CrissCross

Divorced mom Tracy Cross raises her 12-year-old son Chris in a cheap hotel in Key West. The era is marked by the Apollo 11 Moon landing, giving the story a sense of upheaval and wonder. Chris narrates their screwed-up life with a mix of humor and tenderness.

Chris's father, a once-proud Annapolis-trained fighter pilot, has become deeply disturbed after bombing a civilian hospital. He deserts the family and moves into a commune, slipping into alcoholism. The rift with his son and ex-wife haunts them throughout the story.

To help make ends meet, Chris delivers papers and fish for Tracy, who works as a bartender and waitress. The precarious income underscores their fragile life in Key West. Chris carries a quiet sense of responsibility beyond his years.

Chris unwittingly discovers drugs hidden in the fish he delivers. Pressure and desperation push him to start dealing on a small scale to keep them afloat. This dangerous knowledge drags him toward trouble he never sought.

Tracy begins stripping to support themselves, a decision she makes despite her shame. When Chris confronts her about it, she explains that sometimes one must do what is not good to get what is. The tension between mother and son deepens as secrets grow.

Chris visits his father in the commune and tries to bring him back to Tracy. The reunion fails as his father remains distant and altered by his past. The encounter highlights Chris's longing for a normal family life.

A stranger named Joe comes to town and starts a relationship with Tracy. His presence adds drama and uncertainty to an already precarious household. The relationship also complicates Chris's feelings and safety.

Joe is revealed to be a law-enforcement undercover agent tasked with bringing down the drug ring. His mission collides with his romance, testing loyalties and jeopardizing the lives of Chris and Tracy. The situation becomes a tense balance between love and duty.

Chris delivers the drugs and the operation spirals into a violent shootout. He narrowly avoids being killed, barely escaping danger. The incident leaves a lasting scar on him and the family.

Following the shooting, Chris spends the night in jail and is placed on probation. The experience forces him to reckon with the consequences of his choices. It becomes a hard-earned lesson about staying out of trouble and protecting his mother.

Chris and Tracy move into a mobile home park and begin to rebuild their lives. Tracy retires from stripping, aiming to focus on her son and their future. The quiet move signals a fragile stability, even as the past lingers.

The Apollo Moon landing threads through the film as a metaphor for perseverance despite a screwed-up world. In the end, Chris acknowledges how happy the astronauts must have been to return to Earth, a note of wary hope for their future.