This movie has it all: A review of 'Everything, Everywhere All at Once’

Do not confuse this with the “metaverse," a rather cynical marketing ploy attempting to rebrand something that’s been around a long time into something new and amazing (see: “the cloud” circa 2008). The multiverse actually refers to the theory of there being adjacent realities to our own.

The premise is that your life is just one of a limitless number of alternatives, each differentiated by tiny or massive divergences. For example, in this universe, I am a part time writer trying to articulate my consumption of this film into an enjoyable and spoiler-free review for you. In another, I decided to skip the screening and am not reviewing it. In still another, I am actually playing Michelle Yeoh’s leading role in a world where all acting parts are genderswapped.

This is probably the ultimate movie that’s impossible to give a good or bad review. Siskel and Ebert’s brains (and thumbs) would have exploded given their customary binary option. Instead of just up or down, “Everything, Everywhere” is left, right, forward, backward, yesterday, turquoise, 45 decibels and Boston cream pie.

If that seems like an odd sentence, then welcome to this movie experience.

Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (“Swiss Army Man”) have written and directed a science fiction masterpiece. But periodically, it degenerates into the utterly inane, with ridiculous bits that curdle far, far past their expiration dates. The movie travels a spectrum from another excellent A24 prestige film to something found self published on Youtube. 

A tossed salad of “Matrix,” “Being John Malkovich,” “South Park” and a handful of influences I am too traumatized to recollect, it’s one of the best and worst movies I’ve seen. But it is far too ambitious, unique and creative to be overly criticized for its excesses.

After a relatively straightforward beginning which plays like a traditional Chinese drama, “Everything, Everywhere” turns into something else. You don’t notice it immediately, because they start the boiling of your brain in cold water before they slowly, gradually turn up the heat.

Next thing you know, you’re on a nonstop Mad Hatter Tea Party ride of stimuli. You will experience some of the most audacious, wildly creative visual images you have ever seen. There is plenty of beautifully choreographed action, some kung fu, a little opera singing, pathos from the school of Wong Kar-wai, an overabundance of absurdism, an homage to a classic Pixar movie, pixelated man bits and Jamie Lee Curtis being so slasher-flick scary she makes Mike Myers seem like a white-masked Care Bear.

From a filmmaking standpoint, the production team deserves significant recognition for bringing what I assume was a crazily complex and strategically chaotic screenplay to fruition. I can’t imagine the ludicrous levels of planning, storybooking, sound design, sound tracking and editing this must have taken to fashion such an amazingly rendered movie.

Yeoh (“Crazy Rich Asians”) as the woebegone matriarch Evelyn, wholly embraces her role, continuing her recent dominance in the genre film space. Along with the formidable challenges of the script and special effects, she also has to bring nuance and individuality to the roles within her role she has to play. “Everything, Everywhere” is probably not going to be considered an Oscars movie (except maybe in that one universe where the Academy Awards are actually good), but she clearly deserves a nomination for this performance.

Stephanie Hsu (“The Marvelous Ms. Maisel”) is a stunning revelation, playing Evelyn’s 1.5 generation daughter. Hers is a rare combination of grounded believability and blinding charisma. Jamie Lee Curtis (“Halloween”) and Ke Huy Quan (“Temple of Doom,” “Goonies”) are fabulous. Curtis, as previously mentioned, goes way out of character with aplomb, and Quan is all grown up now from his exotic kid sidekick days as a next generation Jackie Chan with maybe a few more acting chops.

Bonus points are deserved for the Asian representation, but the immigrant experiences of the Yeoh character could have translated to any first generation family. The movie feels culturally genuine and never slips into stereotypes, but also doesn’t force feed political correctness either.

The ambition and creativity of “Everything, Everywhere” are unparalleled. I could not stop thinking about it for several days. Multiple viewings are warranted, just to catch up on the many details I probably missed. Also, I've been lax in mentioning, this is a raucously funny and enjoyable flick aside from the cosmological themes.

Like the best fiction and works of art, it really gave my mind a workout. It also helped me to a conclusion about this recent pop cultural trend. Fascination with the multiverse is an analogue for people who have regrets about decisions made. Or not made. A multiverse affords you the ability to take curious, if not rueful, peeks at other pathways.

However, this is a dangerous crutch. When there are an unlimited number of universes out there, no decisions made by you in your universe are meaningful, because none of them matter if there are always other options.

As the great Steven Stills once sang: “Love the one you’re with.” But in the case of universes and realities, love the one you’re in.