Netflix is back in the octopus business.
After winning the Best Documentary Feature Oscar for 2020’s My Octopus Teacher, the streamer has gone the narrative route with a screen adaptation of Shelby Van Pelt’s bestselling novel . Only this time the remarkably bright sea creature with nine brains, three hearts and 360-degree vision is a bit of a cranky, slippery, stuck-up character who actually narrates this story, and has no shortage of opinions about his perceived failures of the human race.
Nevertheless, as he slinks around his aquarium and wickedly comments on those looking in, we meet an octopus wise beyond his years who serves as a confidant to the seventysomething widow who cleans up his maritime showcase every night, and who he deems to be least offensive human he has encountered. Having lived a life filled with too much grief and loss, she is lonely and really only sharing her innermost thoughts and sadness with this big scaly lunk, who is named Marcellus.
Alfred Molina is the perfectly chosen voice of Marcellus, and he is our narrator. Sally Field is Tova, the cleaning lady who bonds with him, perhaps not imagining this unique creature holds the key to what is missing in her life, even as she has hidden away her heartbreak from most of the world. Living in a picaresque seaside community, Tova keeps it all inside, but in addition to having the aging Marcellus as company, soon she finds herself dealing with a young man, lost and wandering himself, who desperately needs a job and gets one helping her out at the aquarium. His name is Cameron, and Lewis Pullman beguilingly plays him as a guy who has never really seemed to grow up much or get his footing in the world. He is catnip for Marcellus’ biting opinions, but lousy as he is at this new job, he finds a kinship with Tova as both in need of a catharsis are heading for just that — with a little help from a certain eight-tentacled observer in the tank.
If you think this all sounds a bit contrived, like maybe Lassie with eight legs, think again. At a dark and dismal time for humanity, this is one of those sweet healing stories that is so irresistible it hits you right in the heart. Director and co-writer Olivia Newman (Where the Crawdads Sing, The Last Thing He Told Me), who adapted Van Pelt’s novel with John Whittington, has nailed just the right tone and been lucky enough to have Field, an acting icon, bring it to life.
This is the first real leading role for the two-time Oscar-winning Field in a while, at least since Hello, My Name Is Doris, and she knows exactly what to do with it. The part requires some heavy emotional bridges to cross as well as a light touch and maternal instinct to make this pairing with Pullman, as well as the vocal performance of Molina, work as well as it does. It is nice to see her still get this kind of opportunity. Pullman finds the ideal balance as well as it becomes apparent there are secrets yet to be discovered in this little community, and just what forces have put him in this time and place.
Molina’s smart and sometimes rather bruisingly honest evaluation of the humanity on display right in Marcellus’ eyeline is great fun to watch, even as we can guess this octopus is one of the CGI variety. The special effects team has done their own remarkably bright job in bringing him to vivid life, equal to what Molina does in the narration.
Netflix has a warm and rather wonderfully old fashioned movie winner with this one. There won’t be a dry eye in the 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