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Where the Crawdads Sing feigns sincerity but is mostly cliche. Characters are flat, themes are thin, and developments are obvious. Specifically, the protagonist is a cautious loner, her counterpart is in love with her, and the antagonist is a dirtbag. They don't show complexities or feel deep. Next, the film touches on ideas of race, gender, and class, but never examines them. Prejudice is broadly condemned, but earnest looks at its origins and how it's overcome is nonexistent. Finally, plot points are so transparently formulaic, viewers will predict the entire movie. Overall, Where the Crawdads Sing provides routine emotions and minimal insight.
Technically, Where the Crawdads Sing is sporadic. There's slightly distracting CGI and green-screens, rushed pacing, and a repetitive tone. Plus, the male leads look too similar. Conversely, Edgar-Jones elevates the monotony with nonverbal cues. Meanwhile, there's atmospheric music, era-specific production design, and a variety of technical edits (smash, split, and passing). The visuals utilize lighting, focus, and composition to create scenic and figurative imagery. The sound establishes ambient nature, stresses importance, and uses symbolic abstractions. Thus, Where the Crawdads Sing is plain, yet maintains competency. It's not bad but will only impress dedicated fans of the genre.
Writing: 4/10
Direction: 5/10
Cinematography: 8/10
Acting: 7/10
Editing: 6/10
Sound: 8/10
Score/Soundtrack: 7/10
Production Design: 7/10
Casting: 6/10
Effects: 6/10
Overall Score: 6.4/10
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I just got back from Where the Crawdads Sing and I’m so happy how much I liked it. I read the book a couple years ago and it’s still up in my top 3 novels. Now of course, the movie isn’t a perfect interpretation of the novel, they never are. But there are a few things they left out of the movie or changed, one of the things they changed makes a lot of since, if I recall Kya is supposed to be 15 in the main flashbacks but she’s 18 here. Daisy Edgar Jones is a fantastic Kya and she radiates the shy and innocent energy that makes her a fun character to read in the book. Taylor John Smith and Harris Dickinson play Kya’s love interests so well and show just how different people can be. Michael Hyatt and Sterling Macer Jr. are so good here, they’re some of my favorite parts of the book and their story is what’s changed the most between the two. David Strathairn is great as Mr. Milton, he’s such a sweet character that I wish they had explored a little more. Garret Dillahunt also gets a change from book to movie to save time. I don’t blame them for it but it was a bit disappointing. I’m not sure how much Delia Owens had to do with the movie but I hope she’s happy with what they managed to make. From what I remember this was a great adaptation. I forgot how well written the book was because the dialogue here is so good. The original Taylor Swift song is fantastic and will most likely be nominated for an Oscar this year. The sets were almost exactly what I had imagined in my head reading the book and they perfectly capture the beauty and wonder of the marsh. I think they spent a little too much time on the flashbacks but Jones’s narration of the flashbacks is really good as the mystery slowly unfolds. What’s great about having read this awhile ago is that I forgot the answer to the murder mystery so the story was still engaging and fun. If you have time to go see a new movie this weekend, make sure it’s Where the Crawdads Sing. And if you have time to read a book, I would definitely recommend reading this one. Teaching us not to judge each other, and how to learn from nature. Just make sure you’re safe when you go exploring “way out yonder where the crawdads sing.” 8/10. -Tyler
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