‘Remarkably Bright Creatures’ Review: Sally Field, Lewis Pullman Anchor This Timely, Warm Hug of A Film

Sally Field and Lewis Pullman starrer “Remarkably Bright Creatures” is rigged for the waterworks. It follows the life of Tova Sullivan (Field), a 70-year-old janitor working nights at the local aquarium in the fictional town of Sowell Bay. With her son having died years ago in a freak accident and the recent death of her husband, Tova’s solace is talking to the aquatic creatures, rather than humans.

One in particular, Marcellus (voiced by Alfred Molina), a giant Pacific octopus nearing the end of his lifespan, takes interest in her loneliness and pain. When Cameron (Pullman), a lost-in-life musician, arrives in town looking for someone and crosses paths with Tova, the remarkably bright Marcellus figures Tova and Cameron might have the same “affliction” and could help each other heal. But, they’d need his assistance to get there.

If the premise feels whimsical, it does demand some suspension of disbelief. But ultimately, it’s always about how worthy the payoff is. Directed by Olivia Newman (“When The Crawdads Sing”, “The Last Thing He Told Me” Season 1), who also wrote the screenplay alongside John Whittington (“Swapped”, “Sonic The Hedgehog 3”), “Remarkably Bright Creatures” is an adaptation of Shelby Van Pelt’s debut novel by the same name, which became a BookTok sensation and book club favorite since being published in 2022.

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The adaptation, for the most part, is good because the changes to Pelt’s character arcs and plots help keep the film crisp and effective. It also means that while the story centers Tova and her tragedy, Cameron’s backstory and his relationship with Avery (Sofia Black-D’Elia) get considerably trimmed. Supporting characters are rather peripheral. There are some sweet scenes for Cameron and Tova with the local store owner, Ethan (Colm Meaney). And Tova’s golden girls gang, known as the Knit Wits (Joan Chen, Kathy Baker, Beth Grant), are fun enough to merit some more screen time. 

“Remarkably Bright Creatures” is in no way posed as a mystery; the answers to Tova and Cameron’s questions become apparent even to non-readers early on, just as they do to Marcellus. The heavy lifting, then, is done by the emotional, reluctant-co-workers-to-friends journey undertaken by Tova and Cameron. Marcellus' voiceover is also used judiciously and doesn't overpower the film's emotional beats. Sally Field has played this part a few times before; her Tova and the character’s pain feel lived in and come through. Lewis Pullman is extremely likeable as the down-on-his-luck guitarist of Moth Sausage (a band his friends just broke up), looking for a parent he has never met.

But the film truly shines in their scenes together, as they play off each other’s emotions to create an easy chemistry that tugs at your heartstrings. The dive bar scene, featuring Pullman (a drummer IRL) crooning Radiohead’s “I Can’t” (he's good!), and the film’s climax will bring up the biggest smiles and fattest tears to anyone who loves a good sappy story of finding hope after a big tragedy. 

The film’s atmosphere, built through the lens of cinematographer Ashley Connor, mirrors its leads’ stories well. The fictional Washington small town of Sowell Bay is a mix of grey and occasional earthy tones. But the nighttime aquarium scenes and the dive bar really bring the pop of color, as if to show moments of happiness that Tova and Cameron feel alive in. The bright color also suits Marcellus the octopus, who feels stunningly real and fluid. In captivity, he looks normal-sized, but appears gigantic in the ocean. Created using a mix of CGI and footage of a real giant Pacific octopus, Agnetha (there’s a wink to her in the film), Marcellus demands a squishy, tentacled embrace.

In a world full of AI and apps that keep humans too busy to seek community, “Remarkably Bright Creatures” also feels timely. That its narrator is a smart-mouthed octopus that looks incredibly real on screen and whose snarky wisdom is brought to life by the deep, textured voice of Alfred Molina further adds to the appeal of its message to seek out real human connection. And then there’s the chemistry shared by Sally Field and Lewis Pullman, which evokes a warm hug on a cold, rainy evening and guarantees catharsis.