Film Review: "Everything Everywhere All at Once" (2022).

From the directors of Swiss Army Man comes Everything Everywhere All at Once. This absurdist comedy-drama film written and directed by the Daniels. A Chinese immigrant gets unwillingly embroiled in an epic adventure where she must connect different versions of herself in the parallel universe to stop someone who intends to harm the multiverse.

In 2010, Kwan and Scheinert began researching the concept of the multiverse after being exposed to the concept of modal realism in the 1986 film Sherman's March. By January 2020, Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, James Hong, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jenny Slate, and Harry Shum Jr. were cast. During pre-production, Jackie Chan was considered for the starring role; the script was originally written for him, before Kwan and Scheinert changed their minds and re-conceived the lead role as a woman, feeling that it would make the husband–wife dynamic in the story more relatable. Ultimately, Quan was was cast, which marked Quan's first major role in twenty years, from which he had retired in 2002 due to a lack of casting opportunities. Awkwafina was originally cast, but she exited the project due to scheduling conflicts. She was ultimately replaced with Hsu. At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in early March. Filming took place in Los Angeles, San Fernando, and Simi Valley, California.

The film stars Yeoh, Hsu, Quan, Hong, Curtis, Slate, and Shum Jr. The main reason to screen this film is for the performance of Yeoh as she struggles over the immense loss of her sense of self and family which had led her to a life of regret and missed opportunities. She's stupendous!

It manages to be more than the easy cash-grab it could have been by supplying audiences with something uncommon, both within the genre and in the medium of cinema. You may not think that you need to give your time to yet another multiverse movie, but you would be wrong. The film expands its characters into fantastic different directions and could be the start of something completely new. A resoundingly successful experiment that will open countless doors to the weird, wonderful world of cinema. It's an absolutely delightful watch and one of the finest examples of the excitement and joy of which cinema is capable. An audaciously, almost unbelievably alive piece of pop art made by people who really respect and understand the hope at the core of the superhero mythos. Universal in its approach by leaving a beaming smile across your face, the film beautifully reminds you why you love cinema in the first place. There's a perfect balance between humor and pathos, a regular stream of jokes occasionally intersected with moments of real heart. Combined with the fast-paced action sequences and an energetic soundtrack, the film is a heady cocktail of entertainment. The film is immediately immersive, a colorful and adventurous cinematic experience that invites viewers along for the ride.

Simon says Everything Everywhere All at Once receives:

Also, see my review for Swiss Army Man.