‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ is a visual delight that will thrill or annoy you

WHERE the Crawdads Sing is a visuallystunning movie adaptation of the best-selling novel by Delia Owens. And while lovers of the book will enjoy the film, newcomers might be undecided.

As someone who has not read the novel, I was able to enjoy the Where the Crawdads Sing movie for the story that it told.

The movie tells of a murder in a North Carolina marsh and how one young woman is suspected of it. It captures all the drama, romance, as well as mystery, while bringing the story to life.

The film has made its way to the screen with its driving force being actress and producer Reese Witherspoon, who chose the book for her book club before having it adapted by her production company, Hello Sunshine.

One of the aspects that I really enjoyed about the film is how it plays out like a modern version of the courtroom dramas which were often made in the 1990s and 2000s, but have not

been on the big screen in a while.

The central storyline is of Kya Clark (Daisy Edgar-Jones) – who is also known as “Marsh Girl” – being on trial for the murder of popular Chase Andrews (Harris Dickinson) in late 1969.

The rest of the film inter-cuts with the brutal and harsh upbringing Kya faces, her romances as well as the events surrounding the death of Chase

Andrews.

The film could have easily become muddled as there is a lot going on but it is told in a coherent manner, while still maintaining a lot of depth.

One of the reasons the film is also thoroughly engaging is the gorgeous visuals, which come from being shot on location.

The film has such a visual identity that it is even more noticeable when scenes are shot inside a studio, because the lighting might be off or it lacks the depth of the natural scenery we are regularly shown in the movie.

Book readers will walk away happy in what is reportedly a faithful adaptation, while newcomers will be captivated by the story, the visuals and the acting.

Unfortunately, the ending doesn’t fully work as the movie goes out of its way to prove a particular point with conviction, only to end up muddling the story, which may annoy some.

While it may work for the novel, the film story needed to be handled with more thought and bravery to make necessary changes to the story.

That being said, it will definitely generate discussion.

Where the Crawdads Sing is a thought-provoking film, which could have easily just been another glossy movie without substance, but instead it is an engaging tale with its intentional humanity.

If it’s a courtroom drama you’re looking to watch, then this is worth the watch. It juxtaposes the complex natural world with a coming-of-age story and mystery.

The movie is out now in theatres.