Remarkably Bright Creatures

Name: Remarkably Bright Creatures
Director: Olivia Newman
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Released: 2026
Duration: 1 h 51 min
Cast: Sally Field, Lewis Pullman, Alfred Molina, Colm Meaney, Joan Chen

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Comedy
Drama

2026
Olivia Newman
111 mins
12

Summary

While working nights at a small-town aquarium, a widow bonds with a clever octopus and an adrift young man in this moving drama based on the bestseller.

IMDB

Review

A star rating of 4 out of 5.

Jayne Nelson

Two lost souls find each other thanks to a meddling mollusc in this sweet tale based on Shelby Van Pelt's best-selling novel, where the narration of events comes from a giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus (voiced by Alfred Molina). Every night, from his tank in an aquarium, he watches cleaner Tova (Sally Field) as she works, sensing that she's grief-stricken and alone in the world. After hurting her ankle, she's replaced by Lewis Pullman's equally adrift, down-on-his-luck Cameron. Marcellus realises that if he can get these two humans to befriend each other, they may heal their respective traumas. The film's CG cephalopod is impressive, his flailing legs never once betraying their fakery: you really believe he's alive in his tank, listening to Tova wibbling on about her life. Her sparky, grumpy rapport with the amiable Cameron is also entertaining, even if you predict where their relationship will end up. Expect chuckles, but pulled heartstrings, too, as the movie muses (beautifully) on mortality.

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7.6/10

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Credits

Cast

rolenameTova SullivanSally FieldCameron CassmoreLewis PullmanMarcellusAlfred MolinaEthan MackColm MeaneyJanice KimJoan ChenMary Ann MinettiKathy BakerBarb VanderhoofBeth GrantAverySofia Black-D'Elia