A 2022 mystery drama  is being hailed by audiences as a must-watch thriller – and film fans can catch it today.

Airing on Film4 at 9pm tonight, November 3, Where the Crawdads Sing is directed by Olivia Newman and adapted for the screen by Lucy Alibar from Delia Owens’ 2018 bestselling novel of the same name.

Starring Normal People’s breakout star Daisy Edgar-Jones in the lead role, the film has a stellar cast comprising Taylor John Smith, Michael Hyatt, Jojo Regina, Harris Dickinson, Ahna O’Reilly, Sterling Macer Jr., Garret Dillahunt, and David Strathairn.

Where the Crawdads Sing is centered around a young girl named Kya (Edgar-Jones), who was abandoned as a child and forced to raise herself in a marshland in North Carolina, growing up to be a quietly resilient woman. Kya becomes an introverted naturalist over the years, however, when the town’s heartthrob is found dead, she ends up emerging as the prime suspect and is tried for his murder.

With a production budget of $24 million, Where the Crawdads Sing went on to become a massive box-office hit grossing $144.3 million at the global box office and helped fill the vacuum of successful female-led films in cinemas post the Covid-19 pandemic.

Canadian composer Mychael Danna created the film’s soundtrack, which features Taylor Swift’s original song ‘Carolina’. The song bagged an MTV Movie & TV Award and also garnered nominations for multiple major honours, including the Critics’ Choice Award, Golden Globe, Grammy, and Satellite Award.

Where the Crawdads Sing boasts an impressive 96 per cent audience approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes; however, in sharp contrast, the review aggregator site shows the film has scored a dismal 34 per cent on the critics’ Tomatometer.

One glowing audience review of the film states: “A beautifully told story against a serene backdrop of a young woman having to endure many different curve balls of life including abandonment and abuse. A gem to watch and will stay with you after the credits roll.”

While another viewer wrote: “One of the best movies ever seen. No kidding. It has it all: drama, suspense, romance, and a final surprise.”

Yet another impressed fan said of the film: “Another proof that you should ignore critics. Absolutely great movie, cinematography, location, acting… 10/10 for sure.”

And a fourth audience review declares: “This was literally the last Oscar worthy movie I have seen. Movies these days lack any kind of connection to reality. I was super impressed by the screen play. It is VERY difficult to get all the story elements from a book into a film, and to do it in a way that still connects you emotionally to the story, and transitions well. This movie does it beautifully. It is well cast and extremely well acted.”

One critic said of Daisy Edgar-Jones’ acting: “A missed opportunity, Crawdads is still a worthwhile watch and proof that Daisy Edgar-Jones is Hollywood’s new star.”

While another reviewer commented: “Where the Crawdads Sing is a thought-provoking film, which could have easily just been another glossy movie without substance but instead it is an engaging tale with its intentional humanity.”

Where the Crawdads Sing will be broadcast on Film 4 at 9pm tonight, November 3.