So here’s A24’s answer to what it’d be like if they produced their own tentpole action film. Everything Everywhere All At Once is coming to more theaters with similar themes to what many Marvel films have been using, that being the multiverse concept. Directed by the duo known as Daniels, it’s still closer to an arthouse film in its spirit, but it holds its own next to larger-budget epics at the multiplex in terms of excitement.
I think it’s gaining traction and such a large audience because it’s a film that can be enjoyed on both a popcorn adventure level, but while also working in a lot of different philosophical ideas and concepts that invite more than one viewing to pick up on, and the variety of ways it uses its main gimmick. That’s not even mentioning the well-handled character development and strong performances.
California-based laundromat owner Evelyn Wong, played by Michelle Yeoh, has her hands more than full as it is without concerning herself with any inter-dimensional weirdness, dealing with a severe audit from the IRS and Jamie Lee Curtis’s tax inspector from hell alongside helping her daughter Joy (Stephanie Hsu) navigate her coming out to the rest of her family, notably her old-fashioned father Gong Gong (a funny and also imposing, very well ranged James Hong). To top it off, her husband Waymond (Ke Huy Quan) is acting stranger than usual, and as it turns out he’s not the “real Waymond- he’s actually the “alpha” version of Waymond, acting as the last line of defense against a cross-dimensional “last boss” force known as Jobu Tupaki.
Understandably, Evelyn is baffled but nevertheless embarks on a multitasking quest to save all of the known universes from the mysterious Jobu, on top of getting her financial house straight along with the other stuff. It becomes a journey of self-discovery as she learns how her past and present decisions both connect to these enemies she’s fighting as well as her relationship with Joy.
Fun fact, the first choice co-directors Daniel Schinert and Daniel Kwan had for the lead hero was originally Jackie Chan. And when you watch All At Once, it often comes off like the kind of comedic combat-heavy action films Chan’s been known for in his career. but former 007 girl Yeoh is also fine in this kind of story environment and is a delight to watch as Evelyn develops her abilities (this also led to Yeoh bragging to her friend Jackie Chan about getting the role).
What I hear many people talk about with this movie is the “art house/blockbuster balance”, and in my opinion, people are viewing it that way because it’s a very ambitious movie that simply does a lot of things well. It tries its hand at a hero’s journey with subversive comedy, fantasy thrills, and heartfelt emotional moments, handling them all in pretty satisfying ways.
Yeoh’s not the only standout, as Curtis is going equally ham here, and she gets more character development than you’d realize. I wouldn’t be shocked if Hsu gets some award consideration for her performance as Joy, both sweet and rage-filled. You could also throw Quan’s name into the conversation as Waymond, who’s both a helpful guide and an obstacle to Evelyn in her quest, depending on which dimension’s version of Waymond we’re talking about.
Also. some of Hsu’s outfits in this movie are JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure-levels of weird, which fits because there’s enough genre-mixing here to remind you of JoJo creator Hirohiko Araki’s work.
Maybe the worst critique I can throw at Everything is that it may be trying too hard to be weird and avant-garde at points, and can get so outrageous and loose with its concept that it might lose some of the audience. Still, even bonkers creativity is a net plus when people are becoming more vocal about stagnation in Hollywood, and even trippy sequences like when two rocks are having a subtitled conversation are bizarre in a fun manner. The fact All At Once balances having such heart to its story while also not forgetting to be a comedy and not taking itself too seriously elevates it.
So I’m still trying to figure out where I’d put All At Once in my personal A24 list. It’s at least as good as The Florida Project, Uncut Gems, Good Time and Green Room which were all good, and I know I liked this more than Free Fire (which wasn’t awful, just eh). I still need to watch Lighthouse and Mid-90’s to probably figure this out, as I don’t know if I can put it over Moonlight or Lady Bird. A Most Violent Year is still my #1, it hasn’t been knocked off yet. But At Once could just push out Midsommar to #6 and reach my top five, and that’s still saying a lot. There’s so much wit and action on top of different ideas being expressed that I’m not shocked it might be their biggest grosser yet.
If you’re just interested in seeing something inventive and wild I’d give this a watch, it’s a rare movie that’s got something for your everyday moviegoer as well as diehard cinema aficionados. But what was your take on it? Swing by FAN’s social media as always to let us known your opinion!