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Remarkably Bright Creatures

3.5 Stars out of 4



 
It’s a tough assignment to make a movie from a book that’s so remarkably successful. More often than not, the movie is always a bit of a letdown. You just can’t communicate a person’s inner thoughts and worlds on the screen in two hours in the same way you can in a book.


Now subtract the person in this scenario and add one Octopus, and you can see why this assignment would be particularly challenging.


But honestly? They did pretty well here. It went straight to Netflix and this won’t be on any big screens. But all in all, they made a pretty decent movie here.


A big part of the reason why, was the casting of Sally Field as the cleaning lady Tova. She’s one of those actresses who can still carry a film. Here she displays a hard-earned vulnerability from a life that has had more than its share of heartbreaks. Sure she’s got friends, but her closest confidant is easily Marcellus the Octopus. Marcellus believes himself to be smarter than most humans, and honestly, he’s probably right. But her he likes and respects. Her and only her.



Soon enough, the movie’s other protagonist enters the scene in the form of Lewis Pullman’s Cameron. It seems like just yesterday we were watching his father save the world in Independence Day, but now it’s his son’s turn, and he’s really not bad. He’s down and out here as an aspiring rocker who has never quite gotten his break, but he is a nice person with a good heart.


All three of the main characters (Tova, Cameron, and Marcellus) start the movie a little grumpy. They are all kind of disgruntled and cranky, and sick and tired of being sick and tired. The only likeable person at the beginning is kindly Scottish store owner Ethan, who is both sweet on Tova and the first person in a long while to give Cameron a break.


Eventually Marcellus finds he likes Cameron as well, doubling his list of approved humans from 1 to 2. And with his highly superior intellect, Marcellus sees something no one else can yet see.


In the book, we get to see what he knows almost right away, but here, they hold the big reveal almost all the way to the end.


And it is of course a tear-jerker when we do get there, but it’s really not the point of the movie. Instead, it’s the ride that got us there that was the best part. There are powerful reflections on sacrifice, loneliness, aging, and mortality.


And those are just the parts about the Octopus.


It's amazing how often these themes seem to translate through animals. I was reminded of another movie that had an animal for a narrator in, “The Art of Racing in the Rain.” The difference here is Marcellus is an active participant, who somehow manages to wriggle out of his cage long enough to help solve mysteries. He knows full well that every time he does this, he is taking precious time from his own lifespan, but his desire to help prevails.


Everyone here gets a happy ending, with the larger message being that kindness prevails. Sure this movie gets a little sappy in places, but in these troubled times, the message is a good one. It’s why a book about an Octopus and people in a small town became such a massive hit.


And the movie’s not too bad either. 

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