Tova has a group of friends dubbed the Knitwits, who gather once a week. Tova is often the only one who brings her knitting, while the other women spend time trading gossip. Tova’s aversion to gossip is a reaction to her son’s death. His body was never found and although the official verdict was that he drowned while boating in a storm, rumors spread that he died by suicide. Tova rejects that conclusion, but the last time she saw her son, he stormed out after an argument. Tova still blames herself for his death.
Although she doesn’t need the money, Tova works the night shift at the local aquarium, mopping the floors and shining the glass cases. Alone, she talks to the occupants, her favorite, an octopus name Marcellus. Voiced by Alfred Molina, the eight-limbed creature, watches over Tova, as she watches over him. He knows something that will help her heal, but, being an octopus, will have to find a way to convey that information.
Sally Field as Tova in Remarkably Bright Creatures. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2026.
Not satisfied with the food provided by the aquarium, Marcellus often escapes from his tank and visits neighboring ones where he can steal some of the tasty morsels he once enjoyed deep in the ocean. One evening, however, he becomes tangled in wires and Tova rescues him before he can die from exposure. The bond between Tova and Marcellus grows.
Tova’s friends continue to nag her about working at the aquarium, saying it’s not safe and she might hurt herself. One evening, she slips on a wet floor and injures her ankle. She tells her boss she will have to take some time off to heal.
Cameron (Lewis Pullman, actor Bill Pullman’s son) is happy to take the job. After his mother died, he found the name of a man among her papers. Believing Simon Brinks (Chris William Martin), is his biological father, he’s arrived in town hoping to meet him. But the wealthy real estate mogul proves elusive and subbing for Tova will help him repair his van and afford to stay.
Sofia Black-D’Elia as Avery and Lewis Pullman as Cameron in Remarkably Bright Creatures. Cr. Diyah Pera/Netflix © 2026.
Even though Tova is supposed to be resting her foot, she worries about Marcellus and the other creatures. Hobbling around in a boot, she comes in each evening to check up on Cameron. In the beginning, Cameron resists Tova’s interference, but soon realizes he can learn a lot about work, life, and even love from the older woman. Because his van is still being repaired, she allows him to drive her car when he finds an address for Brinks. (That meeting ends badly.) She also encourages him to ask out Avery (Sofia Black-D’Elia), who owns a local paddle board shop. When he does, Avery suggests giving him a lesson, which ends up with him in the water.
Sally Field as Tova and Lewis Pullman as Cameron in Remarkably Bright Creatures. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2026.
Tova makes the difficult decision to sell her home, a beautiful log cabin with stunning views of the water. She would move to a senior facility that would take her away from her friends and, of course, the aquarium and Marcellus. With the move coming closer, she finally finds the courage to go into her son’s room and go through his things. What she finds will lead her on a life changing search that will involve not only Cameron, but Marcellus.
Director Olivia Newman, whose talent for bringing a bestselling novel to the screen was on full display with the 2022 film, Where the Crawdads Sing, based on Delia Owens’ novel, brings her expert touch adapting Shelby Van Pelt’s novel, Remarkably Bright Creatures, for the screen. She also wrote the screenplay with John Whittington.
(L to R) Beth Grant as Barb, Sally Field as Tova, Joan Chen as Janice, and Kathy Baker as Mary Ann. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2026.
Sally Field’s performance as Tova is nuanced and touching. While Tova appears to be in charge of her life, the unfinished business with her son’s death continues to haunt her and she pushes away the friends who care about her. A confrontation with Mary Ann (a terrific Kathy Baker), reminds Tova that her friends need her, too.
Pullman, whose previous performances I have not seen, delivers a solid performance alongside Field. Their characters’ coming together never seems fake, and one can imagine, the actors also had those moments on the set.
The star, of course, is Marcellus, created by the film’s creative team. What truly brings the octopus to life, however, is Alfred Molina’s sonorous voice. If an octopus could talk, we might imagine that is how he would sound.
Marcellus and Sally Field as Tova in Remarkably Bright Creatures. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2026.
