Plot: A widow who works at a local aquarium finds joy again when she forms an unlikely bond with a Giant Pacific Octopus and a wayward young man who comes to town in search of family. Together, they will uncover a mystery that will lead them to a life-changing discovery and restore their sense of wonder.
Review: To quote John Lennon: “I read the news today, oh boy.” It seems like not a day goes by without a flood of bad news. From war and intolerance to gas prices and the inevitable remake of somebody’s favorite classic, negativity always takes the lead on every screen imaginable. Through all the hatred and vitriol, it is sometimes nice to experience something that fills you with a little joy. Remarkably Bright Creatures, based on the bestselling novel by Shelby Van Pelt, has elicited those small moments of happiness in readers since its 2022 publication. The Netflix film adaptation starring Sally Field and Lewis Pullman arrives this weekend to do the same. A sweet, heartwarming story about overcoming grief that features narration by Marcellus the octopus, Remarkably Bright Creatures lives up to its title with a wonderfully positive adaptation that will make you smile, even if it makes you tear up a little first.
Voiced by Alfred Molina, Marcellus the octopus opens the film lamenting the children he encounters daily at the small aquarium he calls home. Waxing philosophically on existence and the dullness of human beings, Marcellus finds interest only in the cleaning woman who comes in during the off hours. Tova (Sally Field) is a widow who has been mourning her son for three decades and is on the verge of leaving home for a retirement community, something she has not even shared with her closest friends. Just as she is preparing to depart her small town, a young musician named Cameron (Lewis Pullman) arrives looking for the father who abandoned him as a child. Learning of his existence only after his mother’s death, Cameron is aimless and a dreamer, and takes a job at the aquarium until his van is fixed and he finds his father. Both in need of a friend, Tova and Cameron become an unlikely pair as they are aided by Marcellus’s machinations.
Most of the film follows the growing friendship between Tova and Cameron, as well as their mutual attraction. Tova is pursued by local Grateful Dead fan and store owner Ethan Mack (Colm Meaney), while Cameron becomes interested in paddleboard shop owner Avery (Sofia Black D’Elia). Both romances struggle as Tova and Cameron cannot get past their grief, halting any movement in their lives, something Marcellus observes from his tank. A wise animal who sees more than he is given credit for, Marcellus escapes his tank regularly to try and find a way to bring happiness to Tova in the way she has cared for him. It is a sweet and nice thought, but one that does not always translate to a screen telling of this story. In the novel, Marcellus’ narration allows the reader to experience the story through the octopus’s perspective, whereas in the movie, there are multiple sequences outside the aquarium where Marcellus plays no role at all. This diminishes the octopus’s relevance to the plot, but Remarkably Bright Creatures works better when Alfred Molina’s calming presence guides the film.
There are quite a few familiar faces in the cast, including Joan Chen, Kathy Baker, and Beth Grant as close friends of Tova’s who try to get her to live life again. Even with its handful of scenes that add context to the film, Remarkably Bright Creatures focuses more on Sally Field and Lewis Pullman than anyone else. There is a casual sweetness to the dynamic between Field and Pullman, with the Oscar-winning actress once again playing an effortlessly likable character. There is little to dislike about Tova, with the weight of her grief letting the audience empathize with her from start to finish. Lewis Pullman is also easy to root for, even though Cameron is presented as a flaky musician who never lives up to the ambitious ideas he concocts. At just under two hours, you will find yourself easily watching Remarkably Bright Creatures and enjoying the comforts of this story.
Based on the debut novel by Shelby Van Pelt, Remarkably Bright Creatures is adapted for the screen by director Olivia Newman and John Whittington. Newman’s previous film was the long-awaited adaptation of Where the Crawdads Sing, which served as a showcase for Daisy Edgar-Jones and grossed a solid $144 million despite mixed reviews. Translating beloved novels into films is a challenge, but Newman does a far better job with Remarkably Bright Creatures. While Marcellus is a fun and unique narrator, Newman does not give the entire film over to the octopus but does showcase him as much as possible. A fully CGI creation, Marcellus feels tangible enough that it does not detract from the rest of the movie, while Newman balances the cozy feel of Remarkably Bright Creatures with some of the more challenging themes of suicide, drug abuse, grief, and death. It is not as deep as
While it does capture the sweet and heartwarming core of the novel, Remarkably Bright Creatures comes up just short of what it could have been had Marcellus the octopus been a more central focus of the story. The plot hinges on a twist that even the most uninterested viewer will figure out early on, so it does not have the same impact as it did in the novel. But you won’t really care either way, because this is a movie about investing in the characters, with both Sally Field and Lewis Pullman playing easily relatable roles. As it stands, this is a nice movie that will have you feeling all sorts of emotions alongside the characters, ultimately ending with very little in terms of stakes. A feel-good movie that will have you experiencing a wave of coziness, Remarkably Bright Creatures is a nice, harmless alternative to all the negativity out there.
Remarkably Bright Creatures premieres on Netflix on May 8th.
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