Remarkably Bright Creatures

Remarkably Bright Creatures is a 2026 American drama, directed by Olivia Newman and is based on the 2022 novel (of the same name) by Shelby Van Pelt. The movie follows Tova Sullivan (Sally Field), a widowed woman who works the night shift cleaning a small-town aquarium while quietly carrying the grief of losing her son decades earlier. Her routine changes when she forms an unlikely bond with Marcellus, a remarkably intelligent giant Pacific octopus who observes the humans around him, and Cameron (Lewis Pullman), a drifting young man searching for the truth about his absent father. As Tova and Cameron develop a tentative friendship, Marcellus subtly helps connect the clues that link their pasts. What begins as a story of loneliness and loss gradually unfolds into a heartfelt mystery about family, forgiveness, and the unexpected relationships that can help people heal, culminating in a life-changing revelation that brings long-awaited hope and closure.

Three Thoughts on the Film

My first thought concerns whether this is, in fact, a gerontological film. This is a question that has occupied me since I began this project. One of the central criteria for defining a film as gerontological is whether its protagonist is an older person, and whether the story meaningfully focuses on that person's experience of aging. By this standard, there is little doubt that Remarkably Bright Creatures belongs in this category. The protagonist, Tova, is an older widowed woman, and many of the film's central themes are shaped by the way she reflects on life from the perspective of old age. Thus, although the film is essentially a modern fairy tale in which old age is not, at first glance, the primary subject, it is nevertheless unmistakably a gerontological film.

My second thought concerns the performance of the film's leading actress, Sally Field. Although she has appeared in several films that could be described as gerontological, she has rarely been given such a central or substantial role. Now 79 years old, Field herself is an older adult, and in this film she is not only the central human character (alongside the octopus), but in many respects she carries the entire story. Her outstanding performance is a powerful reminder that older actresses can continue to deliver rich, compelling, and leading performances in an industry that has long favored younger women.

My final thought relates to gerontology itself. One of the film's most distinctive and original features is that Tova's central companion is not another human being, but an aging animal: Marcellus, the giant Pacific octopus. Through Marcellus's narrated reflections, the film offers moving and surprisingly profound insights into aging and the approach of death. These reflections capture universal aspects of growing old that transcend the boundaries between humans and other living creatures.

In conclusion, Remarkably Bright Creatures is a gentle and beautiful film. Its cinematography is stunning, its story is deeply heartwarming, and, ultimately, it raises thoughtful and meaningful gerontological questions. I highly recommend it.

2026

USA

Director: Olivia Newman

Trailer:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b14IFe4an5k