Book and Movie Comparison: Remarkable Bright Creatures
I will try not to “spill the beans” if you have not read Remarkable Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt or have not seen the movie (by the same name) directed and co-written by Olivia Newman.
Firstly, I watched the movie twice; I enjoyed it so much that for Mother’s Day, I received a copy of the book and was excited to read it, especially to learn about life from Marcellus’s (the giant Pacific octopus) point of view.
Both the movie and the book feature narration in Marcellus's voice as he grapples with profound questions and comes to understand humans better than they understand themselves. How creative of the author, Van Pelt, to use an octopus, and as Marcellus is sure to tell you, not just any octopus, but a “giant Pacific Octopus” to tell his story.
I must admit, since I watched the movie first, I pictured and heard the actors: Tova Sullivan, played by Sally Field; Cameron, played by Lewis Pullman; Ethan, played by Colm Meaney; and, of course, the voice of Marcellus, narrated by Alfred Molina.
One aspect of the movie that is “remarkable” to me is the cinematography and special effects of Marcellus. According to the Motion Pictures article “The Credits” by Hugh Hart (May 7, 2026), Marcellus was created using oceanographic filming, puppetry, and CGI (computer-generated imagery). Hart quoted director Olivia Newman on the importance of making the octopus as real as the human characters. It was my favorite aspect of the movie because he was just as “real” as the humans.
The book revealed more of the backstory of Cameron’s life and childhood, adding a new character, his Aunt Jeanne, who raised him. Even though she was a big part of his life, the movie portrays Cameron raising himself; however, both the book and the movie lead you into his journey to find answers about his parentage and feelings of abandonment.
Tova struggles with her past and is on a personal journey to answer questions about her losses, and grapples with decisions about retirement. She is portrayed as resilient in both the book and the movie, taking her job at the aquarium very seriously. What an endearing relationship she develops with her friend Marcellus, who turns out to be a very good listener.
I enjoyed the movie’s surprise ending, in contrast to the book, which slowly put the puzzle pieces together in great detail. The written narrative explores the depth of friendship, giving more time to build the characters within the pages. For example, there are two side subplots: Cameron meeting Avery, and Tova slowly accepting a friendship with Ethan. Both Cameron and Tova struggle with undeservingness in accepting others’ affections.
In both aspects of the book and the movie, thank goodness for the clever and astute Marcellus, who goes to extraordinary lengths to help Tova and Cameron understand their past. Neither the book nor the movie could have been written or shown without his characterization, clever wit, understanding, or, I dare say, his insightful and purposeful calling to become an octopus detective, oops sorry Marcellus, a giant Pacific Octopus Detective!
In my opinion, the movie does a good job of honoring the written narrative and the Pacific Northwest cinematography, with the story set in the fictional town of Sowell Bay, Washington.
I hope you will read and watch Remarkable Bright Creatures; if you have already, let me know what you think. Please feel free to share your comments below.
