Review: ‘Everything, Everywhere, All at Once’ is the Multiverse Movie of 2022
A Totally Reel Movie Review
Rate It Out of Eight
7.5 /8
Everything, Everywhere, All At Once (EEAO) is not just the better multiverse movie of the year, but possibly the best movie of the year. Simply describing it as “good” is an understatement. It touches on themes of regret and mental health while balancing the sci-fi multiverse concept. The movie delivers both heartfelt family drama and action-packed, quirky fun.
At 2.5 hours, the movie does a lot. It juggles light-hearted quirkiness with a complex, three dimensional antagonist, family melodrama, and a healthy dose of nihilism. Yet none of it feels rushed or out of place, though arguably it can be overwhelming at times. For those who have seen the movie, I like to think that’s intentional. It feels overwhelming, much like it feels to be the antagonist Jobu Tobacky. The title is a warning to viewers of the upcoming chaos and is best suited for multiple viewings.
The plot can get convoluted as we follow Evelyn through the many, many universes. I would give anything to be in the room when the Daniels came up with the idea for hot dog hands or a Ratatouille parody. While these wacky universes are fun to watch on screen, the most memorable one is the universe in which Evelyn is a movie star. It shows her just how much she missed out on by marrying Waymond. Her initial instinct, upon returning to her everyday self is to tell Waymond how much better her life is without him. That is not only very typical of a Chinese mother, but speaks volumes about the key theme of regret in the movie.
The Trap of “What If”
Michelle Yeoh gives an incredibly compelling performance of Evelyn, who is written to be relatable. Everyone has what-ifs as they think about their lives and in Evelyn’s case, she blames her husband Waymond. We get a montage of her barely concealed disappointment when Waymond shows her the laundromat for the first time, or when she’s on the phone with her father who’s disowned her for marrying Waymond. It seems like the root of her unhappiness is the moment she decided to run away with him, which is why Movie Star Evelyn was so enticing to her. On the surface it seemed like she had a much better life without him. It’s easier to blame others than to come to terms with your own actions. We see in the movie star universe that neither her or Waymond were truly happy without the other. The movie does a great job of showing us the dangers of fixating too much on the what-ifs — to the point that you don’t recognize or appreciate what you do have.
A Refreshing Portrayal of Masculinity and Romance
Ke Huy Quan also deserves unending praise for his performance. I appreciate Waymond’s character much more on the second viewing, especially how his soft nature contrasts with Evelyn’s practical, no-nonsense attitude we see in a lot of Asian parents. The relationship between him and Evelyn was strained in the main storyline was strained, but the movie star universe was romantic. There was one line from Ke Huy Quan in the movie star universe that stood out to me about how happy he would’ve been just to do laundry and taxes with Evelyn.
In another life, I would’ve been happy just doing laundry and taxes with you.
Media often portrays love as passionate and lustful, so it’s interesting to see a portrayal of romance that includes the more mundane parts of everyday life between two older people. True love isn’t necessarily about grand gestures, but about making small moments memorable. That line alone is more romantic than, say, standing outside in the rain with a boombox.
The Emotional Challenges of Being Children of Immigrants
The unique experiences as a child of immigrants is core to the movie and Stephanie Hsu was spot on. It was so fun to see her range, from Jobu Tobacky strutting around in neon green platforms to stuttering a “how is your airplane” to her grandfather in Chinese. Little details like her accent and grammar, or how unconsciously Evelyn and Waymond switch between Mandarin/Cantonese and English, elevated the movie and made it obvious that an Asian American writer was involved. I saw myself and my family in the way they spoke to each other. Many other reviewers and Asian American organizations have touched on the representation in this film so I won’t say too much on this. I do still want to appreciate the little details that made this movie so good.
It wouldn’t be a full review if I didn’t touch on the movie’s portrayal of mental health and the complicated relationships children of immigrants have with their parents. The movie does a great job of showing, rather than telling the audience, what it’s like to be depressed, as it’s often misunderstood in Asian cultures. Jobu Tobacky is not some nefarious dictator. Rather, she is overwhelmed, lonely, and suicidal. It’s slightly ironic that her character is named Joy when she herself does not feel much of it throughout the film. Much of that is from the burden of being Evelyn’s daughter, though in no way am I blaming Evelyn. It’s just that Asian parents are not always the most emotionally supportive and they place high expectations on their children to succeed. Parents give up stability and career opportunities in their home countries and often start over with nothing. As a result, they place their own dashed hopes and “what ifs” on their children. Evelyn and Joy’s fight outside the parking lot of the laundromat breaks my heart as we see Evelyn express just how much Joy means to her. It was therapeutic to see this reconciliation and healing of emotional trauma on screen and I hope other viewers felt the same.
Of all the places I could be, I just want to be here with you
EEAO vs. Dr. Strange, the Multiverse Showdown
First, I want to take a moment to appreciate the 5-person special effects team, which is so, so impressive. The movie had a small budget yet was able to deliver a fun multiverse adventure. It feels weird to write about a multiverse movie without comparisons to one of the most anticipated movies of the year. Having just seen Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, I can say definitively that the creativeness of EEAO impresses me far more than Marvel’s massive CGI budgets. This movie has the crazy parallel universes that Dr. Strange has, but also adds a far more poignant and fleshed out mother-child relationship than that movie (which felt flimsy even having watched Wanda Vision). Ultimately, it feels simplistic to call this movie a “sci-fi” or “multiverse” movie because it’s a story rooted in family drama and generational trauma.
More Miscellaneous Appreciation
Even though the movie touches on heavy themes, I want to emphasize that this movie is a lot of fun. It’s funny, it’s random, and it’s ridiculous. The sooner viewers accept that, the sooner they’ll enjoy the craziness. Jamie Lee Curtis was spot on and the fact that they made an IRS employee an antagonist at one point is a great choice as doing our taxes is one of the most universally dreaded chores.
Along the lines of Chinese representation, there were little details that I appreciated. For example, even as a singer, Evelyn was a traditional Chinese opera singer. The action sequences with the use of a fanny pack, fish, and other items in Waymond’s surroundings was an ode to old school Jackie Chan movies, which often used everyday items as weapons.
I’ve loved seeing movies in recent years with Asian American stories told on screen, like Michelle Yeoh’s Crazy Rich Asians. However, EEAO is, in my personal opinion, the most authentic and best one so far for all the reasons I’ve listed here. It delivers a different type of emotional complexity that hits closer to home than in-law mother-daughter relationships. I clearly love this movie and I hope its box office success so far (on track to become A24’s highest grossing movie) shows the power of compelling stories regardless of budget. In the day and age of big budget, formulaic CGI movies, this is what I want to see more of.
If this movie does not sweep the Oscars next year like Parasite did, I will be very, very upset. For those who have not seen the movie yet, please do yourself a favor and go see it. And if you’re also a child of immigrants, consider seeing it with your parents as well. It just may spark some much needed conversation.
Letterboxd Reviews
I love using Letterboxd not only to rate movies watched, but to gage how others react in their reviews as well. Here are some of my personal favorites from the app.
