Searchlight Pictures
Suncoast is currently streaming on Hulu (Image via Getty)

Suncoast is a coming-of-age drama feature film written and directed by Laura Chinn. It is produced by Jeremy Plager, Francesca Silvestri, Kevin Chinoy, and Oly Obst. Freestyle Picture Company and 7 Deuce Entertainment serve as executive producers on the movie, and Searchlight Pictures is responsible for its distribution. It stars Laura Linney, Nico Parker, and Woody Harrelson in the titular roles.

Since the movie focuses on the life of a teenager and her exploration of adulthood, it has been given an R-rating owing to its depictions of teen drug and alcohol use, language, and some sexual references. Having said that the movie does not have any instances of violence.

Disclaimer: The following article comprises spoilers. Please read at your discretion.


What does Suncoast's R-rating mean?

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Suncoast which was released in the United States on February 2, 2024, and the streaming platform Hulu on February 9, 2024, has been rated R for its content. This means those under the age of 17 can only watch it under the supervision of an adult.

The movie has been rated R by the Motion Picture Association due to its frequent depictions of drug and alcohol use. Besides this, the movie also features a lot of explicit language as well as multiple sexual references, which is unsuitable for those who are underage.

Parents Previews, a page dedicated to parents, lists down the number of things they should be wary of while watching the movie. Speaking about the profanity used in the movie, it says:

"There are 13 sexual expletives, 16 scatological curses, and frequent use of mild profanities and terms of deity in the script."

It also talks about Alcohol and Drug Use depicted in the movie and says:

"Teen characters are seen drinking, smoking marijuana, and taking MDMA and as well as abusing prescription medication. Adult characters are occasionally seen smoking tobacco."

What is Suncoast all about?

Suncoast tells the story of a teenager, Doris who has spent most of her life catering to her brother, Schiavo, who is always sick. Her life takes a turn when her mother decides to take Schiavo to a hospice center, leaving her behind. The experience, although unsettling at first, gives Doris her first taste of freedom, away from the responsibilities she has had to bear all her life.

From being a girl no one knows of, she slowly ventures into becoming someone everyone does. Her newfound freedom takes her on a journey of reflection and self-discovery, with occasional hiccups along the way. But while she is on this journey, she cannot help but be reminded of her brother and mother, the only family she has left.


Is the Suncoast worth watching?

Suncoast premiered on Hulu on February 9, 2024. It has received an above-average rating from critics and audiences. Critics have given the movie a 75% rating on Rotten Tomatoes whereas the cumulative score by the audience is an impressive 87%. Manuel Sao Bento from Talking Films, talking about the movie says:

Chinn’s screenplay is cleverly structured and, above all, respectful of all the topics it addresses. The filmmaker never makes the mistake of assuming what’s right or wrong, offering valid arguments from both sides in any thematic discussion.

He continues:

Whether it’s the lack of attention from a single mother to one of her children due to extreme concern for another, the anxious struggles of a teenager in making friends and being herself, the brutality of living with the expectation of inevitable grief, the extra responsibility placed on a young woman who only wants to have a ‘normal adolescence,’ or the debate about whether all lives are indeed precious, Suncoast is a true rollercoaster of emotions and moral/ethical dilemmas that are impossible to answer easily."

Suncoast is currently streaming on Hulu. In specific regions, you can also watch it on Disney Hotstar.

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