A Netflix mystery drama film starring Mrs Doubtfire's Sally Field has become the second-most-watched film on the platform, reaching 30.7 million combined views this week. The film, Remarkably Bright Creatures, is based on the 2022 novel of the same name by Shelby Van Pelt, which was awarded the McLaughlin-Esstman-Stearns First Novel Prize by the Writer's Center in 2023.
The plot follows Tova Sullivan (Field), a widow who works as a night janitor at an aquarium, who sparks an unlikely friendship with an aspiring musician (Lewis Pullman) and a Giant Pacific octopus (voiced by Alfred Molina) as they uncover a life-changing mystery.
Alongside Field, Pullman, and Molina, the film also stars Colm Meaney, Joan Chen, Kathy Baker, and Beth Grant. Meanwhile, Olivia Newman, who directed 2022's Where the Crawdads Sing, directed and co-wrote the screenplay with John Whittington, known for his work on The Lego Batman Movie.
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Last week, Remarkably Bright Creatures ranked third in the top 10 Global Movies, with around 38 million hours viewed (via FlixPatrol). However, it has moved one spot up to second, though first place is still out of reach, as Swapped, a kids' film about a woodland creature and bird swapping bodies, has 44.8 million hours viewed.
Reviews for the film have been largely positive, with one IMDb review describing it as "gorgeous in every sense of the word" and a "modern classic". They added: "Though my first impression seeing the revelation at the end of the film was admittedly eye-rolling, the charm won me over.
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"It's one tiny flaw in a truly beautiful film that makes you ponder life's little synchronicities and how much precious time can be wasted if one allows a tragedy or the hand they've been dealt to consume them."
Meanwhile, another declared it a "worthy adaptation" of the book, adding: "Both are well worth your time." And a third described Field as the "perfect actor to bring Tova to the screen".
Funnily enough, Field was actually who Van Pelt pictured when creating the character, as Newman told Tudum: "Knowing that Sally was going to be saying this dialogue made it so much clearer to me how to craft it for her. Sally knew this character inside and out."
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Newman also praised Pullman's performance, describing him as bringing "incredible humor that makes us adore Cameron and empathize with him", as well as having amazing comedic timing.
As for how to voice an octopus, which doesn't have a distinctive sound, Molina told the publication: "I didn’t turn up with any preconceived ideas of how octopuses sound. If you’re voicing a human, then there are certain criteria you have to fulfil."
Remarkably Bright Creatures is available to stream on Netflix now.
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