Let me just preface by saying, I utterly adored this book. It will probably always without a doubt, be one of my favorites. I even named my second cat after the main character.
Pros: I love the base plot line. Abandoned child, Kya (Jojo Regina and then Daisy Edgar-Jones) grows up surrounded by nature and finds solace in that after being physically and emotionally abused by her father (Garrett Dillahunt) after her mother (Ahna O'Reilly) leaves. She soon falls in love with two town boys, each very different from each other: Tate (Taylor John Smith), lonely and intelligent in his own right who is kind and sympathetic to Kya and they develop a deep friendship and Chase (Harris Dickinson), the golden boy whose needs are not fulfilled by his crystal fiancé, Pearl (Caroline Cole) and needs side piece and feels that she should be grateful that he's gracing her with his presence. So there's a love triangle and then a murder mystery and trial, sprinkled in with Kya's career as a naturist. Fortunately, the acting (at least by the main characters) is also solid and the setting was also great as you feel like you are out there in the marsh along with Kya.
Cons: Despite the solid plot, the film uses the trial of Kya, charged with Chase's murder, as the frame story while the book is linear, and honestly, while each is great, they are not blended together sufficiently, and the source material deserved much, much better. Also, I found the responses of the courtroom audience to be canned and overly done, certainly not realistic and not subtle, so that was ridiculous. Not to mention, while Edgar-Jones is a good actress and gives a good performance, she was often too clean and had too many outfits.
That all being said, the love story between Kya and Tate is one of my favorites of all-time, so yes, I will gladly see this film again and again.
Recommend: Yes, but prepare yourself, the book is better.
Grade: B+
Side Notes:
-David Strathairn is good in the supporting role of the retired lawyer who feels the need to defend Kya, with good success.
-That ending twist is truly shocking.
-This is one of the few films, recently, that nearly made me cry. That is becoming increasingly rare these days in my old age (I'm 31).
-While I do not condone violence, Chase is an absolute asshole who wanted to have his cake and eat it, too and would not have stopped as he'd never been told no before and couldn't handle it. Tate was correct, she deserved better.
-You would think that one of Kya's siblings would have insisted she come with them, after all, she is the youngest.
-Okay, I have to call it out, when her brother (Logan Macrae) and his family come to visit, how in the world do they get a car up there as her home is only accessible by boat.
-Kya's family boat never breaks down, both in the film and book. I feel that that must mentioned.
-Ahna O'Reilly, where have you been since The Help?
-Does it ever rain in the marsh?
-Accents were a little all over the place, which required some sort of explanation.
-The film was written, produced and directed by women.
-I love how men say that sex will get better for the woman, that's beyond demeaning.
-Though Tate was a fool for standing her up, I'm glad she forgave him and that they stayed together, separated only by death.
-Taylor Swift better be nominated for an Oscar for her song played over the end credits.
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