Where The Crawdads Sing's Rotten Tomatoes Critics & Audience Score Divide Explained

Daisy Edgar-Jones' Most Divisive Movie Has A Disastrous Rotten Tomatoes Score (But Audiences Disagree)

Published Oct 18, 2026, 8:55 AM EDT

​​August is a freelance film writer. She studied journalism and cinema at American University. She is a member of the journalism honor society, Kappa Tau Alpha. August has written for various networks and publications, including PBS, Gargoyle Magazine, TheThings, and Identity Theory Magazine. Before returning to entertainment writing, August worked in the Automotive section of U.S. News & World Report. In her free time, August enjoys watching movies in theaters, watching movies at home, listening to podcasts about movies, reading books about movies, watching video essays on movies, talking about movies, thinking about movies, and doing crosswords.

Delia Owens’ 2018 novel Where the Crawdads Sing was a literary hit. The southern gothic story garnered widespread notoriety after being featured in Reese Witherspoon’s book club. It became a New York Times bestseller in 2019 and earned a cinematic adaptation in 2022, with Witherspoon on as a producer.

The mystery thriller movie brought in Normal People star Daisy Edgar-Jones to play Kya, a young woman who grew up primarily alone in the marshes of North Carolina. In the story, Kya finds herself at the center of a criminal investigation when her ex-boyfriend, played by Harris Dickinson (Babygirl and Triangle of Sadness), is murdered. Taylor John Smith (Warfare) came on to play Kya’s other romantic interest.

Olivia Newman (Remarkably Bright Creatures) directed the Sony film with an adapted screenplay by Lucy Alibar (Beasts of the Southern Wild). The film was heavily hyped ahead of its release. The novel had sold over 12 million copies, Witherspoon’s attachment had turned heads, and pop idol Taylor Swift had penned and performed the theme song. However, the upcoming film also faced controversy.

The author’s alleged connection to an unsolved murder of a suspected poacher in Zambia in the 1990s hung over the film’s release. This was coupled with past criticism that the novel was a work of white feminism that included racist stereotypes. Upon the film's release, a deep divide was immediately apparent. Critics panned the cinematic adaptation while audiences expressed their admiration for it.

Where The Crawdads Sing Has A Huge 62-Point Rotten Tomatoes Divide

A slight divide between audience and critical reception of a film is not uncommon, with critics nitpicking narrative intricacies that mass audiences are less bothered by. In the case of Where the Crawdads Sing, the divide is unusually vast. The 2022 film has a dismal 34% composite critical score, and a near-perfect 96% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Critics cited being disappointed by the adaptation's storytelling and form. They scrutinized it for being too broad and glossing over the grittier aspects of its subject matter. These criticisms largely align with those the book faced, though critics argue the movie even further sanitizes the novel's narrative.

“But Where the Crawdads Sing never really had an interest in complications, or hardship, or racism as anything beyond wallpaper for its central nature girl fantasy of self-reliance,” Adrian Horton wrote in her two-star review for The Guardian. “It would rather stay above the fray, gliding prettily along the marsh without actually getting dirty.”

Critics also expressed a wish that the filmmakers would have embodied the bravery of the story's protagonist and dared to dive deeper into the muck of the narrative. Rolling Stone describes the picture as “a dull, well-scrubbed Southern Gothic mediocrity.”

“For a film about a brave woman who’s grown up in the wild, living by her own rules, 'Where the Crawdads Sing' is unusually tepid and restrained,” Christy Lemire wrote in her two-star review for Roger Ebert. “And aside from Daisy Edgar-Jones’ multi-layered performance as its central figure, the characters never evolve beyond a basic trait or two.”

Publication	Rating of Where the Crawdad's Sing (2022)
Roger Ebert	2 stars
Empire	2 stars
ScreenRant	5/10
Collider	D
The Guardian	2 stars
IndieWire	C+

Critics further pick apart the film's pacing, arguing that it lacks a clear rhythm and drags, particularly in the courtroom scenes. Despite this negativity, critics did praise both Edgar-Jones’ dynamic performance and the stunning cinematography of the marshland as highlights of an otherwise disappointing adaptation.

Audiences Loved The Daisy Edgar-Jones Movie, Despite Those Negative Reviews

Image made by Yailin Chacon

Where the Crawdads Sing proves that critical reviews are not necessarily predictive of a film's success. Audiences have warmly received the divisive adaptation.

Everyone appears to agree on the highlights of Where the Crawdads Sing. In reviews captured on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences praise Edgar-Jones’ strong and complex performance as Kya. They also note the luxurious cinematography and scenery that makes for a warm and breathtaking film. This is where the agreement ends. Audiences are largely perturbed by professional reviewers’ sharp and numerous criticisms.

“Exceptionally acted and directed movie on a set that could not have been more poignant,” audience reviewer Neb A wrote on Rotten Tomatoes. “The professional critics should get their heads examined.”

The audience reviews captured on Rotten Tomatoes largely agree that, despite what critics say, the film is rich and immersive. They argue that the quieter, gentler story does not take away from its depth or power. Those who have read the book feel it is different to but not lesser than its predecessor. To them, the cinematic adaptation is worthwhile in its own way, and still evokes a similar atmospheric feeling as the novel.

“A sanitised version for sure, compared to the grittier novel on which it is based, but beautifully filmed and the gorgeous marsh landscapes offset the more improbable elements of a gentle film that is more love story than courtroom drama,” audience reviewer David H wrote on Rotten Tomatoes. “The critics have lost the beauty of this movie in their over-analytical rush to condemn.”

Where the Crawdads Sing is one in a long line of films adored by audiences yet scorned by critics. The 2022 adaptation remains a cherished fan favorite and continues to receive steady viewership on streaming. As of writing, Where the Crawdads Sing is available to stream on Hulu and Disney+.

Where the Crawdads Sing