Film Review: REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES (2026): Sally Field Shines in a Heartwarming Netflix Drama

Remarkably Bright Creatures Review

Remarkably Bright Creatures (2026) Film Review, a movie directed by Olivia Newman, written by John Whittington, Olivia Newman and Shelby Van Pelt and starring Sally Field, Lewis Pullman, Colm Meaney, Joan Chen, Kathy Baker, Beth Grant, Sofia Black-D’Elia, Brandon McEwan, Donald Sales, Mapuana Makia, Laura Harris, Anthony Harrison, Dan Payne, Shauna Johannesen, Chris William Martin and Michael Delleva.

Filmmaker Olivia Newman brings to life Remarkably Bright Creatures, a dramatic film with plenty of heart. This touching Netflix drama brings Sally Field back to the screen as Tova Sullivan, an aging aquarium worker who bonds with an octopus named Marcellus (voice of Alfred Molina). Let it be said that the premise of this new film is highly unlikely to be possible in real life, yet the director manages to make the movie’s premise feel very relatable and accessible to movie watchers of just about any age.

As the film opens, we learn that Tova is planning on selling her home to move to a retirement community. As she works in the aquarium, she forges a deep bond with Marcellus who, on occasion, slips away from his habitat. Tova finds him all over the aquarium at given times. Tova’s foot becomes injured and a young man named Cameron Cassmore (Lewis Pullman) is deemed an appropriate candidate to take over for Tova when she eventually leaves her job.

Instead of being merely a movie about a bond between a woman and an octopus, Remarkably Bright Creatures takes a different path. It juxtaposes the decisions of Tova and Cameron and the directions they choose to take in their respective lives. Tova thinks about dating a kind local guy named Ethan Mack (the always reliable Colm Meaney) while Cameron starts to admire a woman he meets named Avery (the terrific Sofia Black-D’Elia). Things don’t go as planned for either of them in the romance department as Tova feels uncomfortable at first with Ethan and Cameron discovers Avery has a son of her own.

Let it be said that the movie also features the subplot of the passing of Tova’s son who apparently died. This movie integrates that storyline of Tova mourning his absence with the plot of Cameron trying to make a life for himself in the small town the movie sets itself in. This film also showcases old-timers Joan Chen and Kathy Baker in fine turns as friends of Tova.

This film does take an interesting approach to the material. Marcellus is heard thinking aloud about his life and Tova really seems to understand his way of life as an octopus. This may sound a bit corny, but it’s actually pretty moving to watch under Newman’s assured, competent direction.

Sally Field is exceptional. She plays Tova as a lost soul who is trying to finalize decisions regarding her life and her future. She doesn’t know whether to leave her current way of life or just stay put. In Cameron, she finds a younger kindred spirit who truly understands her. Imagine that there’s a stronger bond between them than what appears on the surface and you’ll get an idea of the twist at the center of Remarkably Bright Creatures.

There are some minor flaws here. One of them comes when a big plot reveal is unveiled where something is found under the floorboards in a specific room that wouldn’t typically be found there but has been hidden so the movie can have its dramatic climax. It seemed like overkill for a movie that already had plenty of things going for it. This problem is easily forgivable thanks to the terrific quality of the acting, particularly Field and Pullman who play off each other like two finely tuned violins.

There is a nice supporting turn by Sofia Black-D’Elia as the potential love interest for Cameron and she and Pullman create some nice romantic chemistry that could have been even more romantic had the movie given the pair more screen time together. Black-D’Elia has a natural charisma that makes her enormously likable, and she fits into this movie like a glove.

Remarkably Bright Creatures is deeply moving. It has a profound take on the way sea life can perceive humans and vice versa. It’s easy to get swept up in this movie’s dramatic core and respect the work of the terrific Field who knows how to chew into a good role and make us care about the character she plays. Pullman has never been better as the young man who needs to find guidance in his life and discovers, within himself, his own reason for being. Pullman brings a considerable amount of depth to his role that makes us respect his earnest character immensely.

In the end, Remarkably Bright Creatures is the best kind of tearjerker. It keeps the viewer watching because of solid performances and it’s hard not to become emotionally invested in the material at hand here. If you’ve ever wondered about the mysteries and beauty of the “creatures” we see at the aquarium, you’ll be fascinated by this moving tale of hope lost and found. At the end, the biggest surprise is that Marcellus sees us humans as “creatures” as well, proving perception is in the eyes of the beholder – human, animal or whatever. This movie is a very emotionally rewarding way to spend your time.

Rating: 7.5/10

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