A beleaguered wife, mother, and business owner finds herself at the center of an epic confrontation that will dictate the fate of the multiverse. Everything Everywhere All at Once is an astounding film that showcases the magnificent talents of the venerable Michelle Yeoh. The frenetic sci-fi action-comedy will have you laughing out loud while possibly shedding a few tears. It takes the human journey and blends it into a bonkers fun cocktail of creativity. Everything Everywhere All at Once lives up to its extraordinary title.
Evelyn Wang (Yeoh) preps years of tax receipts while hurriedly preparing lunch for her demanding father, Gong Gong (James Hong), and lesbian daughter, Joy (Stephanie Hsu). She has surprisingly brought along her girlfriend, Becky (Tallie Medel). The frazzled Evelyn ignores the requests of Waymond (Ke Huy Quan), her doting and perpetually upbeat husband. He wants to say something important. But all she cares about is their meeting with a fierce IRS auditor (Jamie Lee Curtis). Their struggling laundromat is about to be repossessed.
Evelyn, Waymond, and Gong Gong's trip to the IRS takes a truly unexpected turn. Waymond's countenance suddenly changes. He slaps two bluetooth earpieces on Evelyn; which triggers an out-of-body experience. Evelyn sees another version of herself. Waymond explains that he is now her husband from another universe. A powerful being, Jobu Tupaki, endangers the entire multiverse. Alpha Universe Waymond believes this incarnation of Evelyn can stop Jobu. She must learn to draw from the experiences of her infinite other selves. Then she will have mastered the skills to battle Jobu.
Evelyn's Negative Attitude Affects Her Family
Everything Everywhere All at Once allows Evelyn to explore what could have been. She considers herself an abject failure. A woman who didn't achieve any of her dreams and settled for a pathetic life. Evelyn doesn't realize the profound affect her negative attitude has had on her family. Waymond and Joy also feel the weight of her unhappiness. Their alternate doubles offer a glimpse of life without her. This manifests in a terrifying postulation that spawned the nihilistic JobuTupaki. If nothing we do matters in the end, what's the point of trying anything? Evelyn must overcome her low self-esteem and perceived inadequacies to answer this question.
Everything Everywhere All at Once runs with the multiverse concept to absolute glory. Evelyn initiates a jump by doing something extreme. This allows her to pull specific abilities depending on the situation. From martial arts expertise to hibachi cooking, Evelyn's alternate reality adventures are knockdown funny and the highlight of the film. A universe where humanity develops different physical features is a jaw-dropping standout that still has me smiling.
Exceptional Filmmaking
Filmmakers Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, aka The Daniels, are exceptional in their second feature. The Swiss Army Man directors take their unique vision and style to the imaginative stratosphere. Everything Everywhere All at Once has characters that are constantly in flux. Evelyn switches from frumpy laundromat owner to glamorous movie star in an instant. The film cuts rapidly between universes in whirlwind edits. Each having their own elaborate costumes and settings. Kwan and Scheinert run the cinematic gamut from animation to a brilliantly crafted scene with literally just rocks. The film is never stagnant. It ripples with energy; but smartly slows down at key points to maximize emotional impacts.
Michelle Yeoh has been a Hollywood and Asian cinema stalwart for decades. Everything Everywhere All at Once is the perfect vehicle for her amazing repertoire. She can pummel an IRS office full of baddies, sing opera, and then embrace her dear family in a tender dramatic moment. Yeoh's excellent comedy timing takes center stage. She and co-star Ke Huy Quan, star of eighties classics The Goonies and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, deliver bravura performances. They are a superb on-screen couple.
Everything Everywhere All at Once had me transfixed. That said, it may overwhelm some audiences. The two-hour and twenty-minute runtime is a sensory deluge. The frenzied editing, periodic strobe lighting, and bizarre imagery can be unnerving. Prepare yourself for a wild ride.
Everything Everywhere All at Once is a production of AGBO, Ley Line Entertainment, IAC Films, and Year Of The Rat. It will be released theatrically on March 25th from A24.