Where the Crawdads Sing

2022

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 46 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 38 Ratings

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6.9

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6.9	Your Score
6.9	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 38 Ratings

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Where The Crawdads Sing (Trailer 2)

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Movie Details & Credits

Columbia Pictures Corporation | Release Date: July 15, 2022 | PG-13

Starring: Ahna O'Reilly, Bill Kelly, Charlie Talbert, Daisy Edgar-Jones, David Strathairn, Eric Ladin, Garret Dillahunt, Harris Dickinson, Jayson Warner Smith, Joe Chrest, Jojo Regina, Logan Macrae, Luke David Blumm, Michael Hyatt, Robert Larriviere, Sterling Macer Jr., Taylor John Smith, Taylor Shurte

Summary: Kya is an abandoned girl who raised herself to adulthood in the dangerous marshlands of North Carolina. For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” haunted Barkley Cove, isolating the sharp and resilient Kya from her community. Drawn to two young men from town, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world; but when one of them is found dead,Kya is an abandoned girl who raised herself to adulthood in the dangerous marshlands of North Carolina. For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” haunted Barkley Cove, isolating the sharp and resilient Kya from her community. Drawn to two young men from town, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world; but when one of them is found dead, she is immediately cast by the community as the main suspect. As the case unfolds, the verdict as to what actually happened becomes increasingly unclear, threatening to reveal the many secrets that lay within the marsh.… Expand

Director: Olivia Newman

Genre(s): Drama, Mystery, Thriller

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 125 min

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Critic Reviews

Liz Shannon Miller

Jul 12, 2022

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. Read full review

Richard Roeper

Jul 14, 2022

Thanks in large part to the beautiful work by Daisy Edgar-Jones and the consistently stunning visuals, Where the Crawdads Sing provides just enough marshland entertainment to carry the day. Read full review

Hoai-Tran Bui

Jul 12, 2022

The film is a self-serious, but consciously aesthetically pleasing, adaptation of a, frankly, silly soap opera. It doesn't rock the boat, but it doesn't plunge into the depths of womanhood, poverty, and classism as much as it thinks it does. Read full review

The Playlist Brianna Zigler

Jul 12, 2022

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. Read full review

Anna Bogutskaya

Jul 18, 2022

Where the Crawdads Sing is more aesthetic than film. The dresses are summery and cute, Kya’s cottage is shabby chic and everyone has perfectly tousled hair, at all times. But trying to find anything deeper than interior design inspiration in this film is a futile exercise. Read full review

The Guardian Adrian Horton

Jul 12, 2022

Where the Crawdads Sing never really had an interest in complications, or hardship, or racism as anything beyond wallpaper for its central nature girl fantasy of self-reliance. It would rather stay above the fray, gliding prettily along the marsh without actually getting dirty. Read full review

The Guardian Peter Bradshaw

Jul 21, 2022

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. Read full review

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User Reviews

masonholmes700

Jul 24, 2022

The movie did a great job following the book (the best way a movie can adapt a book to the screen). I applaud the team for how they adapted this and it was pure entertainment from start to finish.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

jeffw38

Aug 18, 2022

Critics who slammed this movie need their credentials revoked. This was a terrific film with strong performances by everyone. Don’t be surprised if Daisy Edgar-Jones gets nominated for an Academy Award…

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

saimariejohnson

Jul 15, 2022

The story of Kya, the Marsh Girl, is one that quickly sucked me in. I felt like I had been transported to a world of magic and wonder and the added mystery of a small-town murder with bias toward the main character made for an excellent depiction of 1960s North Carolina and how prejudice canThe story of Kya, the Marsh Girl, is one that quickly sucked me in. I felt like I had been transported to a world of magic and wonder and the added mystery of a small-town murder with bias toward the main character made for an excellent depiction of 1960s North Carolina and how prejudice can lead to tragedy and a shocking fate can be found even though innocently commenced. Kya's a peculiar girl, but truly hers is a tale of triumph and strength and finding a way to survive the world by finding sanctuary in a place free of discrimination where nature's laws rule and freedom means risking everything. It's a fabulous story and remarkably filmed with a lovely ending that left me thrilled and equally as stunned.… Expand

3 of 5 users found this helpful32

7Ben

Aug 7, 2022

I found the film to have pretty good site selection and filming and the background music was unobtrusive and fit well. The accents seemed a little to mild to my ear but there was enough for movie purposes. The lead actress and several supporting roles were all done excellently and theI found the film to have pretty good site selection and filming and the background music was unobtrusive and fit well. The accents seemed a little to mild to my ear but there was enough for movie purposes. The lead actress and several supporting roles were all done excellently and the directing and editing, in my view, were both outstanding. Talking to others the screenplay went along with the book close enough though a lot of detail had to have been abridged out. I hadn't read the book. My guess is that despite all the naysayers there will be more award nominations than most think. Pretty well done story. The message seems to be that organisms, people included, will do whatever it takes to survive.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

r96sk

Aug 2, 2022

Split opinion on this. Overall, though, I think my thoughts regarding it are, just narrowly, positive.

'Where the Crawdads Sing' is a tad overlong and I'm not sold on the ending, though even so I think I like this enough. The acting is the big reason for that, with Daisy Edgar-JonesSplit opinion on this. Overall, though, I think my thoughts regarding it are, just narrowly, positive.

'Where the Crawdads Sing' is a tad overlong and I'm not sold on the ending, though even so I think I like this enough. The acting is the big reason for that, with Daisy Edgar-Jones standing out alongside David Strathairn. Taylor John Smith and Garret Dillahunt are solid elsewhere. Away from the actors, most other elements are forgettable.

The conclusion is iffy to me. It was clear the film was holding something back in regards to the story, though the way it eventually goes isn't the most satisfying to me personally. It's a pretty straightforward film, when all is said and done.

It's close to being what I'd consider a miss, but I reckon it just about does enough right. 6/10 doesn't feel fitting to me, so 7/10 it is.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

phishakid10

Jul 24, 2022

First off, let me say I have not read the book. With that said, the court room drama/suspense here is lacking. This is much more of a love story than anything else, and one that is drawn out where it shouldn't be and rush where we could've used more material. I rolled my eyes as the film wasFirst off, let me say I have not read the book. With that said, the court room drama/suspense here is lacking. This is much more of a love story than anything else, and one that is drawn out where it shouldn't be and rush where we could've used more material. I rolled my eyes as the film was winding down just to feel a bit fulfilled as the twist was revealed. Daisy Edgar-Jones does fantastic in this, loved her performance throughout. So, although I had issues with this film, more from a character aspect. It comes full circle by its end. Another example here how you can easily cut 45 minutes off the run time and have the same reaction. Besides let's face it, Hollywood will never be able to please the book lovers of the world with their renditions anyway, so how about at least pleasing movie goers looking for a story to engage in.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Mindurbidniss

Aug 2, 2022

An awful Nicholas Sparks/ Lifetime style movie with terrible acting and a paper thin plot. Couldn't even sit through the entirety of this film due to how unbelievably racist the portrayal of it's black characters was, one is literally named "Jumpin" and acts like Step n Fetch it. Beyond thatAn awful Nicholas Sparks/ Lifetime style movie with terrible acting and a paper thin plot. Couldn't even sit through the entirety of this film due to how unbelievably racist the portrayal of it's black characters was, one is literally named "Jumpin" and acts like Step n Fetch it. Beyond that the child actor for it's main character Kya must've been someone's neice or granddaughter because she certainly wasn't skilled. Also it presents itself as a mystery in the beginning and never delivers in any sense.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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