Remarkably Bright Creatures Movie Review (2026)

A heartfelt dramedy about a widow working at an aquarium who forms an unusual connection with an observant octopus, Remarkably Bright Creatures is a warm film with a strong cast, beautiful marine life, and gentle, storybook-like charm.

I read this book shortly after it was released in 2022, and I loved it. It takes you on an unexpected journey with an unexpected narrator, and it’s lovely. I filed it into the back of my brain with the rest of the great books that I carry, and I let it go. But when I started hearing rumblings about a film being made from it, I was concerned. How could they possibly make a cinematic experience feel like this book? Well, somehow, they did it.

Remarkably Bright Creatures is about an octopus named Marcellus. Highly intelligent, he was “rescued” from the ocean and brought into an aquarium, where he spends his days watching children leave streaks on the glass of his tank. And, although he doesn’t care for humans, he likes the cleaning lady, Tova, the best. She talks to him and cares about him – a bond that continues to grow. When she hurts her foot one night, stranger Cameron, who is looking to connect with his birth father and lives in his broken-down camper, takes the temporary position at the aquarium.

This is a delightful film that carries the book’s quiet magic right onto the screen. Marcellus (voiced by an enchanting Alfred Molina) is the narrator, with his proper, semi-posh way of speaking, and you quickly understand that he finds his species far superior to humans. Because they are. He comments that humans seem unable to connect the dots or use their words effectively, but he appreciates them enough. And before he reaches the end of his life, he has a goal he is working toward.

Tova (the always-winning Sally Field) has been through a lot in her life and is struggling with the decision to sell her house. It is where her life was richest, but also attached to great trauma, and her friends, the Knitwits (a knitting club full of clackety hens), don’t fully understand her.

Cameron (played by an engaging Lewis Pullman), who is new to the area, has always been searching for something. Now, in town, he is trying to track down his elusive – and rich – birth father to find out where he has been Cameron’s whole life. But Cameron is a good guy, he’s just lost. Between Tova and Marcellus, maybe there’s hope for him.

Remarkably Bright Creatures is told like a fairy tale. It has gorgeous colors and lots of marine life intermixed through the frames. It feels charming and tender, and although there are moments that aren’t happy, it is continuously uplifting. The lead and supporting actors are likable, and overall, this is just a really good film. Thank goodness, because I would have been really disappointed if they messed with such a beautiful book. But they did, to their credit.

Runtime: 113 minutes

Motion Picture Rating: PG-13

Languages Spoken In The Film: English

Should You Watch It? Yes

Did I Cry? I got choked up

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Available: Free on Netflix