Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Green
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Book-based heart warmer with language, grieving.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Remarkably Bright Creatures
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Tova Sullivan (Sally Field) is an elderly woman who works the night shift as a cleaning lady at a local aquarium in REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES. There, she has bonded with the octopus, Marcellus (voiced by Alfred Molina), who has become her only friend. She confides in him and, intelligent creature that he is, he understands her and wants to help her overcome her loneliness and grief after losing her son decades ago. When Tova gets injured, drifter Cameron (Lewis Pullman) temporarily fills in for her. He's looking for his father, whom he's never met, following the overdose death of his mother. Tova and Cameron will bond in unexpected ways, with Marcellus wisely looking on.
Is It Any Good?
This tearjerker picks up steam in its emotional second half, thanks to skilled acting and an absorbing storyline—as well as a few surprises (at least for those who haven't read the book). Field and Pullman are well-matched as flawed, grieving outcasts in Remarkably Bright Creatures, which also benefits from likeable supporting actors such as Colm Meaney, Kathy Baker, and Sofia Black-D'Elia. It's not hard to relate to the characters, who capture the loneliness of modern American life.
The Pacific Northwest setting provides a luxurious background as well as a moodiness that fits the story's tone. The octopus narrator is faithful to the book but arguably wasn't necessary in the screen adaptation, where his musings can come across as overly expository. The actors and script articulate the story just fine on their own. Then again, Marcellus is smart, loveable, and lives his own poignant story arc, so why mess with a best-seller?
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what the characters of Remarkably Bright Creatures learn about themselves and change about their lives and attitudes during the film.
Have you read the book this film is adapted from? How do the two compare?
What did you think of the octopus serving as occasional narrator? In what ways did Marcellus change the lives of Tova and Cameron?
What other films have you seen that were set in the Pacific Northwest? What mood does this location convey?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : May 8, 2026
- Cast : Sally Field , Lewis Pullman , Colm Meaney
- Director : Olivia Newman
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Activism ( Animal rights ) , Animals ( Ocean Creatures ) , Book Characters , Family Stories ( Dads , Moms ) , Friendship
- Character Strengths : Teamwork
- Run time : 111 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : thematic material, some strong language, suggestive references and brief drug use
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : May 7, 2026
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