On the surface Remarkably Bright Creatures is a Hallmark type of movie about people who live in a coastal town in the Pacific Northwest where they all seem to get along. It’s easy to believe the aquarium which is only a modestly sized building for a facility is able to stay open just on the basis that people keep returning on a regular basis.
The movie streaming on Netflix works for three reasons. The first is the cast includes Sally Fields, Lewis Pullman, Kathy Baker and Colm Meaney all are a joy to watch. Second, it’s told through the point of view of a giant Pacific octopus. And third that octopus is voiced by Alfred Molina.
Molina has been acting for decades and seems to always steal the show from his role as a crazed drug dealer in Boogie Nights to his role as Doctor Octavius in the Spider-Man movies. It’s also amusing that Octavius is called Doctor Octopus or Doc Ock.
Fields plays Tova Sullivan, a widowed woman who works as a night janitor at the aquarium. Many years earlier her son died under mysterious circumstances while out at sea. People think it might have been a boat accident but there’s suspicion even from Tova he committed suicide. She seems to have found some peace and comfort in cleaning the aquarium at night and chatting with the marine life including Marcellus the octopus who has become a surrogate son.
Yet Marcellus is always trying to escape and one night, the water on the floor causes Tova to slip and injure her leg. At the same time, Cameron Cassmore (Pullman), has run into car trouble as he’s passing through to a nearby town/city. He’s an aspiring musician but things aren’t going well. He’s been let go from the band he’s in and his estranged mother died. Cameron inherited the van as his more struggled with substance abuse.
Ethan Mack (Meaney) is the proprietor of the local grocery store and helps him. Ethan is also smitten with Tova. Cameron gets the job temporarily replacing Tova as he hopes to contact a successful businessman who he believes is his biological father to get some back child support. Cameron is a little bitter but with a little help from Tova, he finds himself connecting with the marine animals especially Marcellus as he vents his frustrations.
Cameron also learns that Marcellus like all octopi are very smart and can show emotions. Molina delivers Marcellus’ inner monologue in his typical warm, deep timbre. It also gives us a hint of how animals view humans. Marcellus wants to return to the Pacific Ocean of which he sarcastically says he was rescued.
Of course, you know where the movie is headed. Tova and Cameron get closer and learn what they want isn’t exactly what they need. Eventually, Cameron will learn the truth about his mother and father while becoming more friendly with Avery (Sofia Black-D’Elia). Tova realizes she needs to stay in the town where her friends are and take Ethan up on him wanting to date they really like each other.
And not to give much away, Marcellus needs to go back home. It’s a story about letting go because it’s for the best. This reminds me of a movie they used to make in the 1980s and 1990s before Hollywood just wanted to do blockbusters in the 2000s. The movie does have some issues as everything seems to come together in the end. But it still works. By the time the credits roll, you’ll be glad you spent the last two hours watching it.
And you’ll never look at an octopus the same way again. They’re not always the evil sea monsters they were portrayed as in stories long ago. They just want to live in the deep blue sea and be left alone.
Zane Says 