I went to a screening of this with a good friend who was a huge fan of the novel this is based off of. I sure am glad she brought this new film to the forefront for me! I enjoyed Where the Crawdads Sing a good bit more than I was expecting. This is yet another example of my opinion going against the majority of other critics. I’m shocked this is only at about 35% on Rotten Tomatoes! The winning recipe for success here is the well constructed script, steady pacing, and fine performances.
I love a film that has a strong worthwhile story to tell and Where the Crawdads Sing has just that. There’s really several genres happening all at once here. At it’s core this is a character driven drama but there’s also a lot of romance and mystery/suspense going on as well. The juggling of these different themes is done well and it never comes off as jumbled, which is a danger when dealing with varied subject matters.
The script lets us into this young woman’s mind and makes us root for her in a substantial way. The central character of Kya is a very interesting and lovable one and I was kept interested in her the whole way through. It was absolutely essential that she be someone the audience was invested in.
I really liked the structure they set up that showed us her life story, too. There are different jumps back and forth in time as her story is told but I never found those jumps to be jarring. It works and it never takes you out of the film.
The ads for Where the Crawdads Sing have really prioritized the suspenseful aspects of the plot and while that is something that’s certainly very present here, I found the romance to be the most captivating aspect. The love story that’s told here sort of reminded me of The Notebook. I just felt such warmth watching Kya and her love interest’s journey unfold.
Daisy Edgar-Jones and Taylor John Smith’s chemistry is palpable. The connection they share in Where the Crawdads Sing is well developed. If the murder trial aspect of this film hadn’t existed and it was just a romance between these two characters, I would have been satisfied. Yes, the script and the dialogue has a role in why their connection is so strong but these two talented actors also bear responsibility. Edgar-Jones and Smith both give fine tuned performances and they don’t come off as too syrupy sweet.
Smith in particular is just such a dream come true and everything anyone could want in a boyfriend/lover. The combination of his sweetness and his dashing good looks is to die for. And I’m now a big Daisy Edgar-Jones fan after seeing her in both this and Fresh. She’s only done two mainstream films and I really liked them both! She’s on a roll!
Harris Dickinson also does a nice job as Chase, who is the character at the center of the film’s mystery. I don’t want to give too much away in regards to his role, but suffice to say that he elicits some very raw and anger filled emotions with his intense performance. The last cast member I want to commend is Michael Hyatt for her lovely performance as Mabel, who’s a meaningful friend to Kya. This cast really gives this their all and they’re fortunate to be supported by a cohesive script.
And to top it all off, the visuals are also high quality. The plethora of gorgeous nature shots help craft the world this all takes place within. The marsh that Kya lives in makes for a peaceful serene location when it suits the story and it also makes for a dangerous location when appropriate.
Where the Crawdads Sing is a film you’ll be glad you saw. This is a satisfying romantic drama with mysterious elements that is deserving of praise.
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