I may have my gripes with Netflix’s business model (theatrical releases are not your enemy!), but at least when it comes to knowing what to release on Mother’s Day weekend, they’ve been crushing it the last two years with 2025’s “Nonnas” and now “Remarkably Bright Creatures.”
Part of the secret is understanding that some of the biggest stars of the ’70s and ’80s have lost none of their talent and can still lead feature films. This time out, they’ve rested their movie on Sally Field, who shines opposite the charming Lewis Pullman. Oh, and there’s also an octopus named Marcellus (voiced by Alfred Molina) who sees humans better than we see ourselves. It all makes for yet another film that isn’t designed to upend expectations as much as it’s made to comfort, uplift, and charm while never feeling leaden or overbearing. For some, its sweetness and simple resolutions may be a bit much, but it’s tough to be mad at a movie this pleasant.
Tova Sullivan (Field) works as the cleaning lady at the aquarium in her small, Northwest Pacific town. While she has a few close friends, her life is lonely and isolated, especially since losing her husband and, decades prior, her only child. One day, while trying to get the wily Marcellus back into his enclosure, she slips and hurts her ankle. Meanwhile, young musician Cameron (Pullman) comes to town following the death of his mother and looking for the father who abandoned them. When his van breaks down, friendly local shopkeeper Ethan (Colm Meaney) suggests he step in to assist the injured Tova. While the “cleaning lady” and the “juvenile” (as Marcellus calls them in his narration) at first bristle at each other’s company, they soon begin to connect, and Marcellus sees an opportunity to repay Tova for saving his life when she put him back in his tank.
There’s a gentleness to Newman’s direction coupled with the dulcet tones of Molina’s voice that gives “Remarkably Bright Creatures” a warm, soothing feel. It comes right up to the edge of a Hallmark movie, but the craftsmanship, especially in leaning into the overcast, grey tones of the setting, helps offset the flatness that usually accompanies these stories. There’s a sense of community to the town, which helps emphasize the stakes of Tova possibly selling her house and moving to a retirement community because she feels even more alone after her husband’s passing.
While the direction is solid, the heavy hitter is Field, turning in yet another winning performance in a career filled with them. It’s the same savvy move director Stephen Chbosky made with “Nonnas” when he cast Lorraine Bracco, Talia Shire, Brenda Vaccaro, and Susan Sarandon. In an industry that’s always prizing youthful talent (especially when it comes to female actors), it’s easy to overlook how much gravitas these women can bring to their roles. Field never needs to push too hard to show Tova’s pain, but she also leans into the character’s flaws, vulnerabilities, and humor. In lesser hands, Tova is just a sad lady helped by an octopus, but Field is so good you immediately accept that a CGI mollusk is her pal.
Obviously, a story about a mother who lost a son and a son who lost a mother clicks together in a neat fashion, and yet there’s no need to complicate the plot. Field and Pullman are playing to the honesty of the emotional stakes, and everything else flows from there. Yes, this is a story about a surrogate mother and surrogate son finding each other in their grief, but it’s also a story about the need for ongoing connection. The plot wisely fans out so that there’s room to build on Tova’s relationship with Ethan as well as Cameron connecting with Avery (Sofia Black-D’Elia), who runs a local paddleboard shop. It all ties into how if the wise old octopus can see us, we need to work more at seeing each other and how we can connect to other people.
It all makes for a nice movie, and I can be a sucker for nice movies when they’re handled as well as this one. Like with “Nonnas,” I want the marketplace to have films that I can recommend to my mom without hesitation. For all the talk of four-quadrant hits, most blockbusters still aim at younger viewers with disposable income. And not every movie for older audiences should have to be a deadly serious drama with Oscar aspirations. We need these amiable little dramedies that explore what it means to get older and still feel like you have so much to offer.
“Remarkably Bright Creatures” doesn’t need to be remarkable to be worthwhile. It just needs to be comforting, and if Netflix wants to keep owning the Mother’s Day weekend with films like this, then I welcome that effort.
“Remarkably Bright Creatures” is streaming on Netflix May 8.
