Where the Crawdads Sing

The bluntness of its messaging proves to be a bit of a detraction, but the fact remains that Where the Crawdads Sing is a heartfelt, and gorgeous picture, the kind which major studios used to make all the time, and now feel like a bit of an endangered species.

It’s Southern-fried “The Blue Lagoon” meets “Murder, She Wrote” — and topped off with a sprinkling of “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

Where the Crawdads Sing is recommended, and part of me liked it. But I confess to feeling a bit bored and, surprising even to myself, a bit disappointed that the filmmakers, in the quest to honour Owens’ book, created something without a single surprise in casting, setting or anything else.

There is minimal tension in spite of clear stakes, but because we never get closer to Kya than arm’s length, it never seems like she’s in any real danger. We are meant to side with her and empathize with her as the abused, underdog outsider in that fact of character alone. Nothing appears to simmer below the surface, and everything rings hollow because of it.

Edgar-Jones’ easygoing allure isn’t enough to bind Where the Crawdads Sing together, though, leaving the film a generic, dull outing.

The Delia Owens bestseller about sex and murder in the Carolinas comes to the screen as an antiseptic, airbrushed, miscast misfire that takes so few risks with the publishing phenom that it feels more embalmed than a freshly imagined version of the book.

It’s a relentless surge of solemnly ridiculous nonsense in the style of romdram maestro Nicholas Sparks (creator of The Notebook and Message in a Bottle) culminating in a courtroom trial with Edgar-Jones’s free-spirited heroine in the dock as the Manic Pixie Dream Girl Murder Suspect.

I can't believe this movie did not win multiple awards and get outstanding reviews. It is such an injustice to a work of art!!! Brought my husband and I to tears, multiple times, and it is extremely rare that my husband is moved by a movie. It’s not just sad, it’s also beautiful and happy and has such a good ending. It’s gut wrenching but yet inspiring. It’s mysterious. It’s a love story. Even a thriller. And it keeps you interested until the very last second! I wish I could do something to make this movie more popular and get it the credit it deserves. I guess I’ll start with some reviews!

Great performance by Edgar Jones. Beautifully shot. Love the book and story too. Biggest issue for me was i feel could’ve been a lot better if directed by someone else. Stylish but somehow empty, and dragging. A different more deft director could’ve taken the book content and made it a brilliant movie.

Didn't really have much anticipation for this, but to my surprise I didn't hate it. I haven't read the book so my experience is just the film. The performances were fine and overall I did enjoy even though nothing really blew me away.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

I cannot think of a single redeeming factor about this movie. Its overhyped, full of plot holes, the characters behave inexplicably and are caricatures of their various stereotypes. Its part To Kill a Mockingbird, a bit Of Mice and Men and a whole lot of seen it all before. There was no reason for this movie to be made, its that simple. The icing on the cake was how predictable it all was, especially the ending.