Where The Crawdads Sing, directed by Olivia Newman, stars Normal People actress Daisy Edgar Jones, Taylor John Smith, and Harris Dickinson. These young actors carry on a very heavy performance. Newman uses natural coloring and detailed storytelling to convey a tale of isolation and love. 

     Where The Crawdads Sing follows Kya’s (played by Daisy Edgar Jones) life living in a marsh in North Carolina. Kya is abandoned by her entire family throughout the course of her life. Leaving her to fend for herself and become isolated from the rest of the world. Kya takes a deep interest in feathers and sparks an interest in a secret admirer of hers named Tate (played by Taylor John Smith). After Tate moves to college, Kya once again feels abandoned by a loved one and begins going out with Chace (Harris Dickinson). As their relationship blossoms, Kya begins to grow into her own personality but continues to be unliked by the townspeople. Years later the body of Chace is found in the marsh and the town accuses Kya of murder. Kya tries to prove her innocence while dealing with the abandonment of her family. 

     Where The Crawdads Sing takes place in the muddy marsh of North Carolina but was actually filmed in Louisiana. The natural beauty of the marsh mirrors the events and feelings of the story. During the scenes depicting the abuse by the father, the marsh feels dirty, messy, and grimy. Those scenes between Kya and Tate are much warmer. They are embraced by the beautiful swaying of trees and the tuneful sound of birds chirping. When Kya gets too frustrated or in trouble, she flees to the open waters of the marsh. The bright horizons shown represent the freedom Kya seeks. Throughout the movie, warm tones are used to give the effect of a humid energy that is common in the south. All these colors blend together to create such a dramatic film that has such a complexity that is greatly appreciated. 

     While this film doesn’t use the power of song to contribute to the emotions of scenes, it doesn’t completely rule out music. Taylor Swift lends her vocals on the original song Carolina. Swift’s gentle voice perfectly translates the soft images portrayed in the film. Mychael Danna pens the original score for the movie and does an amazing job of using instrumentals to accompany the sounds of nature. The violin is the most dominant sound on this soundtrack and sounds like the wind blowing through the marsh. The highs and lows of the album truly capture the feeling of abandonment while expressing self discovery for the listener and Kya. The organic sounds of the wild animals within the marsh create a raw and almost holistic vibe. Peace is brought upon the dramatic and dangerous marsh. 

     An interesting movie about the South always follows with some controversy, and Where The Crawdads Sing is no exception. The author of the book that the film is based on, Delia Owens, had also been involved in a murder mystery just like Kya. In 1996, Delia alongside her husband Mark had been studying wildlife in Zambia when they had been experiencing many conflicts with animal poachers. During one of the quarrels between the couple and the poachers, one of the poachers had been killed. Since then, Delia and her husband have been wanted for questioning for the murder that occurred in the mid nineties. Both Delia and her fictional character had been accused of murder in their lives. The question of whether Where The Crawdads Sing could be a reflective story arises. Were Kya and Delia murders or just misunderstood? Despite the raging controversy that followed the release of the film, there’s no doubt that Where The Crawdads Sing is a truly heartbreaking story. Viewers can’t help but to keep watching and learn more about Kya’s story. Your heart will keep shattering for Kya but will simultaneously have you rooting for her success. It’s no shocker that Where The Crawdads Sing made $140.2 million dollars in the box office. This film is a must watch that can be streamed on Netflix now!