Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen , based on child development research. How do we rate?
Standout performances in uneven, trauma-filled adaptation.
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Where the Crawdads Sing
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 26 parent reviews
What's the Story?
WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING is based on the bestselling historical romantic mystery novel written by naturalist Delia Owens. Set in a fictional North Carolina coastal town, the story takes place in the 1950s and '60s. In 1952, a young Kya Clark (Jojo Regina) witnesses her abused mother hurriedly leave the family, with the rest of the children following in her footsteps. Alone with her father (Garret Dillahunt), who's physically abusive and alcohol-dependent, Kya grows used to being alone in the marsh where her family's cabin sits. When her father also leaves, Kya learns to fend for herself with a little help from empathetic general store owners Jumpin' (Sterling Macer Jr.) and Mabel (Michael Hyatt). As she gets older, Kya lasts literally one day at the public school before bullying kids chase the "Marsh Girl" away. Years later, local high schooler Tate Walker (Taylor John Smith) teaches a now teenage Kya (Daisy Edgar-Jones) to read and write. After Tate leaves for college, Kya starts a relationship with popular quarterback Chase Andrews (Harris Dickinson), wooed by his promises of marriage and stability. When Chase is found dead in the marsh in 1969, Kya is accused of murder and defended by a local attorney (David Strathairn) who believes the townsfolk should feel guilty for mistreating Kya.
Is It Any Good?
The beauty of the natural setting and the central love story aren't quite enough to save this adaptation from the slippery slope of melodrama, but Edgar-Jones gives a standout performance. The genre-bending page-to-screen drama is like a classic tragic romance set in the American South, with young Kya an almost Dickensian figure. The cruelties that young Kya must endure are nearly unwatchable: Her entire family abandons her, her father slaps her, the other kids taunt her. Later, audiences will cheer as Kya grows into a young woman who observes all the fauna and flora of the marsh with joy and admiration (and as the lovely and selfless Tate takes an interest in tutoring her and clearly falls in love). But Kya's bad luck ultimately continues, and she ends up not with brilliant scientist-in-training Tate but with predatory and deceitful Chase, who's more interested in conquest than true love.
Screenwriter Lucy Alibar's adaptation makes the murder case against Kya the framing device that spawns flashbacks to the romances, tragedies, and family drama. But, unlike the book, the movie version of Where the Crawdads Sing doesn't fully explore each of those aspects of the story. The court proceedings in particular don't explore the details that make the eventual revelations pack an extra punch. What director Olivia Newman does explore is the way that darkness lurks just beneath the lush landscape. For every feather or shell that Kya collects, there's an ugly secret, a foul rumor, a moment of abuse to witness. It's no wonder Kya prefers the marsh to the town, the kindness of Jumpin' and Mabel to the scrutiny of Chase's friends. Kya, like the animals she's observed her whole life, knows when to shrink into herself as a survival mechanism. And while the movie can be overly sentimental, there are some lovely sequences, usually between Edgar-Jones and Smith. It also has notable messages about the importance of nature, love, and treating the disenfranchised with respect and dignity.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in Where the Crawdads Sing. Is it necessary to the story? Do different kinds of violence impact viewers differently?
How do trauma and substance use play a role in the story? What are some character strengths that Kya and Tate display? Who do you consider a role model?
Discuss what role the setting plays in the movie. Why is nature so important to Kya?
If you've read the book, talk about any differences between the book and movie. What do you think about aspects of the book that the movie added or changed?
How does the movie treat sex and consent? Parents, talk to your teens about sex, consent, and sexual assault.
Movie Details
- In theaters: July 15, 2022
- On DVD or streaming: September 13, 2022
- Cast: Daisy Edgar-Jones , Harris Dickinson , Taylor John Smith , Garret Dillahunt
- Director: Olivia Newman
- Inclusion Information: Female directors
- Studio: Sony Pictures Entertainment
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Book Characters , Science and Nature
- Character Strengths: Empathy , Perseverance
- Run time: 125 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: sexual content and some violence including a sexual assault
- Last updated: July 2, 2024
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