Everything Everywhere All at Once

 

Every so often, there comes along a movie that is so boldly and uniquely original. A film that has such a unique style and perspective to it that feels like a breath of fresh air. From the makers of the equally unique and original Swiss Army Man comes the Multi-Verse Sci-Fi comedy-drama Everything Everywhere All at Once and it is a potent mix of gonzo comedy and heartfelt drama that works incredibly well. 

Evelyn Wang (played by Michelle Yeoh) runs a struggling laundromat with her husband Waymond (played by Ke Huy Quan). Tensions are high in the family due to the laundromat being audited by the IRS, Evelyn's daughter Joy (played by Stephanie Hsu) trying to get her mom to accept her girlfriend Becky (played by Tallie Medel), and Evelyn's father, Gong-Gong (played by James Hong) arriving from China. While on their way to meet with their auditor, Dierdre (played by Jamie Lee Curtis), Waymond is taken over by a Waymond from a parallel universe known as the Alpha Universe. Alpha Waymond explains that the Evelyn from his universe developed technology that allows people to traverse that vast multiverse and tap into their selves from other universes, utilizing their skills, memories and body of their other selves. He also tells her that the Alpha Universe Joy had her mind fractured by being pushed further and further by Alpha Evelyn to go further with her universe jumping, ultimately becoming Jobu Topaki, who is able to access all the universes at once and manipulate matter at will. Alpha Waymond believes that Jobu Topaki will target Evelyn as she has the most unrealized potential and therefore her untapped potential could help her defeat Jobu Topaki before she destroys the entire multiverse.      

The film was written and directed by Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (credited as Daniels). The two have crafted a magnificent film that manages to blend sci-fi, wild and crazy images, impressive action and genuine, heartfelt character moments in a rich and very satisfying movie where all of these elements frequently converge together at once. They have a great deal of fun crafting their universe, or in this case multi-verse, with countless possible realities that at times get really out there. For example, there is a universe where everyone has hot dog like fingers with no bones in them that are effectively useless or one where the conditions on Earth never developed to support life so in that universe Evelyn is actually a rock. Yet, all the crazy visuals and gags do serve a narrative purpose throughout the film as they explore familial and relatable human connections. Relationships, love and understanding are explored throughout the film, even in a universe where people have hot dogs for fingers. It's quite something when a film can make me laugh and get choked up almost simultaneously. There is so much creativity throughout this moment and yet it all works beautifully. I am only describing the tip of all that is going on in this movie as I want to preserve as many of the delightful surprises as possible. 

The film has a magnificent cast led by Michelle Yeoh as Evelyn. Throughout the film, she is able to play multiple versions of her character and excels at all of them. She does a great job especially with the Evelyn we meet at the beginning of the film, beyond stressed and just trying to get through the day, facing a tax audit, countless customers and both her husband and daughter who try their best to help but never quite able to. The last thing she needs is to be drawn into a battle for the fate of the multiverse, but in a strange way it is exactly what she needs. As she goes along through her adventure through the multi-verse, Yeoh does a magnificent job conveying Evelyn's growth and her growing understanding of those around her. Ke Huy Quan is equally fantastic in this film as Waymond. It is just thrilling to see him in movies again after such a long absence after memorably starring in movies such as Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and The Goonies as a kid. He gives the character so much heart and a unique sense of whimsy. Early in the movie, Evelyn is trying to find a laundry order and Waymond remarks that he moved some of the orders upstairs because he thought they would be "happier there." Much like Michelle Yeoh, he also has to play versions of his character from other universes, including the far more serious and driven Alpha Waymond as well as a Waymond in a universe where he and Evelyn never married and reconnect late in life. Quan nails each of these roles beautifully filling his character with so much heart and humanity. Jamie Lee Curtis clearly had fun with her role as Dierdre, who starts out the film as simply Evelyn's IRS auditor but at various points is taken over by Alpha Diedre, a minion of Jobu Topaki and is trying to stop Evelyn. There are other variations of Diedre seen throughout the film as well, including one in the Hot Dog Fingers universe with it's own surprises and giving Curtis plenty to play with in terms of character. Stephanie Hsu has a tricky role, playing not only Joy, but also the Alpha universe version of Joy, the far more nihilistic Jobu Topaki. The two characters are quite far from one another and yet Hsu moves effortlessly from one to the other. James Hong is one of the great character actors who I always enjoy seeing turn up in movies and he gets his fair share of memorable moments throughout the film.

Overall, I'm not going to say that Everything Everywhere All at Once is the best movie of the year since it's it's still only April, but it's going to be the one to beat for sure. The one which by all subsequent films this year will be measured. There have been other films that have explored the idea of the multiverse, but not one that has done it this well, with a real sense of creativity, skill, intelligence and heart. I could tell from the trailer alone that this one was going to be something special and I was so happy to see after seeing the complete film that it certainly is.