I saw Where The Crawdads Sing on July 17, 2022. I haven't written a formal review in a while on the blog, but I feel so much emotion with this story that I had to write one for this. After reading the book over the last week and a half becoming enamored with the characters and the beautiful scenery of the North Carolina marsh, I felt this was something special. I really think the movie did a fantastic job capturing the essence of the story, it's characters and it's events in a way to make it a satisfactory visual representation of Delia Owens beautiful, yet haunting story. Everything about this movie had the words and characters leap off the page in a way that made me believe the actors and actresses, and seeing some scenes work out visually added an even stronger sense of emotion that I already felt.
Daisy Edgar-Jones gives an excellent performance as Catherine "Kya" Danielle Clark. Kya has become one of my favorite characters, and DEJ's performance allows me to love this character even more. Through the abandonment, abuse, harassment and hardships that she goes through, she finds a way to survive and adapt. She finds ways to make money, stand up in the face of adverse conditions, not of the natural world around her, but of the people that toss her out for being a little "different", utilizes her intellect and is able to form bonds with people she can trust to be a truly successful person. I feel the pain and sadness in DEJ when people leave Kya. I feel her thinking loudly even while she's quietly observing. I also think DEJ is a great physical representation of Kya from the book. She's an absolutely beautiful girl and a gifted actress that will go far. This will be a breakout role for her. Watching DEJ in both moments of bliss and moments of heartbreak made me believe in her performance, and I felt everything she was feeling on screen rooting for Kya, and amazed at how much this girl rises up through a successful career, an eventual eternal loving relationship and her own natural instincts.
I thought she played off well against the two male leads as well with Taylor John Smith's Tate Walker and Harris Dickinson's Chase Andrews. The differences between these two characters is astounding. I really like the Tate character. He takes such good care of Kya, teaching her to read, and helps her on the path to becoming the successful person she will grow up to be. Tate has always been there for Kya. I felt a spark between Daisy and Taylor. I felt like they loved each other, and I felt Tate's genuine affection for Kya. I absolutely loathe Chase Andrews. I honestly disliked him from the second he was introduced in the story. He's somebody from the town, who definitely doesn't fit into Kya's world. He never gives an impression that he's genuine about Kya. Kya getting dragged along by this guy as he lies every step of the way is sickening. The big difference between Tate and Chase for me is Tate treats Kya like a human being who genuinely wants to be with him, while Chase treats Kya like she's property and only good for one thing. His punchable face will unnerve you at all times, even when he is appearing to be in love with Kya. DEJ's performance with both shows the genuine feeling of comfort she has with Tate, while you always sense Kya's apprehension and nervousness around Chase, even when she is feeling like she loves him.
The story is split into two parts between a murder trial and the trials and tribulations of Kya growing up from a 7 year old girl into the woman she is. The movie does a great job cutting between the trial and Kya's story. The cuts are crisp and the story flows well on screen. The scenes are loyal to the book overall, and, aforementioned, certain scenes really stand out. Scenes with Kya and Tate reading on the log, Kya and Tate becoming closer, the classroom, Kya navigating her way through the marsh via her boat, digging for mussels for Jumpin' and Mabel, the beautiful book designs, the illustrations and words, the dreaded motel, the shell necklace and THAT scene from the book that is even more disturbing visually, but necessary for Kya showing that she won't be broken no matter what's thrown at her and the trial itself has all the nuances from the book.
Another great aspect of this movie is the beautiful cinematography and location sites that bring forth the magnificent color of the water on the backdrop of a pink sunset catching fireflies on the wings of a gull feather, and showing how this world captures both the yin and yang of what makes this world so beautiful. While there are bad things that happen, there's silver linings everywhere you turn. Kya says it best: "I don't think there's a dark side to nature; just inventive ways to endure."
Through an outstanding lead performance by Daisy Edgar-Jones, adept storytelling about survival in and out of nature, both the positives and negatives of relationships, intense emotion, gorgeous set designs, a brilliant kaleidoscope of color and great music capturing the southern marsh, Where The Crawdads Sing is a definite 5/5 for me and my favorite movie of 2022 thus far. It's such a special movie that makes you appreciate the wonder and majesty of the world and understanding that it's always there, despite the muck and darkness that can inhabit it from time to time.
