Remarkably Bright Creatures

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2:10

Remarkably Bright Creatures

PG-13

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1h 51m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

76%

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25 Reviews

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

A widow who works at a local aquarium finds joy again when she forms an unlikely bond with a giant Pacific octopus and a wayward young man who comes to town in search of family. Together, they uncover a mystery that will lead them to a life-changing discovery and restore their sense of wonder.

Stephanie Zacharek

TIME Magazine

34m

Remarkably Bright Creatures is a movie, like its cephalopod supporting star, with a gentle soul and an elusive spirit. It might not stick with you long, but it leaves a delicate print behind.

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Danny Leigh

Financial Times

50m

3/5

...Newman’s will to see the good in all things reads as sincere, and Field is great, approaching 80 but still gifted with zip and, when the script demands it, emotional heft.

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Angie Han

The Hollywood Reporter

1h

It’s as cozy as an old woolen blanket, as sweet as a mug of hot chocolate and, ultimately, as moving as the sight of a sky turning purple over an endless horizon.

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Robert Kojder

Flickering Myth

2h

2/5

What does work here is offset by the trappings of a story more concerned with hacky surprise twists than deepening its characters and their relationships

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John Stark

Mac the Movie Guy

2h

73/100

A drama full of melancholy packing a punch just in time for Mother’s Day.A film for all the mothers out there who have it in them to be emotionally gutted on their day, and put back together.

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Emma J

@Emmit81 23m

Absolutely beautiful film!!! So heartwarming. Loved it.

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Greg S

@RT86460197 32m

One of the best feel good movies I have ever seen

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Ana J

@julaiana 1h

Love me some Sally but unfortunately this is another Netflix slop

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Christina D.

@NinaNinaBobina 1h

Great acting, great story, sad, but also uplifting at the same time. Worth a watch

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Claire A

@RT42107022 1h

Remarkably Bright Creatures is brilliant — thoughtful, tender, and deeply human. It explores grief, loneliness, and pain with remarkable sensitivity, while gently uncovering the light hidden within everyday moments and connections. The octopus narrator adds a surreal yet strangely grounding perspective, offering a unique vision of the world that is both wise and emotionally resonant. Despite its unusual premise, the story feels very real — honest about loss, hope, and what it means to be human.

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Emma C

@emmacarle 3h

Not even Sally could safe this

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Olivia Newman

Director

Sally Field

Tova

Lewis Pullman

Cameron

Colm Meaney

Ethan

Joan Chen

Janice

Kathy Baker

Mary Ann

Remarkably Bright Creatures: Trailer 1

2:10

Remarkably Bright Creatures: Teaser

0:42

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Synopsis

A widow who works at a local aquarium finds joy again when she forms an unlikely bond with a giant Pacific octopus and a wayward young man who comes to town in search of family. Together, they uncover a mystery that will lead them to a life-changing discovery and restore their sense of wonder.

Director: Olivia Newman
Producer: Peter Craig
Screenwriter: Shelby Van Pelt, John Whittington
Distributor: Netflix
Production Co: Netflix Studios
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 8, 2026, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 8, 2026
Runtime: 1h 51m