What Is CrissCross About?
The premise of CrissCross in 265 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
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.
What Happens in CrissCross?
The complete story of CrissCross, from the first scene to the last, in 353 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout.
Spoilers ahead
Set in Key West in 1969, around the Apollo 11 Moon landing, the film follows Tracy Cross [Goldie Hawn], a divorced mom, who raises her 12-year-old son Chris Cross [David Arnott] in a cheap hotel. Chris narrates the story in voice-over, describing a life he calls “screwed up,” and detailing how they scrape by each day.
John Cross [Keith Carradine], his father, is an Annapolis-trained fighter pilot who served in Vietnam. After a traumatic moment—he bombs a civilian hospital and burns his uniform as a “killer’s costume”—he descends into alcoholism and deserts the family, retreating to a commune. Chris hasn’t seen him in three years, yet he still loves him deeply.
Chris delivers papers and fishes to help support his mother, who works as a bartender and waitress, while she sometimes resorts to stripping to keep them afloat. She is ashamed when Chris confronts her, but she tells him that sometimes in life one has to do what is not good to get what is.
A hidden layer to their world is that drugs are concealed inside the fish Chris delivers, pulling him into small-time drug dealing out of desperation. He longs for stability and tries to coax his father to reconcile with his mother, but the rift remains.
A stranger named Joe [Arliss Howard] comes to town and begins a relationship with Tracy, which unsettles Chris. Joe is not what he seems: he is an undercover law-enforcement agent working to bring down the drug ring. As the investigation escalates, the three become entangled in a web of loyalty, danger, and choice.
The tension erupts in a violent shootout when the drugs are delivered, and Chris narrowly escapes harm. He spends a night in jail and ends up on probation, learning a hard-won lesson about consequences and responsibility. The trio moves to a mobile home park, and Tracy retires from stripping, seeking a quieter, steadier life.
Throughout the film, the Apollo Moon landing is echoed as a metaphor for return and redemption—the moment when the astronauts must have felt relief and happiness upon returning to Earth, regardless of how imperfect life can be.
CrissCross Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
12 key events in the order they happen, from “Life in 1969 Key West” to “Moon landing metaphor and final reflection”. 11 events name a place, across 3 locations.
- 1
Life in 1969 Key West
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.
When:1969 (Apollo 11 era) Where:Key West
- 2
Dad's desertion and the broken family
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.
When:late 1960s Where:the commune
- 3
Chris helps with deliveries
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.
When:1969 Where:Key West
- 4
Discovery of drugs and descent into dealing
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.
When:1969 Where:Key West
- 5
Tracy's new occupation and confrontation
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.
When:1969 Where:Key West
- 6
Chris seeks reconciliation with his father
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.
When:1969 Where:the commune
- 7
Joe arrives and forms a bond with Tracy
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.
When:1969 Where:Key West
- 8
Joe is revealed as undercover agent
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.
When:1969 Where:Key West
- 9
The drug sting and a deadly shootout
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.
When:1969 Where:Key West
- 10
Night in jail and probation
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.
When:1969 Where:Key West
- 11
A new life in a mobile home park
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.
When:1969 Where:Mobile home park
- 12
Moon landing metaphor and final reflection
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.
When:End of 1969
Who Are the Main Characters in CrissCross?
4 characters, among them Chris Cross (David Arnott), Tracy Cross (Goldie Hawn) and John Cross (Keith Carradine): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- CC
Chris Cross (David Arnott)
Played by David Arnott
A 12-year-old narrator who observes his mother’s struggle and the family’s dysfunction. Resourceful and observant, Chris is pulled between loyalty to Tracy and the lure of street-level risk as he navigates poverty and small-time crime. His worldview shifts from childlike dependence to a premature sense of responsibility.
- 🎭 Drama
- 🧭 Coming-of-age
- 🧒 Youth
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Tracy Cross (Goldie Hawn)
Played by Goldie Hawn
Divorced mother who works the bar and takes a morally gray path to support her son. Her pride and vulnerability clash with the economic pressures she faces, driving moments of shame and resilience. She seeks some stability as Chris grows and the danger around them tightens.
- 💃 Drama
- 👩👦 Family
- 💪 Resilience
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John Cross (Keith Carradine)
Played by Keith Carradine
An Annapolis-trained fighter pilot and Vietnam veteran whose decline into alcoholism and detachment devastates the family. He remains a looming figure of love and loss, rendering any attempt at reconciliation complicated and fragile.
- 🪖 War legacy
- 💔 Fractured family
- 🕯️ Remorse
-
Joe (Arliss Howard)
Played by Arliss Howard
A stranger who becomes Tracy’s lover and an undercover law-enforcement agent. His arrival stirs tension for Tracy and Chris and propels the narrative toward an arrest that tests loyalty and courage. His presence bridges love and duty with dangerous consequences.
- 🕵️♂️ Spy
- 💘 Duty vs Love
- 🎯 Tension
Where and When Is CrissCross Set?
CrissCross is set in Key West and Florida (1969). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
1969
The story unfolds in the late 1960s, around the time of the Apollo 11 Moon landing. It captures a period of social change, economic struggle, and the search for stability in a youth-driven counterculture. The events—drug dealing, a commune, and an undercover operation—are anchored in the era’s rough-edged realities.
Where
Key West, Florida
Key West, Florida, in 1969 provides a sun-soaked coastal backdrop. The town is shown through cheap hotels and the everyday grind of Tracy and Chris, highlighting a working-class, weathered environment. Its bohemian and rough edges frame the film’s mix of family strain, crime, and small-time struggles.
- 🏝️ Island backdrop
- 🏨 Cheap hotels
- 🌀 Bohemian atmosphere
What Are the Themes of CrissCross?
4 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Family & Survival, Crime & Consequences and Abandonment & Reconciliation.
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01
Family & Survival
The story centers on Tracy and Chris as they scramble to survive poverty while balancing love, responsibility, and fear. Chris’s coming-of-age is driven by the need to protect his mother and himself in a world of bars, hotels, and rough choices. The film uses intimate family moments to explore loyalty, sacrifice, and the costs of staying together.
-
02
Crime & Consequences
Chris stumbles into drug dealing as a desperation-driven choice, reflecting how poverty can push a child into dangerous circles. The drug ring, the undercover operation, and the resulting shootout illustrate the fragility of safety in a town on the edge. The consequence is a period of probation and a hard-earned maturation.
-
03
Abandonment & Reconciliation
John Cross’s desertion and alcoholism create a fractured family dynamic that haunts Chris. The father’s failure to connect with Tracy accentuates the boy’s longing for a stable father figure. The space for reconciliation appears only as fragile hope amid a chaotic environment.
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04
Moon Landing Metaphor
The Apollo Moon landing is invoked as a recurring metaphor for returning to Earth from turmoil. It mirrors Chris’s desire for a stable life and the astronauts’ return, suggesting that even in a screwed-up world, a grounded, ordinary life remains a possibility.
What Kind of Film Is CrissCross?
Melancholic in tone, with steady pacing and a straightforward story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Melancholic
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Straightforward
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Bittersweet
A melancholic and nostalgic coming-of-age drama set against the 1969 moon landing, following a boy's desperate attempts to save his mother from a life of stripping, leading to a dangerous foray into crime.
- nostalgic
- somber
- coming-of-age
- desperate
- reflective
- mother-son relationship
- drug dealing
- family dysfunction
- socioeconomic hardship
- sexual curiosity
Content notes: child endangerment, drug trafficking, parental abandonment, strip club environment, shootout violence.
Quiz
How well do you remember CrissCross? Test yourself on the story.
