Where the Crawdads Sing

The PG-13-ness of Where the Crawdads Sing buffs every rough edge off this story—the abuse, the abandonment, the betrayal, the sex, and even the alleged murder. It would be better off as trash.

Edgar-Jones’ easygoing allure isn’t enough to bind Where the Crawdads Sing together, though, leaving the film a generic, dull outing.

This film is like the Instagram-influencer version of [Beasts of a Southern Wild] — a Goop post about its beautifying effects.

A flat, flair-free and uninspiring adaptation.

Like the backdrop – marsh or swamp – it’s all a bit soggy.

A fairly engrossing entertainment -- a little bit slick and doesn't go in depth into the marsh.

With no reason to fear for her safety, the bulk of the film feels like a soap opera.

Where the Crawdads Sing feels like a novel truly coming to life. The scripting, the dialogue, the scenery choices, the score, has it all of the pieces to make you feel its great pacing & progression. The story may be harsh but its all the more encouraging

An old-school murder mystery primarily told as a courtroom drama, the paperback adaptation entertains from start to finish.

The book might have been a phenomenon, however the film lacks “the grits” of the original text. Sadly Where The Crawdads Sing becomes bogged down in courtroom drama tropes to truly sing in its own right.