If there’s one thing that Hollywood really loves lately, it’s heartwarming stories about emotionally damaged people finding healing in strange places. For some, it’s a boxing gym. For others, it’s a road trip or a British bear with a red hat named Paddington. In Netflix‘s Remarkably Bright Creatures, it’s an aquarium and an old but wise octopus named Marcellus. Based on Shelby Van Pelt’s bestselling 2022 novel, Olivia Newman’s film adaptation beautifully captures the heart of the book while pairing it with stunning visuals and wonderful performances from the cast. In the wrong hands, it could have turned into sentimental syrup, but Newman carefully balances the warmth, humour and heartbreak to deliver a touching film.
Remarkably Bright Creatures begins with narration from the world’s smartest therapist with suction cups, as he (voiced by Alfred Molina, who ironically once played Doctor Octopus in Spider-Man 2) comments on the humans he encounters from behind his tank. He’s particularly fond of an old and grieving widow named Tova (Sally Field), who spends her evenings cleaning the aquarium and unpacking her baggage to the octopus. Tova’s husband is gone, and her son died tragically a few years before.
When Tova hurts her foot, the manager decides to employ Cameron (Lewis Pullman), a loser who needs to make a few bucks in order to fix the beat-up microbus his mother left him after passing. But he’s also in the small town for a very specific reason: he hopes to find his father, whom he has never met.
Then there’s Marcellus. He dreams of returning to the ocean. But before he heads back, he wants to help Tova because she’s been incredibly kind to him over the years. And so he often creeps out of his tank and goes on tiny adventures to get the attention of the humans he has grown to care for.
It’s the kind of story where you can see the setup and maybe even the outcome a mile away. It rarely goes off the tracks or heads in surprising directions, but it does deliver every single beat in the film with real sincerity. Yes, the story expects you to accept several giant coincidences (and a talking CGI octopus), but because you learn to grow to love everyone in this story (even Tova’s nosey friends and Cameron’s love interest), it works.
There’s a moment towards the end of the second act when the film forgets about Marcellus, which is a shame considering he really is the star of the film. Still, when he does reappear, he’s fantastic.
It’s the kind of film that will put a smile on your face. And in a world where everything feels dark and cruel, movies like Remarkably Bright Creatures are needed. It’s a beautiful escape.
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The Review
Remarkably Bright Creatures
Remarkably Bright Creatures is heartfelt, funny, and just strange enough to work.
Review Breakdown
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Verdict
