The Quill & The Cross

Summary

During night shifts at the local aquarium, Tova, an elderly widow, and Cameron, a wayward young man, bond over shared experiences and the old octopus, Marcellus, who was rescued by the aquarium. Along the way, they learn of a life-changing discovery that may bring true joy back into their lives again.

Starring: Sally Field, Lewis Pullman, Alfred Molina

My Review

My Rating: 5/5

My Recommended Age: 14+

Things To Be Aware Of

Violence: 1/5 (We learn that Cameron’s mom died of an overdose. Tova’s son drowned, and at one time she imagines his death. It’s speculated that it was suicide. Tova falls and we see her heavily bruised ankle the next day. A man threatens two people with a gun when they come to his door. A flashback shows how the octopus got injured in the ocean.)

Sexual Content: 2/5 (Cameron likes the woman who owns a local shop. After their first date, he learns she has a son (it’s implied she became pregnant as a teenager.) After initially being freaked out, he later invites her on another date. We learn Cameron was the result of a teenage pregnancy. Tova lets Cameron sleep on her couch, and when Tova’s friend finds him there the next morning, she implies that she thinks Tova and Cameron had an intimate moment together. A gay man says that his father would’ve killed him if he found out he was gay, so he pretended to be straight.)

Language: 3/5 (Cameron says the f-word once, and Tova scolds him. The s-word is used multiple times, along with d**m, h*ll, a**, and a**hole. God’s name is taken in vain multiple times, twice paired with d**m. Tova’s favorite exclamation is apparently “for God’s sake!”)

Other Negative Content: 1/5 (Cameron gets slightly drunk and crashes on Tova’s couch. At another point, he throws up outside of his car.)

My Take

Going into this movie, I expected to like it. I expected to cry. I did not expect to love it as much as I did. Nor expect to cry as much as I did. I genuinely don’t really have any complaints. It was as near perfect (in my opinion) as a movie can be.

It’s not a flashy movie at all: it’s one of those quiet, emotional movies that’ll stay with you days after you watch it. At his core, it’s a movie about forgiveness, reconciliation, humanity’s innate value, and finding joy after a tragedy. It portrays that in a sweet, clever way: in a small coastal town, narrated by the octopus in the aquarium who views Tova and Cameron throughout their time together.

Sally Field as Tova and Lewis Pullman as Cameron portray honestly some of the most lovable characters of all time. Their chemistry is fun, clever, and occasionally moves you to tears. Neither of them are perfect people, by any means, but together they help each other grow and heal.

The movie does have some swearing, which makes it not completely family friendly, but for me it didn’t take away from the strong positive messages in the film.

Remarkably Bright Creatures is a quiet little film that will stay with you forever. Tova and Cameron have huge, lovable personalities, and their relationship is beautiful. It’s incredibly touching, and if you want to dive deep there are strong friendships, valuable lessons, and a powerful reconciliation. If you just want a sweet, clever drama set in a happy little coastal town, it has that too. But, I think the main thing to take away is that, no matter how imperfect Tova and Cameron and their friends may be, they are (as the octopus says), remarkably bright creatures.