Where the Crawdads Sing, based on the best-selling book, hits theaters this week. If you’re a fan of the book, then it is a must-see film and if you’re just a casual moviegoer, then it’s worth checking out. You won’t be disappointed!  It has a modern-day To Kill a Mockingbird feel to It.  The movie had a wonderful cast that leaves you with wonderment and intrigue about the “old south” without the anger that comes from the political tensions of that era. It’s a wonderful story about a girl who is forced to take care of herself and grows up in the marshlands of North Carolina. It is a tale of mystery and love to the backdrop of a court trial where the town’s “golden son” is found murdered and the girl that no one understands is accused of the crime.

Not having read the book, I enjoyed the movie very much, mostly because of the wonderful performances from the cast.  Daisy Edgar-Jones is the new “it girl.” Beautiful and talented, she was almost perfect or made to play Kya Clark, the story’s main character. While she has not done many movies compared to TV or “limited series” on streaming services, this will certainly be her breakout role and you’ll understand why once you see her performance.  In a lot of ways, she makes the movie better than it probably should be and her performance is definitely worthy of an Oscar nomination. The other great performance comes from David Strahan, who plays her lawyer and channels his best “Atticus Finch” while defending her to where it almost makes you feel like you are watching the modern-day version of To kill a Mockingbird. The story is intriguing and has many layers to it, mostly because it is set in the marshlands of North Carolina, which is its own character, especially as you’re dealing with Kya who becomes a Naturalist and understands the wildlife of that area better than most. I don’t think I would have liked the movie as much if it weren’t for the performances of the two main characters because the film does feel familiar as if Harper Lee had written it herself.

It’s not a perfect movie and my biggest complaint is that it does feel familiar, and you have seen the story before. All the tropes from the classic story, To Kill a Mockingbird, are there? A misunderstood person is accused of murder, there’s a witch hunt to put her away because she’s the obvious choice, and then a good-hearted lawyer defends her because he cares more about truth than appearances. If you’re going to copy a story about the “old south” and about standing up for what’s right, then To Kill a Mockingbird is the way to go. But it is the performances that overshadow this familiarity. The pacing is pretty good, but for me, the one downfall to it being a perfect movie is the overkill when it comes to foreshadowing. There’s no surprise to the mystery in the story. The filmmakers drop so many clues about what really happened that it doesn’t leave you that surprised at the end. While I will not spoil it, I don’t think you’ll be surprised. Foreshadowing is a useful tool, but it has to be subtle, and if you keep dropping clues even to the point where the opposing attorney explains to the audience what really happened, then you take away the mystery and intrigue of the story.  That’s never good!

It is a good film, marked by great performances. It’s probably not one you should pay a full-price movie ticket for, but it’s worth the matinee price. Even if you only watch it once, you will enjoy the good parts of the story, despite the fact you may not be surprised at the ending.  It’s also a perfect one to rent if you’re cooking dinner and staying in for the evening. The “To Kill a Mockingbird” feel to the story is a double-edged sword as it does make the movie feel way too familiar or makes you want to go back and watch the original film. However, at the same time, a story that feels like another story you could identify with, and love is not necessarily a bad thing. The marshlands provide an interesting side character and definitely adds some intrigue to the story, which a lot of movies lack these days. Where the Crawdads Sing is a beautiful movie, but you’ll be more impressed with the performances than the overall plot. However, the performances are so good that it does make this film worth watching. Daisy Edgar Jones and David Strahan give Oscar-worthy performances, which makes the film better than it really is.