Certification. 15
Running Time. 2 hours 5 mins
Director. Olivia Newman
Cast. Harris Dickinson, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Michael Hyatt, Sterling Macer Jr, Taylor John Smith, David Strathairn.
Rating. 67%
Translating a best-selling novel to the big screen is frequently a difficult, and often thankless, task. Readers of the book have already established a personal construct of the principal characters and locations. Expectations were therefore high for the adaptation of Delia Owens' debut novel, Where The Crawdads Sing, a global phenomenon that has sold more than 12 million copies according to the official trailer from Sony Pictures.
I was not one of the 12 million who purchased the novel, so approached Olivia Newman's adaptation with little preconceptions.
The film opens in 1969 in the fictional town of Barkley Cove, North Carolina. A young man is found dead in the marsh, beneath a derelict fire tower. Local law enforcement suspect murder, and the only suspect is the infamous Marsh Girl, a young girl left to fend for herself in the marsh after her family deserted her. The murder accusation, and the trial deciding the Marsh Girl's fate [real name Kya Clark], serves as a framing device for the film. The body is discovered at the outset, and the film progresses through a series of flashbacks to reveal Kya's backstory.
The first, is to 1953 when the young Kya (maybe 9 or 10 years old) - beautifully portrayed by 11-year-old Jojo Regina - is left to fend for herself after her mother, siblings and abusive father all desert her.
Move forward several years and Daisy Edgar-Jones plays the older Kya, as both a teenager and young woman, and although the up-and-coming English actress delivers a competent performance, there constantly remains a gnawing doubt that this young, thin, beautiful, well-kempt and manicured Kya is, indeed, a true outsider. The borderline feral child of Owens' source material is remarkably refined, with thick flowing hair parted in the middle and a seemingly endless wardrobe of rustic Laura Ashley dresses.
The story continues to cut between the trial and Kya's life in the marsh but, in truth, the courtroom scenes lack tension. Retired local lawyer, Tim Milton (David Strathairn) systematically demolishes one witness after another, mostly because there isn't much of a case against Kya.
Where The Crawdads Sing is a solid production. The film looks beautiful, especially the marsh scenes full of gnarled trees and hanging moss, endless swathes of lush, green smooth cordgrass, and stunning sunsets. However, perhaps avert your eyes for the opening credits and one of the worst CGI renderings I've seen in recent years.
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