Olivia Newman directs the film adaptation of Shelby Van Pelt's 2022 debut novel starring Sally Field and Louis Pullman about the unlikely bonds forged between a widow, a giant Pacific Octopus, and the stranger who comes into their lives at just the right moment.
I was so excited when I saw the trailer for this movie, not knowing one of my favorite books had been made into a film.
Movies rarely live up to the book; there simply isn't enough time to fully explore every character's backstory.
I did have high hopes for this one though when I saw who would portray the main (human) characters: Sally Field as widow and aquarium cleaning lady Tova, and Louis Pullman as Cameron, a young drifter in search of his unknown father. Colm Meaney's local shop owner Ethan is disappointingly underutilized as friend to and admirer of Tova.
Alfred Molina, the voice of Marcellus the octopus, brings more lighthearted whimsy to the character than the arrogant, lofty charm conveyed in the book; his is more of a side story than the central tether bringing the characters together.
Despite this impressive lineup of fantastic actors, the screenplay did not allow for development of full character arcs, offering only glimpses into their histories and failing to draw us in and make us invest in their stories.
The book brings us on an emotional journey as we slowly discover the events that led up to Tova, Cameron, and Marcellus being at the aquarium and how their narratives are inevitably intertwined.
I spent a good portion of the book in tears but the tissue box went untouched until nearly the end of the film – credit is due to Field's and Pullman's emotional performances.
Would it have landed differently if I hadn't read the book? Perhaps. Is it worth watching? Yes, but please do also read the novel.
Remarkably Bright Creatures is streaming now on Netflix.
