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Der Gesang der Flusskrebse ©2022 Sony Pictures

Delia Owens is a zoologist with a PhD in animal behavioural science. She has spent large parts of her life exploring nature, especially the Kalahari Desert. Together with her husband Mark Owens, several scientific publications have been published as well as research. At the age of 68, however, Delia Owens embarked on a new career path and published her first novel, WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING, which immediately became a huge worldwide success. After actress and producer Reese Witherspoon, who is also responsible for the production of the film of the same name, presented the book in her show “Hello Sunshine”, the work became a real bestseller. A total of 12 million copies were sold. In addition, the newcomer author was able to set a new number 1 record with the New York Times in the field of fictional hardcover bestsellers. According to producer Elizabeth Gabler, she also stars in the film.

Here’s what it’s about

In the middle of the North Carolina alluvial plain, not far from the town of Barkley Cove, Chase is found dead beneath a fire lookout tower. While the authorities investigate, it is initially unclear whether it was an accident or a murder, but quickly the marsh girl Catherine “Kya” Clark becomes a target and is taken into custody by the police. The young woman maintains her innocence, but a trial will be held against her and nothing less than her own life is at stake. To avoid execution, she must open up to her lawyer and tells him her story, which is full of love, hate, loneliness, doubt and fear.

Review

It’s been a long time since cinema has been as easy to digest as it is with WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING. We are presented with a convoluted film that follows the novel quite closely and takes place in several time levels. Again and again, the plot jumps back and forth between the 50s, 60s and 70s and it takes a while for the audience to get an overview of all the connections, which are, despite that, quite simply knitted. Judicial drama meets romance, crime meets mystery. An atmospheric story is told, which basically only revolves around the concerns of the main character and deals with her forced desire for solitude, her love of nature, her personal development from an intimidated child to a self-confident woman as well as her longings. This is surrounded by the often far too brief frame story of the murder investigation already hinted at.

Der Gesang der Flusskrebse ©2022 Sony Pictures

It doesn’t take long to get the impression that we are in the middle of a Nicholas Sparks film adaptation. Calm sceneries with soft music, countless sunsets by the water, an intense love affair that is told out and, of course, a few emotional conflicts show that director Olivia Newman savours the full range of the schmaltzy narrative. Apart from the fact that this part is far too extensive and it would have done well to cut back a little in many places, the loudly thumping hearts of the audience are completely satisfied in their expectation. However, the supplemented judicial drama suffers from this, which forms an interesting contrast in its basic structure and therefore offers a wonderful change even for non-romanticists, but remains toothless and superficial. Instead of a rousing court case, we repeatedly see only small and harmless lawyer duels that foreshadow the finale early on and are therefore robbed of any suspense. It would have done well to take a leaf out of Billy Wilder’s WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION.

Harmless nature documentary

But that is not the only problem with this frame story. Several parallels to the fantastic tragicomedy FRIED GREEN TOMATOES are clearly visible, but the director neglects this part so much that even several unexpected hints are not exploited and neatly handled. Instead of a differentiated court case that actually examines the question of guilt and thus looks at more than just one suspect, although we are even shown other potential perpetrators who have a strong motive and for whom the murder would also be considered an empathetic act, they prefer to take the easy and uncomplicated route and thus give the impression that they merely don’t want to strain the gentle disposition of the audience.

Der Gesang der Flusskrebse ©2022 Sony Pictures

Lovers of American river landscapes will see similarly great images here as we have come to know from THE PEANUT BUTTER FALCON, for example. At the same time, however, this also takes a path that is not atypical for romances and which repeatedly puts this genre in a bad light. Perfectionist depictions show us a world that seems to play far away from actual reality. Even the disorder is apparently subject to a clear order, and even the muddy landscapes do not really appear repulsively dirty, as was recently seen in PREY. We are literally told how beautiful life as an outsider can be when you break free from all conventions and follow your own dreams and passions. This point is clearly inspired by Delia Owen’s own life.

Fresh play by Daisy

The role of lead actress Daisy Edgar-Jones, who almost single-handedly makes her mark on the film, also shows no signs of the feral outsider she is repeatedly dubbed as. Ironically, her character is instead increasingly subjected to a socially accepted ideal of beauty, which makes no sense at all given her circumstances and desire to live a detached life from civilisation. Nonetheless, much like in FRESH, she delivers an acting performance worth watching, particularly evident in her precise facial expressions, making it easy for viewers to empathise with the character. Away from her, it is Sterling Macer Jr. and Michael Hyatt who catch the eye and whose supporting roles as simply businessmen subject to massive discrimination (which unfortunately also comes up far too short) as BPoC in the southeastern US add a familial and endearing component.

Conclusion

WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING shows us some great approaches and leaves very few people petrified and numb. It is the emotional and passionate film we have been waiting for since the last lockdown was lifted. Yet it is a work that could hardly be more innocuous and unspectacular and looks as if it is viewed through rose-tinted glasses. Far too long expository parts make us wait impatiently for the romance, drama and thriller to finally find each other and form a harmonious unit. In the end, however, we have to do without this moment and be content with being lulled by great nature and animal shots. Safety and feel-good cinema at its best, in which unfortunately any development worth remembering is skipped, which is why the work has great potential to disappear into the void of the vast film landscape.

How did you like the movie?
(19 Bewertungen, Durchschnitt: 7,11 von 10)

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