Jeri Jacquin
Currently streaming on Netflix from writer/director Olivia Newman and John Whittington comes the story based on the Shelby Van Pelt novel of the same name with REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES.
Marcellus (voiced by Alfred Molina) is a Giant Pacific octopus living in the quaint aquarium in Washington. Taking care of the facility each night is Tova Sullivan (Sally Field), a woman who finds solace being alone in her work. Marcellus knows from her talks that she still lives with the pain of the past. Her friendship with Marcellus means so much to her even when the eight-legged wonder manages to get in and out of his tank. During the day, Tova occasionally makes time for her knitting group, but would rather be with her aquatic friends.
Arriving in the small town is Cameron (Lewis Pullman) and his van that needs repair. Making friends with personable store owner Ethan Mack (Colm Meaney), he agrees to stay a while. Ethan also has a soft spot for Tova and when she gets hurt on the job, Ethan suggests that young Cameron take the job temporarily to make a few dollars. Training him, Tova and Cameron clash ways in how to handle the job and watching them is Marcellus. With a plan of his own about things, one of them is to try and help both people through their rough spots.
Cameron’s attitude comes from the angry desire to find his father. There are few clues but he is determined to see it through and there is the connection with Tova. Seeing that Cameron is in his feels, she wants to offer all the help she can and that includes hooking him up with the local board shop owner Avery (Sofia Black-D’Elia). When things for both Tova and Cameron become complicated, it is Marcellus that decides it’s time for him to step in, eight steps in, to show them all what they have forgotten. That human connection can be beautiful and full of surprises.
Sally Field as Tova is just as brilliant as I would have expected her to be. Her character is so complex and filled with every spectrum of human condition. Living her life in a house of sadness, the only place to feel outside of that is with Marcellus and the aquarium. Even as others try to reach her, Fields brings us into her part of the world where being older means acceptance and change, and not necessarily liking either. Her performance is brilliant and does exactly what it is intended to do which is squeeze our hearts.
Pullman as Cameron is a young man in the same predicament even though he refuses to see it. He pushes people away for very different reasons, mainly because he in unsure and doesn’t trust himself. Pullman gives a fantastic performance and, when in scenes with Fields, just fits in seamlessly. This character gives Pullman such an opportunity to also bring a complex character onto the screen in a story that grabs ahead and doesn’t let go.
Meany as Ethan is a jolly man who loves being part of the small community. He sees something in Cameron and befriends him at a time when he needs it most. I love that Meany’s character has a little crush on Tova. It takes everyone around to push him in the right direction. Meany is such an awesome actor and his diversity in character choices is always surprising. Here, he is a joy to everyone around him and I love that. Black-D’Elia as Avery is a young woman making her way in the community as a small business owner. As much as she fights it, there is someone that she finds herself drawn to but also has insecurities of her own.
Shout out to the Knitwits of Grant, Baker, Chen and Harris as friends you’d always want on your side. Hilarious and enlightening at the same time.
Other cast include, Beth Grant as Barb, Laura Harris as Andie, Miles Marthaller and Brandon McEwan as Erik, Dan Payne as Adam, Shauna Johannesen as Sandy, Katie Findlay as Liz, Joan Chen as Janice, and Kathy Baker as Mary Ann.
Netflix is the world's leading streaming entertainment service with over 158 million paid memberships in over 190 countries. Enjoying TV series, documentaries and feature films, Netflix is across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere and on any internet-connected screen. For more information, please visit www.netflix.com.
Author Van Pelt started writing at a young age, writing the novel the film is based on, she says, “It struck me that it would be really funny to give a voice to an octopus.” After she watched online videos of the antics of octopus’. “Especially one that was grumpy, coming to the end of his life, who didn’t enjoy being in captivity, and thought he was smarter than the humans who were around him.”
REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES is such an amazing film that I wonder why a warning label isn’t put on it so people can have Kleenex at the ready. The story might be from the perspective of the eight legged grumpy sea creature, but that doesn’t mean that his awareness is any less insightful or, more importantly, so very accurate. It always takes an outsider to see what is so painfully clear, as human beings we can be ridiculous.
Ridiculous about our expectations for one another, in the guilt we carry, in the secrets that are buried so deep inside us that we forget to live and, sometimes, the resounding voices in our own heads telling us we don’t deserve love. That is only a brief bit of what this film has to offer so be prepared to learn lessons from Marcellus who truly is a remarkably bright creature. Kleenex required for viewing!
In the end – friendship and love take many shapes!
No comments:
Post a Comment