Everything Everywhere All at Once

Written and directed by Dan Kwan and
Daniel Scheinert is this latest entrance into the world of multiverse storytelling. Michelle Yeoh is Evelyn, a hard working business owner running a laundrette with her husband Waymond (Ke Huy Quan). She has a difficult relationship with her daughter Joy (Stephanie Hsu) and still desperate to please her father (James Hong). Her life changes when attending an IRS audit with their auditor Dierdre (Jamie Lee Curtis). There she discovers that rather than an overwhelmed, underachiever, she is the central hope for saving not only one universe but the billions of other universe’s that are under threat.

I think it’s fair to say this isn’t quite the film that you expect, it is absolutely chaotic, but at the same time beautiful. While the premise may suggest sci-fi adventure, it really isn’t. Instead it uses that to explore the madness of life, whether the madness has meaning. Most touchingly it examines realtionships, between husband and wife, mother and daughter, father and daughter and the mights and maybes of everyday life.

The madness of life and it’s seamlessly endless craziness are depicted in an equally unfathomably crazy adventure story. We rapidly bounce between multiverses as Evelyn uses them to pick up new skills. Including a Universe where people have hot dogs for fingers, one where no life ever formed and a Universe ending bagel.

It’s a joyously original film and while its madness takes a little while to settle in, the pay off is very much worth it, as the story layers peel back to show a story full of depth and heart.

Performances are great and with martial arts fight scenes you get the balletic beauty that only they bring. The story also zips along and while of course there is CGI, it’s not overwhelming, with most action taking place in an IRS building and Evelyn’s laundrette.

In a world where multiverse films are becoming commonplace, this sets a high bar for others. Original, funny, crazy and beautiful in equal measure. If you could only see one multiverse film, I’d suggest this one.