An Octopus’s Counsel Fails to Save a Cluttered Weepie

Remarkably Bright Creatures aims for warmth via a grieving widow and a drifting newcomer, guided by Marcellus the wise octopus narrator. The concept is endearing and the leads deliver, but the plot feels overly sentimental and cluttered, with heavy voiceover and underdeveloped subplots that undermine the drama. As a Netflix adaptation of Shelby Van Pelt’s novel, it remains faithful and comforting but ultimately lands as a mildly heartwarming, but distinctly average, film.