Everything Everywhere All At Once is unique. It is written and directed by the Daniels; Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, the creative team also directed the absurd comedy-drama Swiss Army Man (2016) for A24. To start off, we need to go over one part of the movie, hot dog fingers. This is not a one-off gag, it is part of the movie, so if this might seem too bizarre for you, this is the just the start of one woman’s journey through the multiverse. There are parts of the film where I was going, “What did I just see?” The cinematography is by Larkin Seiple whom also worked on Swiss Army Man.
I imagine the other part is that even though this movie is bizarre, it has amazing staying power, moving from limited release in March 25th and now climbing up the box office! This is basically a kitchen sink movie; family drama, sci fi spectacle, comedy, a touch of romance, martial arts action, all in a dimensional blender and turned into an original vision by the Daniels. We open with the Wang family, Evelyn, Waymond, and Joy happily singing karaoke within a hand mirror and then they are gone.
There is the reflection of Evelyn Wang (Michelle Yeoh), she is a dishelved (difficult to do with Yeoh), frantic businesswoman. Yeoh of course was in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021), also Crazy Rich Asians (2018), and has upcoming Avatar: The Way of Water. She is able to combine all of the parts of her career, action, drama, and comedy into one part about an ordinary woman who is extraordinary. Evelyn is compiling the receipts and documents for her taxes.
We also have Waymond (Ke Huy Quan) who is a quiet, unassuming man with glasses. Quan of course is known for Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), The Goonies, but he has been working on shorts and as an assistant fight choreographer for X-Men (2000). Quan will be appearing with co-star, Michelle Yeoh, in American Born Chinese based on the Gene Luen Yang graphic novel. He was in shows like the comedy Head of the Class (1990-1991), but we need more of Quan’s acting on screen!
Evelyn is called down to her Laudromat business to deal with a customer, in this case a demanding woman with her dog whom she calls “Big Nose” (Jenny Slate). The actress voices the lead character in the feature film, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On. Evelyn has to go to the upper floor to try to find the laundry. There she finds googly eyes on cabinets and frustrated throws them away. She is also multi-tasking trying to prepare a lunch for the arrival of her father. We see that Waymond has divorce papers in hand.
She deals with customers when her daughter, Joy (Stephanie Hsu) arrives along with her girlfriend, Becky (Tallie Medel). Hsu plays Mei in the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Joy seems desperate, wanting her mother’s approval, but frustrated with Evelyn. Their relationship is pivotal for the entire movie. Medel is in the podcast drama, The Truth. Becky is just supportive of everyone. The argument is whether Becky is invited and Evelyn uncomfortable with Joy’s relationship. Waymond brings in her father, Wong Wong (James Hong) in a wheelchair. Besides his recent Hollywood Walk of Fame star, Hong has numerous voice work including Turning Red, Big Trouble in Little China (1986), and Blade Runner (1982).
Here he is critical of his daughter (and really his family), but there are of course more sides to a person. It is an awkward introduction of Becky to Gong Gong, but as they go about lunch, there is something strange about Gong Gong who starts into martial arts. The next day, Becky drops everyone off at the IRS building. In the elevator, Waymond is possessed, and takes off his glasses. He tries to explain to Evelyn that he is not her Waymond and says she is needed to help save the multiverse.
On the back of some papers, he writes some instructions for her, and then reverts back to this world’s Waymond. They continue to the desk of Evelyn’s auditor, Deirdre (Jamie Lee Curtis), a flop of hair, overweight, with glasses (again a big change for Curtis). The actress reprises her role of Laurie Strode in Halloween Ends (2022) in October, but of course is known for Knives Out (2019), and True Lies (1994). Deirdre is just an exhausted worker who doesn’t care about excuses, but this movie brings more of an indepth look into the lives of people. Evelyn is distracted looking at the instructions to switch shoes to the other feet.
The hands of Waymond pull her chair back and she is rushed into the closet. Waymond explains that he is from the Alphaverse, and uses strange behavior with earpieces to transmit abilities from other multiverse versions. In a way, he is like Trinity in The Matrix showing Evelyn her potential. In other multiverses; Evelyn is a chef, a martial arts actress, and a sign spinner. Evelyn is being hunted by the multiverse villain, Jobu Tupaki, who seeks to destroy the universe. She is flashing to her conversation with Deidre while talking to the other Waymond. Diedre gives Evelyn one more night to put together documents.
Evelyn strikes Deidre and discovers Waymond’s divorce papers. A security team arrives, the Prime Waymond has to face a security team with his fanny pack. It feels like a fight choreographed for Jackie Chan using ordinary objects to fight off several opponents. Some of the cutting between multiverses at the same time feels like Inception (2010), but this movie takes it to a whole other level. There is a fun multiverse that involves the character played by Harry Shum, Jr. The multiverse is surreal, but ultimately the film is about a family. The story of the film is intimate and the same time expansive, so it really involves everyone, those watching the movie, and showing them that life might be dreary, sad, or painful, but your mirror life in other multiverses reflects that you are unique. Everything Everywhere All at Once is a gift. You just have to go to cinemas to open it!
Five+ Googly Eyes out of Five!
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