Remarkably Bright Creatures

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2:10

Remarkably Bright Creatures

PG-13

May 2026

1h 51m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

84%

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68 Reviews

90%

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1,000+ 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.

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Critics Consensus

Grounded by a characteristically wonderful Sally Field, Remarkably Bright Creatures is a sweet melodrama that tugs the heartstrings with admirable restraint.

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Robert Levin

Newsday

May 11

3/4

Wonderful acting and a touching story. What more could you need?

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Lindsey Bahr

Associated Press

May 11

2.5/4

Its impact may even sneak up on you, not even for the mechanics of the big ending which is a bit of an eyeroll, but simply watching Tova and Cameron find their own emotional catharsis. Luckily, in the comfort of your home, the tissues will be nearby.

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Matt Zoller Seitz

RogerEbert.com

May 10

When the film escapes the confinement tank of its numerous hand-me-down cliches, you’re happy to follow the water trail to see where it leads.

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Lauren Veneziani

WBAL-TV (Baltimore)

22h

4.5/5

One of the absolute best feel good films in years. Just when I thought my crying was over with, it hit me again! Sally Field is a complete treasure.

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Robert W. Butler

Butler's Cinema Scene

1d

B

I don’t know what bugs me the most: that Remarkable Bright Creatures is so overtly manipulative or that most of the time that manipulation works.

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Vera Wylde

Council of Geeks

1d

It's just better planned, better presented, better performed than what I'd expected of this based on the ideas on paper.

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Nothing Butt A

@GLB4OU 2h

One of Sally Fields best movie roles...EVER!!!

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cara T

@itsme-carat 14h

I read the book and loved it so I was nervous that the movie wouldnt do the book justice. It was amazing. Casting was perfect and of course I bawled my eyes out just like i did while reading the book.

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Greg C.

@gchavez3 19h

I was hesitant to watch this movie. But Sally Field and Lewis Pullman were magic together in this movie. It tugged at my heart with so much emotion that I will watch this again. What a great movie!

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Michael D

@MichaelX 1d

Ever since "My Octopus Teacher" in 2020, I've been a devoted fan of these astonishing cephalopods, so this Netflix film was always going to get a warm welcome. Sally Field, as ever, conveys a universe of emotion with minimal apparent effort, and Lewis Pullman is a quietly charming foil as the lost young drifter she befriends. The octopus Marcellus, rendered via real-life captured footage and CGI and voiced with lovely dry wit by Alfred Molina, has remarkable authenticity and delivers the film’s best line: "Why can humans not use their millions of words to simply tell one another what they desire?" The movie stays just on the right side of mawkish and saccharine to be genuinely heartwarming, the kind of movie we used to see far more of. This one is perfect for families, or for those of us who simply adore the octopus and firmly believe they’d run civilization better than we do.

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Kelly S.

@ksimon79 1d

Great story. Acting in this was fantastic.

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Finn S.

@movieguy67 1d

I loved this movie so cute with a good plot twist

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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: Bryan Unkeless, Peter Craig, David Levine
Screenwriter: Olivia Newman, 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
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)