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I have been intending to watch "Remarkably Bright Creatures" by Olivia Newman for a while, and following Sally Field's Emmy win for her performance, I knew it was time to finally do that. The movie is predictable in how the story unfolds, but the strength of the performances keeps you engaged despite knowing how it will end.
The film is framed through the perspective of a dying octopus, Marcellus (Alfred Molina). Despite being in an aquarium visited by thousands of children, he prefers solitude, only enjoying the company of Tova (Sally Field), the nighttime cleaning lady. Tova also prefers to spend time alone, mourning the loss of her son, whose death left her with unanswered questions that have eaten at her for years. When Cameron (Lewis Pullman), a young drifter, comes into town to demand money from his absentee father, he and Tova develop a friendship that begins to heal them both.
Sometimes you just need to watch something that is nice and just artful enough to keep it from feeling overwrought, and "Remarkably Bright Creatures" falls into that category. The story follows a number of familiar beats, and you don't have to be super locked in to figure out how it ends, but there are so many lovely moments along the way that it still feels fulfilling. This isn't a tremendously taxing movie to engage with, but it isn't just a piece of fluff that you can have on while you scroll on your phone. There is still something here worth your attention.
Much of that comes from the lovely characters and strong performances throughout. Tova has a trio of friends who call each other the knitwits (played by Kathy Baker, Joan Chen and Beth Grant), who help us get to know a different part of her, along with her potential love interest, played by Colm Meaney. These characters make the world feel more whole, but the true center is the performances from Field, Pullman and Molina. There is an emotional depth to these characters that might not have translated with lesser actors. Each of them helps make "Remarkably Bright Creatures" something more than the sum of its parts.
Additionally, this is a visually pretty movie to watch. Sea creatures always make for an aesthetically pleasing background, and that is certainly the case here. Also, Marcellus looks much better than I would expect for a CGI octopus. A few moments don't quite come together, but overall, it's well done. Also, when Tova and Cameron are out in town, there is color, and that is always a treat these days.
In a beautiful moment in "Remarkably Bright Creatures," Tova tells her friend that she doesn't want to be a burden, and her friend reminds her that is the point of having a friend. To share your burdens with them so that none of us become too heavily laden. And sometimes, if things feel like too much, we just need to sit down and escape into a lovely movie.
Alise Chaffins is a freelance and Tomatometer-approved film critic.