Executive Producer Reese Witherspoon brings the pages of the global phenomenon to life very compellingly.
Abandoned as a girl, Kya (Daisy edger-Jones) raised herself in the dangerous marshlands of North Carolina. For years, rumors of the marsh girl haunted Barkley Cove, isolating the sharp and resilient Kya from her community. Drawn to two young men from town, she opens herself to a new and startling world.
It’s not the most straightforward job adapting a bestselling novel into a box office sensation. The pacing of Where the Crawdads Sing is decent for the most part, as it tries to balance mystery, love, and drama in a way that manages to still be entertaining and yet sincere. Author Delia Owen’s adapted book allows the audience plenty of time to enjoy both major aspects of Kya’s story, and it never gets bogged down too much into a huge spectacle that would require more films to tell the story.
The music in this film is a solid tool that amplifies and makes every scene pop out a little more than just simply talking. The soft piano touches and some other instruments help raise the bar of each scene’s essence and bring that bam factor to each moment of the film. It’s balanced well and each of the tracks and pieces used in this film helps things “sing” a little more.
Where the Crawdads Sing location is perfect for a good drama/mystery film. The Marshes offer so much in the way of their ecosystem and provide the audience with so many tiny worlds to discover and hide in when the moment calls for it. All the shots during the scene transitions were absolutely gorgeous and the wildlife mixed with the natural (and artificial) light of the world come together to really pull you into the Carolina setting.
For someone who has never read the book, I really didn’t mind the back and forth between the past and the trial. This style always fascinates me and I love how they used the past to influence the present. This style works well for the film and is done in a way that emphasizes and keeps you engaged in the story. The film uses moments from the trial to set up the next scene of Kaya’s past which fuels the case a little and helps draw conclusions as to what the truth is. Again, it was executed pretty well and kept the characters integrated throughout the story.
This story is definitely more about the characters, and Owens’ writing was adapted beautifully to show the emotions of the story. The film provides plenty of emotional punches, hitting that drama switch with no hesitation that will make you cry.
The acting was hands down the biggest aspect of this film. The cast was sensational and really helped to establish each character. Tom Milton was fantastic and had the perfect balance of patience, sincerity, and that wisdom you really need to guide the film along. Taylor John Smith does super well for the moments he is on the screen. Smith is sincere and does well balancing his character’s flaws and strengths. Now, Daisy Edger-Jones is just spectacular and she played the role of the Marsh Girl really well, balancing elements of hurt, strength, and hope in a way that the audience like to see.
Overall, Where the Crawdads Sing is no doubt a beautiful film in terms of style, vision, and cinematic storytelling. It’s got a brilliant cast of characters and some fantastic writing that really makes the story come alive, alongside actors who do their jobs well. The movie has a decent pace but lacks a little bit of edge that a crime movie should have. However, the mystery and romantic aspects of the film are on point and will keep you engaged throughout the film.
Where the Crawdads Sing is now playing in theaters.
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