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Remarkably Bright Creatures

Remarkably Bright Creatures

Brighter together.

2026111 minPG-13Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
Director
Olivia Newman
Starring
Sally Field, Lewis Pullman, Colm Meaney, Joan Chen

Through unlikely bonds formed during night shifts at a local aquarium, Tova, an elderly widow, learns of a life-changing discovery that may bring her joy and wonder once again.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Remarkably Bright Creatures?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Remarkably Bright Creatures streaming on Netflix.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Remarkably Bright Creatures?

Remarkably Bright Creatures earns 6 badges, led by Top 5% of films and Universally Loved.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Remarkably Bright Creatures worth watching?

Remarkably Bright Creatures' Midcredits score is the 96th percentile of all films, from 304K ratings across 6 sources. 87% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

96th percentile

Better received than 96% of films

98th percentile among Comedy96th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)93rd
Approval (how many liked it)96th

76 /100

93rd percentile of all films

96th percentile among Comedy91st percentile among 2020s

Critics 55 · Audience 78

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A tight consensus around 7.9 — people broadly agree on this one.

87% liked it

96th percentile of all films

98th percentile among Comedy95th percentile among 2020s
87% rated it 7–1013% rated it 1–6

Critics 85% · Audience 90%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 2 wins / 5 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

99th percentile

304K ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Comedy99th percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Up 9% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A sweet, human-centric story about an aquarium keeper and a talking octopus that aims for emotional catharsis through gentle humor and tear-jerking themes.

Fans praised

  • Sally Field's lived-in, career-highlight performance
  • Genuinely moving meditation on grief, loss, and unlikely connection
  • Balance of humor and heartbreak, with an idiosyncratic octopus narrator

Detractors panned

  • Cloying, manipulative sentiment that elicits exasperated laughter
  • Lacks narrative spine, floats without real conflict
  • Boring and corny, heavy on benevolence but shy of drama

What stands out

ActingDivisive82

Sally Field's physical, lived-in performance; Pullman finds grace notes in thin material

Emotional impactDivisive72

Tugs on heartstrings with resilience themes; detractors see manipulation

CharactersDivisive68

Grieving widow and voiced octopus with dry wit; arc feels rushed and contrived

HumorDivisive68

Octopus narrator's dry observations land; detractors find it exasperatingly corny

Dialogue65

Octopus observations provide genuine laughs; comedy and heartbreak coexist

Originality58

Tried-and-tested cliches mixed with wilder idiosyncrasies

Plot and story55

Contrived connections, stop-and-go structure, builds slowly toward resolution

Pacing45

Floats, sprawls, and spirals; takes time to get there

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 7 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 7 points apart
  • Critics vs users 3 points apart
  • US vs non-US 3 points apart

Watch experience

What is Remarkably Bright Creatures like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Moving and uplifting: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want to be moved and come out lifted.

It takes its time, has a few laughs and leaves you hopeful. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings and patience.

What it feels like

Moving and uplifting.

Moods
HopefulMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Warm humor
Register
WarmSentimental · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its sentimental, slightly whimsical premise completely straight, with warmth and emotional sincerity.
The rideThe film balances grief with warmth, building toward an emotionally affecting resolution that reviewers call tearful.
StructureReviews indicate a linear story that unfolds chronologically with a final revelation tying together the past and present.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

The answer rests on this: HopefulFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves you believing that healing and connection can emerge from grief, with a warm, uplifting glow.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).RebirthHealing
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% · Healing 5% (this title) · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Healing: Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).

13% of films fit this archetype

with Quest underneath

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe synopsis centers on a grieving widow and a lost young man who find emotional repair through an unlikely bond, fitting a healing-driven rebirth. The search for the son and the father gives a secondary quest shape.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% (this title) · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9% (this title): Community 14% (this title) · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% (this title) · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Society

Community · 14% of filmsGrief · 6% of filmsHope · 5% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on human connection across species and generations as a path through grief toward renewed hope.
StanceThe film affirms the power of connection and community to heal profound loss, as stated in reviews calling it 'feel-good' and 'about the good in people.'

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalDomesticRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score
Settinga coastal aquarium and the surrounding town

Content guide

Is Remarkably Bright Creatures okay for kids?

PG-13

Remarkably Bright Creatures is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for thematic material, some strong language, suggestive references and brief drug use” (MPAA). As of August 19, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (14/100), sexual content at minimal (9/100), language at moderate (49/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (36/100) and frightening material at mild (26/100). Overall it is heavier than 17% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 25 other countries
  • UK12
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • Ireland12
  • New ZealandM
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil14
  • Argentina+13
  • Austria10
  • Belgium9
  • IndiaU/A 13+
  • Italy10+
  • LTN-13
  • MY18SG
  • Netherlands9
  • PhilippinesR-13
  • PRPG-13
  • SingaporeM18
  • South Africa13
  • Spain12
  • Switzerland10
  • Taiwan12+
  • TH13
  • Türkiye18+
  • VIPG-13
Overall
Mild · all five categories
Heavier than 15% of all filmsHeavier than 17% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 12%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 8%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 67%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 71%
Frightening / Intense
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 23%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is language, heavier than 67% of PG-13-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Remarkably Bright Creatures have?

MovieCove's classifier found 1 depicted content warning in Remarkably Bright Creatures, withheld here because it would spoil the plot. 2 more are mentioned only, in dialogue or backstory: Drug overdose, plus 1 behind the spoiler gate. Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

MentionedDrug overdose

Mentioned: referenced in dialogue or backstory, not shown in the story’s present.

Cast and crew

Who is in Remarkably Bright Creatures?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Sally Field
as Tova
Best so far: Their highest-reaching film role to date — the title is too recent to say more.
Lewis Pullman
Colm Meaney
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Joan Chen
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Kathy Baker
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Beth Grant
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Sofia Black-D'Elia
Kingston Goodjohn
as Young Cameron
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Remarkably Bright Creatures?

Movies like Remarkably Bright Creatures include Love Happens (2009) and Restless (2011), both stories of healing.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Remarkably Bright Creatures?

1.8K other films share the rarest tag below, follows: aging hero. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.