Remarkably Bright Creatures—the film!

Dear Friends,

When is less, more?

People are talking about Remarkably Bright Creatures—the film on Netflix—based on a novel which, like my latest, features senior-aged protagonists. Having read and enjoyed the book, I was excited to watch the film.

The casting is wonderful. Sally Field is exactly as I imagined Tova—crusty but sympathetic. I found Cameron, played by Lewis Pullman, more appealing than in the book. Despite his being a sometimes whiny man-child, he brings genuine warmth to the character.

The voice of Marcellus the octopus disappointed me at first. By “voice” I mean his thoughts because of course an octopus can’t speak. Marcellus may be able to solve complicated human relationship issues, but sadly he can’t simply tell us what’s wrong. Instead Marcellus shows us, which is more fun anyway.

When I read the book, I imagined him speaking with an English accent, probably because of the rather lofty tone of his thoughts. But when the movie started, I was reminded that the setting is the Pacific Northwest. Later I looked it up and learned octopuses (octopi?) rarely stray from their home dens, so the likelihood of his having emigrated from London seemed slim. I grew into his American accent, voiced by Alfred Molina.

When adapting a nearly 400 page book to a roughly two hour film, cuts must be made. In this case, I thought the filmmakers made all the right choices. They kept the action focused on the Washington State location, leaving out Cameron’s backstory in Modesto. 

Cutting backstory has the wonderful effect of creating more reader, or viewer, curiosity about a character. Why is he driving this shitty VW bus from the 1960s? Why is he lacking money or a sense of purpose when he looks like he’s in his mid-30s at least? We learn these tidbits gradually in between entertaining scenes of Marcellus escaping from his tank and Tova trying hard to keep everyone except the octopus out of her life. Her backstory also comes out in hints until the full scope of her trauma is revealed.

Similarly, I thought the book tried too hard to explain everything at the end. This meant Marcellus had to figure out all the details, and when we got to his reading a driver’s license, I struggled to maintain my suspension of disbelief. The film wisely holds back and leaves some explanations to the imagination. Thank you, filmmakers. In real life, some things are unknowable, and that’s okay, because other things are more important, like the way people and octopuses transform when they allow love into their lives.

Thanks to inspired casting, judicious cuts, and focused storytelling, the film swept me up and plopped me back down in a tear-sodden heap at the climax, which is quite a feat given I already knew how things would turn out.

Less is more. I think about this often when I’m writing my books. As a reader I love short, fast-paced novels, so it’s no surprise I try to deliver the same in my own work. Ever read Strunk & White’s Elements of Style? That’s still my writing bible.

I’ll leave you with a review of Not My Job Anymore that made my heart beat faster:

“So wise and hopeful, so beautifully written. Delightful and unexpected, love ain't just for the young.” —Book Lover in the UK

❤️Margie

If you haven’t read Not My Job Anymore, you can find purchase options at margiebenedict.com. 

If you have, and would like to help other readers discover it, please follow this link to where you can leave a review. It won’t take long, I promise. https://www.amazon.com/review/create-review/?ie=UTF8&asin=B0GZ7H3JMN 

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