3 weeks ago
Netflix is backmost successful nan octopus business.
After winning nan Best Documentary Feature Oscar for 2020’s My Octopus Teacher, the streamer has now gone nan communicative way pinch a surface adjustment of Shelby Van Pelt’s bestselling caller Remarkably Bright Creatures. Only this time nan remarkably agleam oversea animal pinch 9 brains, 3 hearts and 360-degree imagination is simply a spot of a cranky, slippery, stuck-up characteristic who really narrates this story, and has nary shortage of opinions astir his perceived failures of nan quality race.
Nevertheless, arsenic he slinks astir his aquarium and wickedly comments connected those looking in, we meet an octopus wise beyond his years who serves arsenic a confidante to nan seventysomething widow who cleans up his maritime showcase each night, and who he deems to beryllium slightest violative quality he has encountered. Having lived a life filled pinch excessively overmuch condolences and nonaccomplishment she is lonely and really only sharing her innermost thoughts and sadness pinch this large scaly lunk, who is named Marcellus.
Alfred Molina is nan perfectly chosen sound of Marcellus, and he is our narrator. Sally Field is Tova, nan cleaning woman who bonds pinch him, possibly not imagining this unsocial animal holds nan cardinal to what is missing successful her life, moreover arsenic she has hidden distant her heartbreak from astir of nan world. Living successful a picaresque seaside community, Tova keeps it each inside, but successful summation to having nan aging Marcellus arsenic institution soon finds herself dealing pinch a young man, mislaid and wandering himself, who desperately needs a occupation and gets 1 helping her retired astatine nan aquarium. His sanction is Cameron, and Lewis Pullman beguilingly plays him arsenic a feline who has ne'er really seemed to turn up overmuch aliases get his footing successful nan world. He is catnip for Marcellus’ biting opinions, but lousy arsenic he is astatine this caller job, he finds a kinship pinch Tova arsenic some successful request of a catharsis are heading for conscionable that — pinch a small thief from a definite eight-tentacled perceiver successful nan tank.
If you deliberation this each sounds a spot contrived, for illustration possibly Lassie with 8 legs, deliberation again. At a acheronian and dismal clip for humanity, this is 1 of those saccharine treatment stories that is truthful irresistible it hits you correct successful nan heart. Director and co-writer Olivia Newman (Where nan Crawdads Sing, The Last Thing He Told Me), who adapted Van Pelt’s caller pinch John Whittington, has nailed conscionable nan correct reside and been fortunate capable to person Field, an acting icon, bring it to life.
This is nan first existent starring domiciled for nan two-time Oscar-winning Field successful a while, astatine slightest since Hello My Name Is Doris, and she knows precisely what to do pinch it, arsenic nan portion requires immoderate dense affectional bridges to transverse arsenic good arsenic a ray touch and maternal small heart to make this pairing pinch Pullman, arsenic good arsenic nan vocal capacity of Molina, activity arsenic good arsenic it does. It is bully to spot her still get this benignant of opportunity. Pullman finds nan perfect equilibrium arsenic good arsenic it becomes evident location are secrets yet to beryllium discovered successful this small community, and conscionable what forces person put him successful this clip and place.
Molina’s smart and sometimes alternatively bruisingly honorable information of nan humanity connected show correct successful Marcellus’ eyeline is awesome nosy to watch, moreover arsenic we tin conjecture this octopus is 1 of nan CGI variety. The typical effects squad has done their ain remarkably agleam occupation successful bringing him to vivid life, adjacent to what Molina does successful nan narration.
Netflix has a lukewarm and alternatively wonderfully aged fashioned movie victor pinch this one. There won’t beryllium a barren oculus successful nan house.
Producers are Bryan Unkeless, Peter Craig and David Levine.
Title: Remarkably Bright Creatures
Distributor: Netflix
Release Date: May 8, 2026 (streaming)
Director: Olivia Newman
Screenwriters: Olivia Newman and John Whittington
Cast: Sally Field, Lewis Pullman, Joan Chen, Kathy Baker, Beth Grant, Sofia Black-D’Elia, Colm
Meaney, Alfred Molina
Rating: PG-13
Running time: 1 hr 51 mins
