Where the Crawdads Sing

I think it needed to be shown quickly how the act happened, that would be the cherry on the cake

Definitely somewhere in my top ten movies! The film was very moving!

B+ Beautiful story. I couldn't really tell if it's based on true events. I loved the ending, which is becoming rare with movies these days. It's nothing revolutionary in the mystery genre but it's definitely worth the watch.

My wife and I loved the film. The actress is great and the story is moving and surprising.

A well-portrayed story that kept me engaged all the way through. A couple of big surprises made it more interesting. Daisy Edgar-Jones was well suited to the character of Kya Clark beside Taylor John Smith as Tate Walker, Together, they were delightful to watch. - I watched this on NEON in NZ

The movie showed a lot about abuse within the society she lived in then and what she dealt with growing up with an abusive father. It was easy to watch because it had a lot of plot twists and things trying to keep you watching so you can find out who the murder suspect is which ends up not really being the main point of the movie. Lots of decent characters but a lot of odd ones that make you hate someone. Overall this movie is something you can somewhat enjoy watching the first time since it has a lot to do with social injustice and issues that she was dealing with and how she solves it.

Loved this movie. Would watch it again. Glad we ignored the critics and listened to the audience reviews. Wonderful movie!

Many of us watch drama films because we can connect it with the feeling of being busy or involved. Sometimes that's a part of our lives that feels rare, and let's face it, who doesn't like escaping out of our own lives for a little bit and watching other people's drama? The usual drama film with domestic violence in the 1950s is depicted showing a stay-at-home mother cooking, cleaning, and taking care of children during the day, while the husband is out working. When he comes home, he overdoes it on liquor and becomes extremely violent. This review is about a drama film of love, mystery, survival, and loneliness. A fictional movie called "Where the Crawdads Sing." A free watch with a Netflix subscription. The movie is based in the 1950s and directed by the talented Ava Johnson in 2018. The director Ava Johnson does a phenomenal job of bringing to light the lifelikeness of the story with a woman named Kya who lived in poverty most of her life. Where the Crawdads Sing adds to the genre, of American mythology, by going beyond the typical situation of how domestic violence is represented in the 1950s. The Film makes viewers feel many emotions including sadness and anger as it conveys the part of American Mythology where misogyny is normalized, and those in poverty do not deserve to be treated with the same respect as those living lavishly. There will also be some similarities added in this essay between this film and the book "Heartland" a memoir of working hard and being broke in the richest country on earth. The memoir "Heartland" has events from the author "Sarah Smarsh" life. Sarah Smarsh grew up in poverty and saw abuse and violence during her childhood parallel to Kya. The systemic inequalities of the 1950s such as the normalization of domestic violence, contributed to a cultural context where women in poverty were often reluctant to report instances of abuse to the authorities. Furthermore, the film sheds light on the social injustice that affects not only the women but also the children and boys within the family. In both "Where the Crawdads Sing" and "Heartland," we see the consequences of abuse driving families to flee their homes. The normalization of abuse during this time period contributed significantly to American mythology. Running away from such situations became one of the few options available to women and children dealing with abuse in the 1950s. Yet, the film certainly echoes a familiar narrative found in the book "Heartland." In both stories, we end up seeing a pattern where Kya's family, similar to the women in Sarah Smarsh's memoir, are forced to completely pack it up and relocate their lives due to the abusive behavior of a father figure. Throughout "Heartland," Sarah Smarsh conveys throughout her book the constant movement of the women in her family, describing in many chapters about how she attended over 20 schools by the time she reached middle school. Both tales with Kya and Sarah, manage to break them free from this re-occurring pattern, on their own paths in adulthood. Sarah and Kya both become independent at a very young age contributing a depiction seen in American Mythology quite frequently with young children. The moment when Kya's family abandons her in the film is very convincing. Her mother leaves first, then the rest of the siblings follow. It's disappointing when Kya gets left alone with her abusive father. This event's portrayal resonates with a harsh reality where individuals, especially women and children, lacking resources to deal with such issues, were left with limited options: either to flee from the problem or to fight for their lives. In an incident in "Where the Crawdads Sing" strongly highlights the systemic inequalities ingrained in the depicted time period of the 1950s, making a substantial contribution to the ongoing discussion on social justice by exposing the flaws within the justice system. At the age of 18, Kya, unjustly finds herself incarcerated, facing accusations of a crime that it was very unlikely for her to commit. There are many biases deeply embedded in the community's perception of her to include the law enforcement. Locked behind bars, Kya endures a trial where the jurors, made up of townspeople, do not hold back preconceived notions about her based on assumptions and prejudices. Rather than being seen as an individual, she is labeled as the "marsh girl," a nickname with negative undertones. This dehumanizing nickname, spread by the town, not only defines her within the community but also significantly influences the initial arrest. The injustice becomes evident as the prosecutor speaks about Kya "glowing eyes like a wolf, no education, has the time and lack of character to commit a crime like this." (Where The Crawdads Sing 2018) This certainly serves as an example of the deeply ingrained biases within the justice system. The town's refusal to see beyond these stereotypes further emphasizes the systemic inequalities. The film does a great job of capturing the consequences of a justice system that neglects to treat every individual with the same fairness. Kya's abusive ex-boyfriend Chase Andrews was found dead. Chase Andrews was known as a hotshot of the town, with a wealthy family, well-known in a positive light socially, and had a decent job. Thankfully, the lawyer assigned to Kya's case is truly on her side without bias. Throughout her trial, driven by a sense of guilt from his previous actions in ridiculing her, the lawyer defended Kya against a town that had consistently discriminated against her throughout her entire life. The film beautifully unfolds a love story between Kya and Tate, acting as her tutor, Tate teaches the invaluable skills of reading and writing to Kya. Despite their quite different goals in life, the magic of shared interests reunites them. Tate ultimately discovers that life holds little meaning without Kya. Years pass after Kya and Tate marry, he finds a mysterious necklace in a book she wrote and surprisingly the necklace was one of the key pieces of evidence in the murder trial to convict the killer of Chase Andrews. The necklace was taken off Chase Andrews's neck, and it was assumed that whoever took it was positively the person who committed the murder. The necklace was never discovered during the trial. Tate discovers the necklace in a book Kya wrote after she has passed, and Tate is absolutely horrified. The look on his face says a thousand words about his ever-so-loved wife. In conclusion, "Sometimes the prey must kill the predator to survive." (Where The Crawdads Sing 2018) Kya learned this by being self-taught about how insects and animals survive in the wild, it was a key piece that was intriguing in this film. For a great portion of the movie, the audience is convinced to believe that Kya truly is innocent of the murder of Chase Andrews although the evidence of the necklace leaves the viewers to see a different side of that Kya, one that is only shown in bite-sized pieces throughout the movie. The film skillfully keeps the audience in suspense, making the audience question whether Kya is truly innocent of Chase Andrews' murder. It challenges preconceived notions about her intelligence and her true cultural identity. The film keeps viewers on the edge of their seats, wondering what will happen next while triggering many emotions. If you are looking for a mysterious drama, cultural feel-good movie, I would highly recommend this film.

The movie Where the Crawdad Sings is a movie, based on the book by Delia Owens, that tells the fictional story of Catherine (Kya) Clark. Kya is portrayed by Jojo Regina as young Kya, by Leslie France as teen, and by Daisy Edgar-Jones as young adult Kya. It is a coming-of-age story as well as a murder mystery. The isolation of Kya throughout the movie as well as the severe level of poverty portrayed is heartbreaking and hard to imagine a child surviving on her own in the North Carolina marsh that she grew up in, yet somehow she is able to rise above the unfortunate circumstances of her situation and is able to navigate the rules of the town and somehow thrive in the marshland she loves so much. There are a lot of notable examples of her using her intelligence and her will to thrive. You feel sympathy for young Kya as she is forced to grow up eking out an existence by getting up early to dig mussels to sell to "Jumpin", a local merchant portrayed by Sterling Macer Jr. You see her amazing artistic abilities and understanding of the wildlife in the swamp become the perfect career for her allowing her to save her property by paying the back taxes. Finally, you see her insightful understanding of human nature unfold as she skillfully navigates her abusive relationship with Chase Andrews, played by Harris Dickinson, with the twist ending showing just how well she really did understand human nature by how she understood the natural world of her swamp. As a young girl Kyas entire family abandons her one by one. First her mother leaves after an abusive episode with her father. Then each of the siblings leave, not one of them seeming to care that they were leaving a little girl alone with a drunken abuser. Eventually Kya's father too hits the road, leaving a young girl alone in the marsh. To most children this young it would have meant either starvation or becoming a ward of the state, but not for young Kya. She figures out that the local general store owned by Mabel and "Jumpin" will buy mussels from her, and while "Jumpin" has his initial fears about helping Kya, his wife Mabel throws some bible quotes at him saying, "in as much as ye hath done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Which quiets him right up and they become friends with Kya and give her the financial opportunity to make enough to survive in her swamp. The next example you see is her using her greater than average abilities is in her having a great analytical scientific mind in how she understands the marsh she loves so much. She captures the swamp in beautiful drawings and in the in depth notes she takes. After years taking notes about her swamp Kya notices people surveying near her home and, to her alarm, finds out they are draining areas to develop them. She goes to the town clerk to find out that while her grandpa did indeed buy the land, that there are back taxes on the land and that whoever pays the back taxes of $800 will own the land, deed or no deed. With no formal education she manages to write and illustrate a book to raise the money. The publishing company writes back and says, "If, as you say, your materials are already complete, we hope to edit and publish in record time." Finally, in her abusive relationship with Chase she shows that she understands exactly what everyone in the town thinks of the "marsh girl" and just how much protection from the law she is likely to get. She tells Jumpin, "You know how it is. They'd drag me into the sheriff's office and make me describe it to a bunch of men. And then write me up in the papers accusing me of whoring." Jumpin reluctantly agrees that that is what would happen. She then goes on her trip out of town to meet with her publishers, and while she's gone and couldn't possibly be a suspect her abusive ex is killed. In a flashback to the dinner with the publishers she says, "I don't think that there is a dark side to nature. Just inventive ways to endure against all odds." This foreshadows the great twist ending. I would enthusiastically recommend to anyone to watch "Where the Crawdad's Sing." Kya's journey from abandonment and isolation to resilience and self-reliance is a very entertaining. The movie skillfully weaves together the elements of a coming-of-age story and a murder mystery against the backdrop of the North Carolina marsh. Kya's remarkable ability to thrive despite her harsh circumstances, her deep connection with the natural world, and her insights into human nature are compelling examples of her extraordinary character. As Kya faces abandonment, poverty, and abuse, she rises above these challenges, not only surviving but also finding her place in the marsh she loves. The movie makes you contemplate the enduring power of nature, the strength of the human spirit, and the resilience of those who navigate life's adversities. It shows in the face of hardship, the human capacity to endure, adapt, and find beauty in unexpected places is a testament to the human experience.

The Movie & Daisy Edgar Jones Are Both Beautiful 😍. I Don't Know What's Wrong With These Critics🤬. But So Glad To See The Audience Are Loving It. & Once Again It's Proved Audience Score Is What Matters💯