WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING REVIEW

 *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Following its publication in 2018, Delia Owens’ novel, Where The Crawdads Sing, became one of the best selling novels after selling over twelve million copies. The story follows two timelines that slowly intertwine. The first timeline describes the life and adventures of a young girl named Kya as she grows up isolated in the marsh of North Carolina between 1952 and 1969. The second timeline follows an investigation into the apparent murder of Chase Andrews, a local celebrity of Barkley Cove, a fictional coastal town of North Carolina. Because of its popularity, it’s not surprising that a feature film adaptation has been made, however, is it just as compelling as its source material?

Kya (Daisy Edgar Jones) is an abandoned girl who raised herself to adulthood in the dangerous marshlands of North Carolina. For years, rumours of the "Marsh Girl" haunted Barkley Cove, isolating the sharp and resilient Kya from her community. Drawn to two young men, childhood friend Tate Walker (Taylor John Smith) and the seemingly charming Chase Andrews (Harris Dickinson), from town, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world; but when Chase is found dead, she is immediately cast by the community as the main suspect. As the case unfolds, the verdict as to what actually happened becomes increasingly unclear, threatening to reveal the many secrets that lay within the marsh.

Where The Crawdads Sing combines an intriguing murder mystery with a fascinating character study, making for a compelling watch for the majority of its 125 minute runtime. Lucy Alibar’s script remains faithful to Owens’ best selling novel so I can’t imagine readers being disappointed with what director Olivia Newman has created with her adaptation. Those who are less familiar with the original book will likely find Where The Crawdads Sing to be an intriguing watch.

Where The Crawdads Sing is at its most compelling when it’s focusing on Kya and her tragic past. As a child, she was abandoned by her mother and siblings who left her alone with an abusive and neglectful father (Garret Dillahunt), who also eventually left. This leads to Kya being forced to take care of herself. By the time she reaches adulthood, Kya has become socially awkward but self reliable. Although she lacks social skills and struggles with writing and spelling, Kya proves to be a talented artist and knowledgable about nature and the wildlife that inhabit the swamp. Because she’s an outsider and has a unique personality, it’s easy to see why Tate develops feelings for her. Understandably, Kya keeps Tate at a distance as she fears being abandoned by him, just like her family did, however, she is unable to resist his charms. The romantic triangle between Kya, Tate and Chase adds to the drama. 

Where The Crawdads Sing is produced by Oscar winning actress, Reese Witherspoon, who previously produced David Fincher’s adaption of Gillian Flynn’s twisted mystery based novel, Gone Girl. Those hoping for Where The Crawdads Sing to be as riveting and thrilling as Gone Girl may be disappointed. However, it’s not hard to understand why Witherspoon was interested in producing a feature film adaptation of Where The Crawdads Sing as she chose the novel as part of her book club in September 2018. Having Witherspoon’s name attached to the film helps with promotion as it proves that she was involved in getting the film made.

What’s most interesting about Where The Crawdads Sing is its cast. Instead of casting famous actors, the characters are portrayed by unfamiliar faces who each deliver a solid performance. The standout performance is delivered by Daisy Edgar Jones who, following her appearance in the drama series, Normal People, and in the gory thriller, Fresh, continues to impress with her acting. Where The Crawdads Sing is worth watching just for Jones’ portrayal of Kya. Jones shares chemistry with Smith who is likeable as Tate who clearly cares about Kya. Dickinson brings a charm to Chase at first but it doesn’t take long for the darker side of his personality to be revealed. 

The main narrative for Where The Crawdads Sing surrounds the court case, with Kya being accused of Chase’s death. As the story develops, each viewer will have their own opinion of whether or not Kya was responsible, with the truth not being revealed until the final scene. Because of this, the film mostly succeeds as a mystery as it keeps viewers guessing throughout. 

Although I found Where The Crawdads Sing to be a mostly compelling watch, for the majority of its 125 minute runtime, I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of people struggled with the structure of the narrative which frequently jumps between telling Kay’s tragic childhood and young adult life and the court case. However, with cinemas currently filled with the latest superhero film from Marvel Studios, sequels and family friendly animated films, it was refreshing to watch a film like Where The Crawdads Sing, which tells an original and interesting story.

7/10