Look, I know that headline is a bit misleading, but I promise it’ll make sense once you’ve read this movie review column.
Last weekend, I was overloaded with graduation ceremony and newspaper coverage so I couldn’t carve out time to attend an in-theatre movie.
So, I turned to Netflix for something more easily accessible and landed on “Remarkably Bright Creatures.”
Overall, I found it to be a fairly decent flick despite the highlight character being a CGI octopus named Marcellus.
The storyline isn’t too awe-inspiring or groundbreaking and the overall theme deals with processing grief and trying to find one’s way in life, but it wasn’t the worst movie I’ve seen this month, so that has to count for something, right?
Creatures is a mystery drama film directed by Olivia Newman (who co-wrote the film with John Whittington).
It is an adaptation of the 2022 novel “Remarkably Bright Creatures” by Shelby Van Pelt and starring Sally Field, Lewis Pullman, Joan Chen, Kathy Baker, Beth Grant, Sofia Black-D’Elia, Chris William Martin, and Colm Meaney, with Alfred Molina providing the voice of Marcellus the octopus.
The movie is 11 minutes long and rated PG-13 for thematic material, some strong language, suggestive references and brief drug use.
Tova Sullivan (Field) is an elderly widow who works as a somewhat misanthropic night janitor at an aquarium in fictional Sowell Bay, Washington, despite having been encouraged to retire.
After the deaths of her son Erik years earlier, and more recently, her husband, Tova becomes more withdrawn from her everyday life.
Her withdrawals include her friend group she dubs the “Knitwits” who spend more time gossiping than knitting.
At work, she shares her friends’ gossip and develops a friendship of sorts with Marcellus (Molina), an elderly but wise octopus who longs to escape from the aquarium.
One day, Marcellus attempts an escape but is discovered by Tova, who finds him by tracking a slippery path on the floor.
After attempting to return him to his aquarium, she slips, injuring her ankle and requiring her to take time off to heal.
Around the same time, Cameron Cassmore (Pullman) an aspiring musician, ends up in town after experiencing motor trouble.
Broke, he seeks temporary work to pay for the repairs to the van his recently deceased mother Daphne left him.
Cameron is hired to replace Tova at the aquarium while she recuperates.
Unable to stay away, she happens upon Cameron at work and chides him for his slacker attitude towards his job.
She shows Cameron the value of taking pride in his work and shares her relationship with Marcellus, creating a bond between her and Cameron.
Prior to his road trip, Cameron searched the van and finds that Daphne left behind multiple personal possessions.
One of those items is a ring left by Cameron’s father – who he does not know, with the letters “EELS” engraved into it, as well as the name of the man he assumes is his father - Simon Brinks.
After some difficulty, Cameron finds Brinks (Martin), who has since become a successful real estate mogul.
Unaware that Cameron expects him to admit paternity, he agrees to meet Cameron at a restaurant.
Unfortunately, things don’t seem to pan out for Cameron at the meet-up and Tova is having more issues regarding her voluntary estrangement from her friends.
While I can’t tell you the exact ending, I can let you know that it is a happy one and makes the slightly cringe-worthy juxtaposition between Tova and Cameron all the more palatable.
Still, you are more than welcome to judge for yourself and have tissues handy if you’re sensitive to themes surrounding grief.
