User Reviews

Now see here. I liked this movie. I was entertained, parts of it were beautiful and there was never a moment where I felt unfulfilled. It's a compelling story with fine actors and the cinematography was top notch.

But a lot of the story was pedestrian. Predictable. Corny, in places, instead of touching. I felt, by the end, that the movie was not as deep as it professed to be and thought maybe the plot would have been better served if they'd shot for grittiness instead of beauty.

I mean, Kya was a gritty character. She was tough. A survivor, hardened by life of abandonment and by a long struggle for acceptance. But the character never really came across that way. She was always presented as vulnerable. Soft. Tender. I understand that's an important side of the character, but a person who lives that kind of life will have a flaw or two yet we never see those. Kya is presented as almost angelic and while that works in places, it rather deflates any sense of realism.

I thought for sure at the end, we'd actually see how the killing of Chase went down. After all, as the lawyer pointed out, the state's case against Kya was ludicrous. She somehow crept back over the miles in the wee hours of night without being recognized by a single person on the bus? She somehow lured Chase out of his home and away from his rather possessive family and then somehow enticed him to the top of the tower out in the middle of the swamp? She then either overpowered or outwitted him enough to send him sailing down through the bye-bye hole, covered all her tracks, made another phantom bus ride back to Asheville only to appear unscratched, unbruised and unruffled the following morning?

Please. The jury acquitted Marsh Girl because that's one hell of an unlikely scenario, so if the movie makers are trying to tell me that's how it went down, I'd like to at least get a glimpse of how she pulled it off.

But whatever. It was an enjoyable watch, Kya prevailed and they never did put those condos up in the middle of that awesome marsh. All's well that ends well, I guess.

With much of the story told in flashback, we learn how 'Marsh Girl' Catherine Danielle 'Kya' Clark (Daisy Edgar-Jones) was abandoned by her abused mother, followed by their equally menaced siblings, and left alone to fend for herself as a young girl who tried to maintain a respectable distance from her despicable father while growing up. Befriended by a compassionate black couple who owned a small general store in Barkley Cove, North Carolina, Kya managed to mature into a productive young woman with a passion for nature and a talent that allowed her to earn an income that eventually paid the back taxes on land handed down to her family through generations. Compressed to a movie running time of just over two hours, I had some trouble reconciling the adult Kya's sophistication in both appearance and intelligence, given the lack of opportunity in a backwater environment, so that seemed inadequately dealt with.

What makes the story interesting of course, is the question of Kya's guilt or innocence in the death of her purported fiancé Chase Andrews (Harris Dickinson). She's linked to his death because of how their relationship soured when it was revealed that in fact, he was already engaged to one of the town's upper-class women. This is where the story gets a bit sticky for my taste, since there is no conclusive evidence to even come close to determining that Kya had a hand in killing him. There isn't even conclusive evidence that the man was murdered, considering the scene of his death and the probability that it was an unfortunate accident. As Kya's attorney, Tom Milton (David Strathairn) makes a credible defense of Kya that leads to her exoneration of a crime, even if we're left uncertain that a crime may have been committed.

Going in, I had heard how the story ended, so my anticipation for how the revelation was made is what really intrigued me. Upon Kya's passing after living a full life to a ripe old age, her first lover and husband Tate (Taylor John Smith) discovers to his horror that the woman he married was more than capable of murder. With that revelation, one must harken back to Attorney Milton's closing argument, making the case that she couldn't have possibly killed Chase Andrews, given her circumstances at the time traveling back and forth to neighboring Greenville, in disguise, without anyone noticing her movements, and leaving no evidence at the scene of the crime. Apparently, she did so without fanfare while keeping her secret from authorities and loved ones over the years. One has to question however, how thorough the local sheriff's investigation could have been if they couldn't find the evidence hiding in plain sight.

I must first confess that I had low expectations for this but was excited before it came out because Daisy Edgar-Jones was in it; she delivered a wonderful performance and I'm glad the movie gave me actual reason to still love it after watching. I left the cinema with a smile on my face but when I looked at peoples reviews after I was disappointed a lot of them don't think it's as good. Some criticisms were based on the fact that the author of the novel the movie is based on is currently wanted for murder from what I've deduced, and I don't think that's a valid way to judge the movie, only the author herself. But there are other criticisms on the movie itself which I don't entirely agree with because I thought it was pretty good. Now of course I know people have different tastes in genres, myself included so I always try to write my reviews objectively with impartial mind. So I do know there are movies or series I like, even love, that might not necessarily be the best in the world or be peculiar like "talking to girls at parties" for example which I love and I know is weird; but this is not the case this time and I think this movie is better than it's said to be.

Other criticisms were also based on the argument it isn't as good as the book, and I don't often read those wholeheartedly because I've never heard anyone say they were satisfied a movie was as good or even better than the book. Movies rarely live up to the book's reputation so it's not a criticism I've always attached to any one specific movie.

There's a melancholic start to the movie and it carries that throughout, we see Kya growing up with an abusive father. All I knew of the movie before watching was from the trailer which only teased it was going to be a crime mystery thriller/drama, so I didn't expect it to end up being so sad and slightly beautiful in a way. Her childhood was tough and sad when her father was around, and when he wasn't anymore it got even worse, she had no family and was deemed an outcast but as the movie progresses we see her resilience. Only surviving at first but eventually prospers on her own in the marshland. The movie doesn't follow a linear timeline and at this point we get to see her suspected of murder in present day, all based on a hat, that was barely enough evidence and it hurt to see her go through that.

Things then change, it goes from being a crime thriller to a love story, and I love a good love story. I thought there were a lot of cliches; script lines like 'I care too much for you- that's why we can't be together' with Tate or finding out Chase was engaged but still pursuing Kya. Another cliche was when she was afraid Tate would forget forget her, I've always found it annoying when pretty girls/women have said they're scared about you meeting other pretty girls. At this point in the movie I was annoyed because why can't one of them just be good, anyway ticks the box for the men are trash agenda. I was so sad for the most of the movie and just praying someone stays for her. This was all cliche but I thought it was all packaged in such a way that made it so heartfelt and emotional.

As the movie goes on there are several scenes that were difficult to watch. I've seen some people say it lacks depth, while that is partially true I think there is enough of it to struck an emotional reaction from you. And it might have ended up being too long in they tried to give more. As something that's based on a novel you can tell some scenes are rushed and details left out.

The movie turns away from the love story towards the third act and focuses more on Kya's court case. Throughout the movie we get to see Kya's love and admiration of the swamp more than anything, even the people in her life but who would blame her. The ending came as a shock because the story is told in a way that would let you believe that wasn't the case.

Daisy Edgar-Jones gave an immaculate performance and the rest of the cast held up their end too. I didn't expect her to give a strong enough performance that would compare to her in "Normal People". While the story is littered with cliches I still think it packs emotional punch and for that I love it. I don't think a lot of movies like this are being made anymore, and I saw a few viewer ratings and movie critiques suggest it isn't like a movie much seen in this day and age, and for that too I love it. I hope you judge it based on the movie itself not the book's author's alleged crimes. It may not be the best movie you'll ever see but the early reviews seem a little harsh to me. It's better than the two out of five star ratings.

Just realized it's a tough life being a Daisy Edgar-Jones fan; you see her abused in normal people, then go through an apocalyptic event in War of the worlds, then kidnapped and eaten alive in Fresh, and now you get to see her hurt and lose everybody she loves in where the crawdads sing. When will it end?

I want to read the book but got the chance to watch this in theaters. I enjoyed it and I liked the story. There were a few things slightly out of place, like the main character wearing a good amount of makeup even though she lives in a swamp. The best performances were the husband and wife that ran the shop, I thought they did a fantastic job. The ending was pretty abrupt, and was condensed into a 2 minute sequence of them growing old together, where I feel like that could have been 5 or more minutes to convey more emotion.

I really wanted to love this movie. The acting was solid, the scenery was almost as I had imagined, Kya's relationship with Mabel and Jumpin' was endearing.... Kya had a reclusive innocence that matched the novel .... David Strathairn as her attorney was the highlight for me .. although fairly faithful to the storyline, the story of her relationships with both Tate and Chase were superficial and rushed, and the courtroom story lacked depth ... Honestly I was so annoyed and distracted by Kya's cleanliness and her prim, proper, clean pressed clothing that I couldn't attend to much else ... I mean the girl lived alone in a marsh, no electricity, washing machine, iron, little financial resources but she dressed better than me and had new outfits for every scene ... And somehow totally stain and wrinkle free. Come on people! But I think even more disappointing was the lack of portrayal of how she pulled it off ... The end was so anti climatic that I wondered what I sat through the movie for. I had this mental idea of how the scene of her in disguise could have played, even for a few moments, as Tate found the necklace. My daughter, who did not read the book, thought Tate did it ... She didn't even understand the unveiling at the end. Disappointing overall...

Greetings again from the darkness. This is the kind of movie that requires upfront disclosure: have you read the book or not? Since it was number one on New York Times best seller list for 2019 and 2020, and remained on the list for almost three years, it's a legitimate question and likely the driving force behind Reese Witherspoon producing the film. I have not read the book and came in with only a few preconceived notions, and enough background information to make it more interesting, not less. This is director Olivia Newman's first film since her debut FIRST MATCH (2018), and Lucy Alibar (BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD, 2012) adapted the screenplay from the enormously popular novel written by Delia Owens.

Kya Clark is the youngest child of Ma (Ahna O'Reilly) and Pa (Garret Dillahunt). We get a quick glimpse at their strained existence in the marshes of Barkley Cove, North Carolina in 1953, including the violent abuse administered by Pa. It doesn't take long for her parents and siblings to abandon her, leaving young Kya (JoJo Regina) to fend for herself in what most would consider a harsh environment. But Kya becomes one with nature. Though illiterate, she draws and charts local bugs, bird, and water creatures, while scrounging out a meager living thanks to assistance from local black store owners, Jumpin' (Sterling Macer Jr) and Mabel (Michael Hyatt).

Daisy Edgar-Jones ("Normal People", FRESH, 2022) plays older Kya, the one townspeople refer to as "Marsh Girl". Sensitive local boy Tate (Taylor John Smith) shares Kya's interest in nature and teaches her to read and write ... surely having little to do with her being the prettiest marsh girl you've ever seen. When Tate heads off to college, adding another to the Kya abandonment roster, she's pursued by local rich boy Chase (Harris Dickinson). This becomes another in the film's storylines when Chase turns up dead after a fall from a fire tower. Despite no footprints, no fingerprints, and very little evidence, Kya is charged with murder and faces the death penalty. A local nice guy attorney (David Strathairn) takes the case and shy, withdrawn Kya provides little help in her defense.

So let's chat about what's good and not so good. The Kya character is fascinating and certainly worthy of being the centerpiece of a story. There are similarities to other stories about those who were raised outside of society. NELL (1994) and Tarzan come to mind, but despite the marsh environment, Kya never is a wild creature, and only as a child do we see her dirty and unkempt. This is a flaw, as Kya should be more raw and primitive ... at least until her mentoring by Tate. It's a mystery how Kya is as smart and clean and refined as she appears, since it's mostly just the store owners who provide even a dash of support. The structure of the film is decidedly fluid - bouncing from timeline to timeline and from story to story. This kind of structure requires superb writing, something that just isn't in the cards. The courtroom drama and murder case against Kya are especially lightweight and sloppy. Most of it makes little sense and bears almost no resemblance to what an actual trial would look like. Instead, it's slick for dramatic effect.

The cliches are to be expected, and Ms. Edgar-Jones is to be commended to making the most of a role that often requires her to sit with bowed head or gazing at nature. The narration is odd, with an inordinate number of words jumbled up to initially differentiate between a marsh and a swamp. The love story seems pulled directly from a romance novel, and in fact, that's probably the best description of his, rather than a murder mystery. Chase and Tate are textbook examples of the extremes of men, and Kya's Pa adds fuel to the argument that most men are experts at letting down women. Kya's attention to nature and emphasis on survival instinct vs morality are used multiple times to guide us toward the ending, which evidently is supposed to be a twist reveal. Cinematographer Polly Morgan inserts some nice shots of nature, and the music from Oscar winning composer Mychael Danna (LIFE OF PI) is excellent. Taylor Swift's new song, "Carolina" plays over the closing credits. It's not likely a film that will win over anyone who wasn't a fan of the book, but those devoted readers will surely be on board.

It should be noted that a story more interesting that what we see in the movie, is the real-life events of writer Delia Owens and her husband from their twenty plus years in Africa. This includes a murder case with some curious similarities to what she wrote about. If you are interested, track down the 2010 New Yorker article, "The Hunted", researched and written by Jeffrey Goldberg.

Opens in theaters July 15, 2022.

This movie had a good story and setting. The characters were from Harvard obviously with their vocabularies and perfect hygiene and manners. Kya alone at 6 in the swamp would have never seen 7. One of the deadliest eco systems there is on the planet. Who teaches her about hygiene, shaving her legs, getting her period etc? She's got the IQ of Einstein evidently. This story is about non sensical as they get and what you'd expect from a woman under 35. No accents so thick you can't understand them? Lice, Chiggers, mosquitoes etc. Hurricanes? The guy who loves her and eventually never thought she's the murderer? It's like Back to the future but everyone goes back to 1969 from 2022. No way a black couple get away with helping a white child. Etc over and over ad finitum! She was smart enough to kill him. She did it before she left town. Man you talk about a beautiful story in a beautiful place and it's ruined by a modern woke generation. When I was young movies made sense and everything is tied up in the end. Now writers have "Lost" syndrome where they make it up as they go and never fill that empty gut feeling of closure. Don't waste your time on this. Because it will waste yours!