Everything EveryWhere All At Once ( 2022 / Comedy Drama)
Writer /Director – Daniels(Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheniert)
Cast: Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jenny Slate, Harry Shum Jr.
This phenomenal film boasts of 11 Oscar nominations, which might be a surprise for some, but not for me. But oh boy, the cinephile in me was waiting with bated breath for the nominations to come out.
EEAO was not only my favourite movie of last year but one of my favourite movies of all time. The reason being that the movie has everything that I want from a film.
It’s like a whole freaking package. What’s that? Let’s find out.
The reason why this movie worked is that it captures basic human emotions in a manner that is relatable to most people.
At the heart of it, it is a simple tale of a stubborn mother and a daughter who’s struggling to explain who she is. Sounds like a freaking Pixar movie, ain’t it?
But it’s a lot more complicated than that, despite which I could understand the proceedings and never felt alienated as a viewer, for which the credit goes to the writing department.
The multiverse shenanigans would put any comic book movie to shame, with how perfectly it has been executed without either messing up the narrative or complicating it to the point of ruining it. Very nicely done.
The variants introduced in the multiverse aren’t just props, they have definite character arcs, motivations, and emotions underneath, which makes them the characters to root for.
For example, the actress Evelyn (Michelle Yeoh) variant has a certain character arc, and celebrity Waymond (Ke Huy Quan) too has one. There’s a distinctive feel to them.
The performances are such a treat.
Michelle Yeoh has added another iconic character to her filmography. The vulnerability, protectiveness, and fierceness while portraying Evelyn and her variants are simply astounding.
Waymond portrayed by Ke Huy Quan is my favourite character. I not only felt bad for him but also his variants. A father who is torn between his wife and daughter and who’s struggling to pay off his debts. I am sure many middle-class people would relate to that.
Stephanie Hsu plays Joy who isn’t the quintessential teenager you regularly see in movies. Her performance coupled with the writing elevates that character. I cannot reveal more, I don’t want to spoil the experience.
The dialogues are simple yet beautiful. My favourite one is “So, Even Though You Have Broken My Heart Yet Again, I Wanted To Say, In Another Life, I Would Have Liked Just Doing Laundry And Taxes With You.” This one perfectly portrays the pain, the desperation, and the incredibly emotional longing.
I would like to thank everyone who worked on this movie and were a part of making it an incredible piece of art.