Everything, Everywhere All at Once is a movie like no other. It shows how our altered states of consciousness bring both chaos and the possible infiltration from other minds. Evelyn, (Michelle Yeah) has a lot going on in her life all at the same time. Her laundry business is being audited by the IRS; her husband Waymond (Ke Huy Quan) has served her with divorce papers; her fragile and demanding father, Gong Gong (James Hong) is visiting and needs constant care and her only daughter Joy (Stephanie Hsu) has just introduced her to her new girlfriend Becky (Tallie Medel) Understandably, Evelyn is overwhelmed.
While at the IRS, she meets the IRS auditor Deidre (Jamie Lee Curtis) who is the typical Karen who is dissatisfied with Evelyn’s messy papers and upset that Evelyn seems to be distracted. Actually, Evelyn is hearing other voices as some outside force attempts to take over her mind and body which sends her into parallel universes.
The fights begin and they are grisly, gruesome and not for the faint of heart. There are loads of confusion as events spiral out of control. Both silence and nervous laughter could be heard in the audience as Deidre (Jamie Lee Curtis) also takes on altered states and becomes a highly combative killing machine. As someone asked, “Who doesn’t love Jamie Lee Curtis?”
The plot is action-packed and surreal as they battle the evil forces. Some of the characters are unknowingly at a crossroad as they come to grips with the fact that they cannot fix everything and be everything, everywhere all at once. Her daughter Joy, who turns out to be deeply possessed, summed it up by saying in essence, “Ultimately, nothing really matters.”
People have to go and see this movie for themselves and be the judge of this highly-charged piece. It is very different but it took a lot of acting skill by the entire cast to fulfill this writer’s vision. And that is perhaps what the Academy applauded!
Lynn M.
March 14, 2023
Lynn M's Thoughts & Feelings 