It’s not easy to lose someone you love. Worse still is watching them fade away slowly, especially as you’re trying to find your way in the world. For Doris (Nico Parker), that’s her everyday life as she watches her brother Max (Cree Kawa) fade away slowly from brain cancer. She’s caught serving as a caretaker and holding vigil while her formative high school years are racing away.

In the new film Suncoast, which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival and streams on Hulu Friday, we meet Doris and her family. We learn more about her, the grief and loss that consumes her world and her deep desire to just be a teenager. It’s a raw and beautiful portrait of grief and loss interwoven with a coming-of-age story.

The film is set in Florida in the early 2000s. Doris’ brother is transferred to a care facility—Suncoast—as his time is drawing to a close. It just so happens that’s the same facility caring for Terry Schiavo, whose case has made national news and drawn national attention.

Doris and her mother, Kristine (Laura Linney), don’t often see eye-to-eye. Kristine has been so focused on Max and his care that, at times, it seems Doris and her needs have slipped through the cracks. Doris wants to be a normal teen and with her brother in a facility and her mother holding vigil there, she uses the opportunity to connect with some girls her own age at school.

When she’s not making new friends at school, Doris is at Suncoast. While there, she crosses paths with plenty of protestors there to uphold the sanctity of life as Schiavo’s husband seeks to compassionately end his wife’s suffering. One of those protestors—Paul (Woody Harrelson)—connects with Doris. They swap stories and form a friendship that helps ease both their grief.

This film was written and directed by Laura Chinn, based on her personal experiences. That personal connection comes through as the film is, at times, deeply emotional. It is also engaging and develops characters and a world that pull you in.

The film is buoyed by some strong performances. I enjoyed Linney and her arc. I appreciated the way that it explores her grief but also the way that she has become so consumed with Max she’s forgotten Doris, at times. This is as much her story as it is about Doris.

I also enjoyed Harrelson. His character and story add a lot of emotional depth, and his back-and-forth with Doris is often cathartic. Their final exchange near the end of the film was beautiful and touching.

But what really makes it work is Parker. She’s asked to carry a lot in the film and is able to convey a great deal with her expressions and non-dialogue performance. The raw emotion she demonstrates, particularly in the third act really hit home for me. It’s a beautiful performance paired with a beautiful and emotionally resonant story.

To this point, Suncoast is my favorite film of the new year. It’s beautiful and engaging, full of strong performances. This is one that you should make a point to seek out this weekend.

Suncoast streams on Hulu beginning Friday, February 9.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.