Remarkably Bright Creatures - Review

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

A MOVIE told from the perspective of an octopus might seem like an odd concept - but it proves a highly endearing, emotionally enriching experience that makes for ideal family viewing.

Adapted from Shelby Van Pelt’s best-selling novel from 2022, the story primarily focuses on a woman named Tova (Sally Field), an elderly cleaner at an aquarium in a picturesque coastal town, still tending to the wound she endured after the death of her son years earlier.

She now prefers being alone, and confides most of her innermost feelings (and the occasional town gossip) to Marcellus, an elderly octopus, who has been a mainstay of the aquarium since being rescued from an attack by eels. As an aside, Marcellus is voiced by Alfred Molina, an in-joke of sorts given that the actor memorably played Spider-Man villain Dr Octopus himself in one of the classic superhero films.

For Marcellus, Tova is a kindred spirit: someone equally trapped and scarred by what life has dealt them.

Aware of his own impending mortality, and recently saved from early extinction by Tova, Marcellus resolves to repay her and do something significantly life enhancing. Enter Cameron (Lewis Pullman), a hopeful guitarist, who starts working alongside Tova when she accidentally injures her ankle.

The pair initially clash until both Marcellus and Tova realise what they have in common - both are grieving lost loved ones and a sense of feeling unmoored. Friendship blossoms, bringing with it unlikely enlightenment for both.

As mawkish and contrived as this could have become, Olivia Newman’s film is actually a warm and inspiring offering that isn’t afraid to confront life’s challenges or the darkness it brings.

The portrayal of grief is sensitively handled and performed with much nuance and grace by both Field and Pullman, as is their mutual appreciation for each other and the way that life has taken them in unexpected directions.

It’s a valuable life lesson, in fact, that for many people, life doesn’t turn out as expected (for many reasons) but accepting that and moving forward is as necessary as it is difficult.

Field and Pullman are great together; their friendship overcoming the obvious boundaries of age to emerge as life enhancing for both. There shouldn’t be a dry eye in the house come the film’s climax. But the tears are well earned.

The story is further enhanced by Molina’s grumpy yet perceptive portrayal of Marcellus - an unlikely conduit, for sure, but a surprisingly effective narrator whose own journey also adds to the film’s emotional depth.

There are shortcomings, perhaps inevitably, with certain supporting characters and storylines worthy of more screen time (something the film’s leisurely pacing makes all the more noticeable). I would have loved to have seen more of Sofia Black D’Elia’s single mother, for whom Pullman holds a candle, especially since the arc of their relationship feels rushed and poorly written. The stars share a nice chemistry but the script does let them down.

While Colm Meaney’s amiable store owner, who has the obvious hots for Tova, deserved more than just being reduced to a comedic sidekick.

There’s also arguably not enough of Marcellus during the film’s middle section, which feels like an oversight and deprives audiences of one of its biggest idiosyncrasies.

But if you’re willing to put such criticism aside and go with the movie’s flow, there’s plenty here to charm and to emotionally engage. Newman, together with the film’s talented ensemble cast, have created a remarkably satisfying experience; one that tackles issues of grief, loneliness, friendship and connection in a mature, honest and entirely captivating way.

Certificate: 12A

Running time: 1hr 51mins