Film Review: "Everything Everywhere All At Once"

You are in for the ride of your life.

Towards the end of every year, I have a tradition where I rank my favorite films of the year.

Surprise! Surprise! My number one favorite film of 2022 is Everything Everywhere All at Once.

I cannot think of a single thing wrong with this movie about family dynamics and its connection to visiting different multiverses. In fact, a fight might ensue if you dare to criticize this highly original story that took a little over more than a decade to write on paper and then film it.

Before you flock to the theater to watch Avatar: Way of Water or rewatch Top Gun: Maverick, please give this fun adventure a chance. You will not regret it. This movie deserves all the awards season buzz that it has received.

Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, who is a native of Birmingham, Alabama, co-directed Everything Everywhere All at Once. (They are also known as the Daniels.) Scheinert even went to high school with an employee at the Birmingham Public Library, Sydney Leach. On top of that, this movie editor, Paul Rogers, graduated from Homewood High School.

I digress. 

Anyways, the way the Daniels established every parallel universe is captivating and does not get tangled up in confusing, misleading twists or turns. The randomness of every scenario leads to a rewarding sense of order that illuminates every character. Not every filmmaker can pull off this feat. From the beginning, they know the purpose of each character and how they all affect each other. I have to give them an A+ for telling such an intricate, complex adventure without trying too hard. On top of that, the rapid-fire and even, at times, slow-motion editing from Paul Rogers is the icing on the cake. While watching Everything Everywhere All at Once, I asked myself, "How in the world did they pull off that sequence? How did they pull off such a shot during a frenetic moment?"

This is when I knew that the Daniels made the impossible possible. 

As unique and enthralling as Everything Everywhere All at Once is, I confess that it is also not completely easy explaining this story. So, here we go. The movie's skeleton consists of a Chinese family that runs a laundromat. Unfortunately, the IRS has audited them. This conflict may sound straightforward, but the chaotic fun begins when this family meets with a no-nonsense IRS inspector. 

The mother, Evelyn Quan Wang, learns that she has a calling in a collection of multiverses known as the Alphaverse when her husband, Waymond Wang, unveils this ever-changing, unpredictable world to her in an elevator. Then, she adapts a pivotal technique known as verse-jumping to access the body and mind of a different version of herself in, well, another universe. In order to visit these various worlds, everyone must perform strange, unorthodox behaviors in order to enter the next perspective of themselves. She uses this technique to face off against Jobu Tupaki, the antagonist of the film. 

With that simplified summary established, get ready for scenarios that I have not seen before in a film. A kung fu fight involving slinging a fanny pack kicks off this bizarre odyssey. There are people with hot dog fingers. Rocks philosophize about their existence. A raccoon cooking in a hibachi grill restaurant using similar mechanics like the ones in Ratatouille. One universe depicts Evelyn as a popular action star, which can be perceived as an obvious homage to Michelle Yeoh's iconography. Another world depicts her flipping a sign for fresh, hot pizza. A mysterious bagel, which goes by the omniscient title of Everything Bagel, embodies every theme that will unfold before your eyes. Before I forget, there are enough googly eyes abound to make your head spin but in a good way. Don't worry. These details are not spoilers. Once you immerse yourself in the Alphaverse, everything will come together and make absolute sense. All the zaniness will hit you at the right time and guarantee repeat viewings of this film. 

The writing and editing are, without a doubt, top-notch. However, the heart of the movie is the cast. Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Stephanie Hsu, and Jamie Lee Curtis all understood the assignment while portraying their characters. I cannot think of a better candidate to play Evelyn than Yeoh. Her unapologetic drive and filmography associated with martial arts make the role of motherhood all the more powerful and universal. She takes full command wherever she goes.

With a strong heart, Quan delivers meekness and quiet strength as Waymond, who works just as hard as Evelyn to keep everybody afloat. You may remember him as Indy's faithful sidekick, Short Round, in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. The recently Oscar-nominated actor has had quite the comeback this year that has been almost 40 years in the making.

As for their daughter, Joy Wang, Hsu balances out the rest of the family with her spunkiness and sincerity, which help them out more than she realizes. Last but not least, Curtis is intimidating as Deirdre Beaubeirdre, the mean but sometimes reasonable IRS agent. Just one look at her disappointed-high-school-teacher glare and you will know that she takes no prisoners when it comes to her career. Such a fun cast bounces energy off each other as if their lives depended on it. They refuse to let the momentum slow down.

Phew! I feel like I just traveled through several different multiverses while sharing my thoughts on this highly original movie. Watching Everything Everywhere All at Once is like riding your favorite roller coaster. Once you exit the ride, you will exclaim, "Let's do that again!" I cannot wait to revisit some of these universes again. 

Everything Everywhere All at Once is available to borrow on DVD from the Jefferson County Library Cooperative, including all 16 active Birmingham Public Library locations.

Be sure to check out Everything Everywhere All at Once when it returns to the Sidwalk Film Center for a brief window of time before the Oscars. This is the type of movie that you will want to experience in the theatre! 

By William Anthony | Librarian Ⅰ, Citizen Services