Streaming Recommendation: REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES

Who would have thought that the “Feel Good Movie of the Year” would have, at it’s core, a story about an Aquarium Janitor, a Vagabond and…an Octopus.

But that is exactly what you get with the straight-to-Netflix film REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES Written and Directed by Olivia Newman based on the popular debut novel of the same name written by Shelby Van Pelt.

Set in the Pacific Northwest, REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES tells the tale of loss, love and a life that has lost it’s zest as seen through the 2 main characters of Tova Sullivan (Sally Field - who proves that at the age of 80 she can still bring it with the best of them) and Cameron Cassmore (Lewis Pullman, “Bob” in *THUNDERBOLTS) who are both drifting, listlessly through life until a chance encounter brings them together under the watchful eye of Maurice, the Octopus (voiced, wonderfully, by Alfred Molina, who ironically played “Doctor Octopus” in some of the Spider-Man films).

It is a whimsical film that touches the right tone of sentiment (without being maudlin), “Magical Realism” (without being “too” magical) and heart as these two drifters find their anchor.

Writer/Director Olivia Newman (WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING) knew what type of film she wanted and she gets it here, steering the events and the ultra-thin plot surehandedly while getting just the right amount of sentimentality from her performers. It’s a delicate balance she must achieve and she achieves it with aplomb.

Of course, it helps that she has 3 lead performers in Fields, Pullman and Molina to help drive this emotionally charged film. Fields, especially, escalates every scene she is in (and that is good for she is in almost every scene) with a skill and steadiness that only a veteran performer of her stature could achieve. She is ably assisted by Pullman (who is turning into a fine performer himself) and the matter-of-fact, pragmatic (yet, somehow emotionally charged) vocal performance of Molina as Maurice the Octopus who observes all and tries to help these two get out of their funk.

The rest of the film is populated by a who’s-who of “that guy” performers like Colm Meaney (Miles O’Brien in STAR TREK), Joan Chen (TWIN PEAKS), Kathy Baker (PICKET FENCES) and, perhaps, the most “who’s that gal” of all time, Beth Grant (over 250 credits, so let’s go with SPEED). ALL bring charm and character to the film, filling the edges around Field and Pullman richly, creating a large vibrant canvas onto which Newman can create.

It’s a good thing that the characters are so rich and rewarding for the central plot is pretty thin (and one can see where it is going pretty quickly), but this is a nit to pick on a wonderfully emotionaly rich journey that is well worth taking.

Letter Grade: A pleasantly surprising A-

8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)