WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING | MOVIE REVIEW | CENTRE PLACE

As an avid fan of the novel Where the Crawdad’s Sing, I was somewhat hesitant to watch the film. I was nervous that if it was a terrible movie, it would taint my feelings toward the book. If you’re like me, then I have advice for you: when you walk into the movie theater, leave all your expectations behind.

Yes, this is a book adaptation, but to truly appreciate and enjoy the movie, you should view it without any biases. This is of course something very hard to achieve since – in my opinion – Where the Crawdad’s Sing is one of the best books to have been written in the 21^st Century, and you want the movie to do it justice.

The film follows six-year-old Kya (Daisy Edgar-Jones), who must survive on her own as she is gradually abandoned by her family in the North Carolina marsh. Though this is largely a romantic coming-of-age movie, the film intertwines with a murder case for which Kya is on trial. The townspeople of Barkley Cove suspect Kya is behind the murder of golden boy, Chase Andrews (Harris Dickinson). As the story unfolds, we get to learn how Kya survived in the Marsh and her relationship with Tate (Taylor John Smith) & Chase – the two loves of her life.

As one of the most highly anticipated films of the year, the movie stars relative unknowns as the film’s main characters. This is not to say they do not live up to the expectations. Edgar-Jones gives it her all as the reclusive but strong Kya, and Dickinson truly embodies Chase’s charming but uncomfortable edge.

The film does a great job of building suspense throughout the 126-minute runtime. If you haven’t read the book, the murder mystery will keep you guessing the entire time. It’s not until the final few minutes of the movie that everything falls into place.

If you’re someone who enjoys a soulful romantic movie mixed with a murder mystery, then Where the Crawdad’s sing is for you. But is it better than the book? That’s for you to decide.

Check times & dates for Hoyts HERE, then head to Centre Place for a delightful family movie to go with your popcorn.