It’s been a long time since a film has arrived with such an overwhelming positive response surrounding it. Released last month in the US, UK audiences will finally get to see what all the fuss is about for a film that is riding high in all aggregate matters from Rotten Tomatoes to IMDb and beyond.
Released a week after Marvel’s latest blockbuster effort, which also explores the concept of the multiverse, just goes to show that you wait for one interdimensional film and then two come along at once. It’s very fitting. Thankfully those who journey into Everything Everywhere All at Once will find themselves rewarded with one of the best films of the last 20 years. A film so spectacular you may wonder how anyone could dislike it.
Michelle Yeoh gives the performance of her career as Evelyn Wang, a laundrette owning Chinese immigrant whose business is being audited by the IRS. Evelyn is a wonderfully dry character whose English sometimes escapes her, uses insults to show her suffering daughter Joy (Stephanie Hsu) that she cares, and who often lists purchases made for her hobbies as expenses on tax return forms. She dreams of something more in life and that’s exactly what happens when suddenly a version of her husband, Waymond (Ke Huy Quan), from an alternate universe warns her she is in great danger from a universe hopping demon known as Jobu Tupaki. Unfortunately Alpha Waymond (as he is known) decides to depart this knowledge on the day of the tax audit, carried out by Deirdre Beaubeirdra (Jamie Lee Curtis), and her father’s (James Hong) birthday.
From a simple tax audit to traveling through multiple universes, Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert connect the dots of the main themes of their film on how people can become focused on the life they could have had. It’s a relatable core idea that will strike many viewers for many different reasons. It gives all the characters an emotional hook, and also shows the pitfalls of dwelling on what could have been. As Evelyn jumps to different universes in order to acquire the skills of other Evelyn’s, they are put to use in comedic and exciting action set-pieces, while always reminding us of what is at stake, not only in terms of the universe, but more importantly in terms of Evelyn’s mind, body, soul, and relationships.
Yeoh is the main star here, but her supporting cast are also brilliantly assembled and utilised at every turn. Massively surprising is Quan as Yeoh’s meek, but loving husband as well as his strong and confident Alpha variation from another universe. Quan will be mostly known for his stint as a child actor in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom as Shortround, and as Data in The Goonies. He’s done little bits of acting here and there, but has also worked in the film industry as a fight choreographer and stunt rigger on films such as X-Men, has a credit as a Foley Artist, and even worked as an Assistant Director on Wong Kar Wai’s phenomenal 2046. Quan transforms effortlessly between his two main roles (and excels at his others too), and shows off brilliant nuance as well as his martial arts talents. Legendary James Hong also gives multiple brilliant performances, not letting his 93 years get in the way of being a commanding leader, and Hsu gives a beautifully vulnerable performance that together with Yeoh’s makes a spectacular mother/daughter relationship to watch.
The Daniels (as they are credited), handle every aspect of this film with emotion, nonsense, and confidence. Each different universe adds to the central conflict, while also being able to add some of the most abstract, and at times crude, humour imaginable. I don’t want to spoil any of the surprises each universe has in store, but even simplistic butt humour is inserted (if you’ll excuse the pun) in such a way that it keeps the laughs rolling in.
Too early to call a sweepstake for all award ceremonies next year? Probably. However, this is simply one of the most emotional, creative, hilarious, and original films in the last two decades. Don’t let the Multiverse of Madness be your only trip through the multiverse this year.
Everything Everywhere All at Once is released in UK cinemas on 13th May 2022.
Everything Everywhere All at Once
Summary
One of the most emotional, creative, hilarious, and original films in the last two decades.
