Fun, creative, highly original, and surprisingly thoughtful and profound, Everything Everywhere All at Once is a landmark achievement for the world of indie films, and, in another universe, it could’ve also been called Michelle Yeoh in the Multiverse of Madness.
Overall Score: 10/10
Image: A24
"Led by an outstanding Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once lives up to its title with an expertly calibrated assault on the senses.” This is what the critics consensus on Rotten Tomatoes reads. Indeed, everyone seems to be in agreement that this new arthouse/indie film is one of, if not the best movie of the year, and it helps that following its initial release it quickly became (and continues to remain) the talk of the town.
But in the wake of the recent surge in public interest in multiverse-related media brought on by Sony’s Spider-Man: No Way Home and Marvel Studios’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, audiences may soon begin to look for similarities between each of the new films and question their overall quality and originality. In fact, some have already begun comparing Everything Everywhere All at Once (which is decidedly different) to the two previously mentioned superhero flicks, with many considering it to be superior to both movies. But all of that aside, taking into account just how much praise it’s been getting, one may wonder: Is it really as good as everyone says it is?
The plot of Everything Everywhere All at Once basically involves a Chinese-American woman who is thrust into a multiversal war brought on by a mysterious and omnipotent being and must gather the combined skills and abilities of her different multiversal counterparts in order to save herself, her loved ones, her world, and the rest of the multiverse.
The woman in question, of course, is played by none other than Michelle Yeoh, who, after nearly forty years of being in the industry, has finally landed herself a lead role in a major Hollywood film. Initially known primarily for her work in numerous martial arts or wuxia movies (most notably, perhaps, for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), Yeoh’s presence in Western cinema has continued to grow throughout the span of her career, with some of her most memorable performances originating from films like Tomorrow Never Dies, Crazy Rich Asians, and, more recently, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. But regardless of how many movies she’s been in, Yeoh’s never quite had a role as sizable as the one she has in Everything Everywhere All at Once. “This is something I’ve been waiting for… for a long time,” she said earlier this year during an interview with GQ Magazine, making it clear that only now has she been given the opportunity to truly show the world what she’s really capable of.
All throughout the film, Yeoh proves that she has exactly what it takes to be a leading lady. Those of us who are used to seeing her play cool side characters, moms, and aunts will relish the fact that her role as Evelyn Quan Wang is a meaty one and that it’s a combination of everything we know that she’s good at and everything we haven’t seen until now. As Wang, Yeoh shows off her multi-ranged abilities in nearly every scene. One minute she’s got you questioning her, another she’s got you laughing your — if you’ll excuse the language — ass off, and at other points she pours so much emotion into her performance that she pulls at your heartstrings and makes you cry. She also fully utilizes her flexibility and bodily control (which she acquired from her background in dancing) to fully deliver on all of her martial arts-related scenes. It’s truly a career-best performance, and one that hopefully will and should be her shot at finally gaining the recognition she has long deserved from Hollywood’s major awarding bodies — the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in particular.
Yeoh, however, is not the only one whose acting is strong. In fact, there are strong performances all around, but none come close to matching the heights of that of Ke Huy Quan’s. After starring in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and The Goonies, Quan later stepped away from the world of acting, explaining that as he got older there weren’t that many opportunities available to him, and ultimately opted to work behind the camera as a fight and stunt choreographer. Hence, the news of his return to the world of acting after nearly twenty years, though shocking, proved to be rather delightful and welcome as well.
Quan plays Waymond Wang, Evelyn’s husband. And much like Yeoh, Quan is tasked with portraying multiple different versions of his character. However, what sets their work apart is that while Yeoh mostly plays the main Evelyn (including when she’s inhabiting the bodies of her other selves), Quan balances three very distinct versions of Waymond. One of them is meek, another is cool and highly skilled, and the last is accomplished and classy. And, quite impressively, he manages to nail all three characters and seamlessly jump between them when required, putting the acting talents that he had long been denied from sharing with the rest of the world on full display. I seriously doubt that there’d be anyone else who would be worthier of next year’s Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, and I hope he wins.
Moving on, if you’ve seen this movie, then it’s likely that one of the things that goes through your head every time you think about it is “Ah, Everything Everywhere All at Once… Where to begin?” And while some may complain that it’s a little difficult to pinpoint just what exactly its main theme is, it should be noted that because this isn’t a conventional film, it doesn’t really revolve around one central thing. Instead, writer-directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert have crafted something that’s truly beautiful, crazy, and entirely original that effectively explores a variety of different topics in surprisingly equal amounts. It’s about the meaning of life, nihilism, love, divorce, the bond between mother and daughter, family, acceptance, the Asian-American experience, the dangers of pushing your child too hard, and so much more. Furthermore, it’s a unique and effective blend of multiple different genres that mainly includes action (and/or martial arts film), sci-fi, fantasy, comedy, drama, and romance. Add all of that together and what you get is, without a doubt, one of the most original cinematic efforts we’ve seen in years. And, again, I’m sorry for having to once again bring up the issue of awards, but if this doesn’t win Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars, I don’t know what will.
While strong and compelling themes alone are usually more than enough to satisfy the average moviegoer, the Daniels take it a step further by making sure that Everything Everywhere All at Once also delivers several powerful and deeply profound messages. I remember being wowed by the film’s thoughtful exploration of things like how life doesn’t have to be meaningless if we choose to live in and embrace every moment, how there’s no point in wondering what could’ve been, how what matters most is what we choose to do now, how the love a mother has for her child will continue to exist and remain strong no matter what, and how we need to accept and love people for who they really are. I’ll admit that there’s a lot to unpack, but should you decide to sit down and really think about the movie and what is has to say, I can assure you that you’ll find it all immensely rewarding.
Also, as if being thematically rich weren’t enough, Everything Everywhere All at Once also excels in terms of its action — which consists of numerous martial arts fight scenes and tons of hilarious and creative moments of physical comedy. Watching Yeoh and Quan themselves fight and perform most of their own stunts somewhat reminded me of Jackie Chan and his films (e.g. Shanghai Knights and The Tuxedo), proving, ultimately, that they both have what it takes to rival the legendary Hong Kong action star.
As for the movie’s other aspects, let’s begin by addressing the editing. Every scene and sequence is edited together perfectly, making for a fun, wild, and thrilling, and well-paced adventure. Additionally, a wide array of visual effects is utilized expertly and to the point where you may begin to feel like you’re experiencing a sensory overload — but one that’s welcome, of course. Moreover, the film in its entirety is exquisitely shot, the sound production and score are both outstanding (the latter of which is surprisingly beautiful and emotional at times), and the costume and production designs are artistic, creative, and altogether stunning.
Ultimately, Everything Everywhere All at Once is a wonderfully unconventional movie that balances its wacky premise, absurdist humor, and deep character drama extremely well, all the while surprising you with its heartfelt and incredibly profound themes and messages. It makes you laugh and cry, but, perhaps most importantly, it teaches you to appreciate life and the ones you love even more. And with brilliant performances from Michelle Yeoh and, in particular, Ke Huy Quan, the film remains, at its core, grounded in a sense of realism. To say that this movie is merely clever would be a massive (and unforgivable) understatement. And although there may be naysayers and those who dislike it, I feel that most will agree that it’s one of the best and most original films we’ve gotten in a long, long time. But regardless of what you may think, no one can deny that it truly lives up to its title for it is, quite literally, everything, everywhere, all at once.
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