CrissCross

In the sweltering summer of 1969, Key West feels both timeless and on the brink of change, its pastel‑washed streets humming with the excitement of the Apollo Moon landing. The city’s gritty underbelly is juxtaposed against a carefree, almost surreal, tourist veneer, creating a backdrop where ordinary lives are tinged with desperation and hope. A youthful, observant narrator drifts through this world, offering a reflective, voice‑over‑colored view that treats every cracked motel hallway and neon‑lit bar as a small stage for larger, unspoken struggles.

Tracy Cross is a single mother doing whatever it takes to keep the lights on, even if it means working at a topless bar that the boy can’t quite reconcile with his ideal of a safe home. Her teenage son, Christopher, watches her nightly routine with a mixture of shame, love, and fierce protectiveness, prompting him to chase any possible escape from their cramped existence. When a local restaurant owner offers the lad a job hauling fish from the bay, the work becomes a conduit for Christopher to glimpse a hidden side of the city’s economy—one that promises quick cash but demands risky choices.

The film balances a tender, almost nostalgic tone with the raw edges of survival, using the era’s iconic space race as a quiet metaphor for the characters’ yearning to break free from their own gravity. As Christopher navigates schoolyards, back‑room deals, and uneasy conversations with strangers, the audience is left wondering whether his determination to secure a better future will be enough to lift his family out of the shadows that cling to Key West’s sun‑splashed streets.

Last Updated: December 03, 2025 at 23:33