Review: 'Where the Crawdads Sing' a Mystery Mired in Melodrama

Actress Reese Witherspoon built a media empire with her company, Hello Sunshine, which produced films, such as "Gone Girl" and "Wild," and series, such as "Big Little Lies" and "The Morning Show." In 2018, Witherspoon selected Delia Owens's best-selling novel "Where the Crawdads Sing" for her incredibly popular monthly book club, in which she recommends women-written and women-centric books.

Witherspoon also produced the film adaptation, directed by Olivia Newman ("First Match") with a screenplay written by Lucy Alibar ("Beasts of the Southern Wild," "Troop Zero"). "Where the Crawdads Sing" is a mystery about an outcast.

Daisy Edgar-Jones stars as protagonist Kya, who lives in solitude in the isolated marsh in North Carolina. Kya's abusive father causes her mother (a domestic violence victim) and siblings to leave home. Kya, still a child, finds herself abandoned as a result. Living alone in her family's house, Kya fends for herself with aid from a kind couple (Michael Hyatt as Mabel and Sterling Macer, Jr. as Jumpin'), who run the town's general store.

Townsfolk derisively nickname Kya "Marsh Girl." When someone is found dead, Kya is put on trial for murder. Two timelines converge – flashbacks to her childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, as she observes nature, paints birds, and falls in love with two very different young men (Taylor John Smith, Harris Dickinson) – leading up to the time of the trial.

Daisy Edgar-Jones gives a good performance as Kya. After making her mark in the series "Normal People," she gave a wonderful lead performance in Mimi Cave's horror film "Fresh." Here, she imbues Kya with a delicate balance of vulnerability combined with a fiercely independent streak and resourceful resiliency.

David Strathairn – who portrays Tom, a lawyer defending Kya – always delights. A gifted actor possessing a long acting career, he exudes gravitas fused with casual ease, breathing lived-in authenticity into every character he portrays. I was also excited to see Michael Hyatt; an underrated actress, she gives fantastic supporting performances in series "The Wire" and "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend."

Unfortunately, the rest of the supporting cast feels inferior and mediocre, particularly Taylor John Smith and Harris Dickinson, who portray Kya's love interests.

"Where the Crawdads Sing" never resonated with me. Arguably it should, considering the film follows a female protagonist struggling with childhood abuse and domestic violence, traumas I personally have endured. While many other films depict these horrors, I couldn't shake the feeling that the abuse only existed to provide shock value or (unsurprising) plot twists. The superficial treatment of abuse – as well as poverty, classism, and racism – hinders the film. Something inauthentic about the depiction troubled me.

Artificiality permeates the characters and emanates from the film. None of the characters feel quite real, even Kya, despite Edgar-Jones's performance. In one scene, Kya runs to the ocean, emitting a primal scream of anger and frustration. Yet, the camera doesn't reveal her face nor linger, opting for a quick edit instead; this distances the audience from her emotional reaction in a vulnerable moment where she allows herself to let go.

Perhaps the book digs more into the characters and their psyches and motivations. But you should not need to read the source material in order to appreciate or fully understand a story; a film adaptation should stand on its own merit.

"Where the Crawdads Sing" felt hollow to me, mired in maudlin melodrama. I appreciated that women filmmakers adapted the woman-centric story; I liked Kya and some performances. Yet, I yearned for so much more, especially considering the caliber of some of the cast. Perhaps if the film pivoted from a mystery to delve deeper into the characters and social issues, it would have been stronger.

However, judging by reactions of the book readers exiting the screening I attended, if you loved the novel, you will probably love the movie.

"Where the Crawdads Sing" opens in theaters on Friday, July 15, 2022.