Everything Everywhere All at Once

"The universe is so much bigger than you realize."

Evelyn Quan Wang (Yeoh) is unhappy.  Her husband Waymond (Quan) wants a divorce, her daughter Joy (Hsu) is distant, her demanding father Gong Gong (Hong) is visiting, and their laundromat is being audited by the IRS.  During a disastrous meeting with their IRS agent, Deirdre Beaubeirdre (Curtis), Evelyn learns there are other universes and other versions of her life.  Through a rift in the multiverse she is able to experience parallel realities.

All realities are in danger from Jobu Tupaki and her "everything bagel" of destruction.  Evelyn may be the only person able to save the world.  But can she reach her full potential and tap into the powers needed to save the world and more importantly, her family?

Wow.  This film has a little bit of everything - action, martial arts, comedy, drama, science fiction, family, etc.

The Good:

There are so many good things about this film, and it deserves all the accolades.  The cast is incredible and all play multiple versions of the same character.  Michelle Yeoh is incredible.  She is a strong lead and has excellent chemistry with the rest of the cast.  She also takes on the most multiverse versions of her character, Evelyn, each with subtlety and charisma.  Ke Huy Quan is the emotional heart as Waymond, while also getting to show-off his martial arts training.  Stephanie Hsu is great.  Jamie Lee Curtis is clearly having a blast.  And James Hong, at 90, is still a commanding presence in the film.  The rest of the cast are equally good, in smaller, but still memorable roles.

The story, written by directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, is a lot but manages to juggle the multiverses and the distinctions between them well, without having to label them on screen.  The effects and action are top-notch.  It's hard to explain the plot without going into lots of detail, but it definitely keeps you on your toes.

The Bad:

This film won't please everyone.  There is a lot of things thrown at you at once and it is easy to get lost.

Other Comments:

-Nominated for 11 Academy Awards and won 7: Best Picture, Best Director (Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert), Best Actress (Michelle Yeoh), Best Supporting Actor (Ke Huy Quan), Best Supporting Actress (Jamie Lee Curtis), Best Original Screenplay (Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert), and Best Film Editing (Paul Rogers)

-It is clear that everyone involved is having a blast.  The multiverses are all distinct and have their own quirks... and the emotional heart of the film happens when the characters are rocks and the dialog is subtitles on the screen.

-I thoroughly enjoyed this film.  This is the type of film that gets better with repeat viewings to pick up all the nuance and thought the creative team put into this film.

Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) 139 minutes

Director: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert

Rating: R for some violence, sexual material and language

Starring: Michelle Yeoh as Evelyn Quan Wang

Stephanie Hsu as Joy Wang

Ke Huy Quan as Waymond Wang

James Hong as Gong Gong

Jamie Lee Curtis as Deirdre Beaubeirdre

Tallie Medel as Becky Sregor