Watch Kids' Reviews of
WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING

Where the Crawdads Sing is a must see coming-of-age and murder mystery movie based on the blockbuster novel by Delia Owens. The movie is wonderfully cast as every performance is stellar.

The story follows two different timelines that slowly come together as the movie progresses. The first is the trial for the murder of Chase Andrews (Harris Dickinson) and the second is about Kya Clark (Daisy Edgar-Jones), a young girl who, after being abandoned by her family, learns to thrive in the marshes of North Carolina in the 1950s and 1960s.

The movie mostly follows the storyline of the book it's based on, Where the Crawdads Sing, with a few slight changes. The storyline is engaging and keeps you guessing right until the very end. The sets and locations, along with the costumes of the marsh and the town, transport us into the 1950s and 1960s so much that it feels like we are living at that time. Each and every member of the cast have spectacular performances; my favorites come from Daisy Edgar-Jones and Jojo Regina. Daisy Edgar-Jones, as the older Kya, and Jojo Regina, as young Kya, have absolutely phenomenal performances. It feels as though they are real people in a documentary. You feel their pain, their joys and their triumphs. Other stand out-performances come from Harris Dickinson (Chase Andrews) and Taylor John Smith (Tate Walker) as they elicit a range of emotions with the portrayal of their roles and interactions with Kya.

The strongest message of Where the Crawdads Sing is the power of perseverance and one's ability to overcome challenges. Nature also plays a big role in this movie. You should be aware that this film has several adult themes and scenes, including rape, domestic violence, and similar, as well as profanity, so I do not recommend it for young audiences.

I give Where the Crawdads Sing 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 13 to 18, plus adults. It comes out in theaters July 15, 2022.

By Katherine S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 14

Where the Crawdads Sing is a great movie that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The acting is terrific and the excitement and suspense of the plot are incredible. I love a roller coaster of a good mystery and highly recommend this one.

Where the Crawdads Sing is based on the book by Delia Owens. It follows the life of a young woman, Kya (Daisy EdgarJones) who survives growing up in the marshlands of North Carolina by herself. Although she is considered an outsider and does not fit in with the people of the surrounding town, she finds a way to persevere. A major turning point in her life occurs when she becomes the prime suspect of a crime.

Daisy Edgar-Jones brings Kya's character to life very powerfully. When we first see her, she is shy and reserved; she rarely leaves the marshes. Kya enjoys the beauty of nature and loves drawing pictures of insects. As a person who loves nature, I really appreciate the scenery in the film with the details of the water, grasses and plants. It is beautiful. Although the movie takes place in the 1960s, the attire is similar to what people wear today and seems realistic. My favorite part of the film is the ending when we the truth about the murder is revealed. My sister and I enjoyed discussing the outcome of the story. There are so many possible outcomes of this story. It is interesting to see the many different interpretations from other people. This will definitely be a conversation piece for me and my friends for a while.

The message of the movie Where the Crawdads Sing shows how being abandoned by the people you love impacts your life and relationships. Although Kya survived on her own and created a life for herself, she never had the opportunity to deal with her past and how it affects her life in the present. You should be aware that there are some very suggestive sexual scenes in this film that make it unsuitable for younger children. I felt quite uncomfortable seeing those myself.

I give Where the Crawdads Sing 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 18 to adult. It releases in theaters July 15, 2022.

By Ava C., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13

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From the best-selling novel comes a captivating mystery. Where the Crawdads Sing tells the story of Kya, an abandoned girl who raised herself to adulthood in the dangerous marshlands of North Carolina. For years, rumors of the "Marsh Girl" haunted Barkley Cove, isolating the sharp and resilient Kya from her community. Drawn to two young men from town, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world; but when one of them is found dead, she is immediately cast by the community as the main suspect. As the case unfolds, the verdict as to what actually happened becomes increasingly unclear, threatening to reveal the many secrets that lay within the marsh.