Movie Minute: Everything Everywhere All At Once

Contains no spoilers

Summary

The owner and operator of a laundromat faces tax problems with the IRS. The IRS agent is demanding documentation that the owner has trouble producing. The visit to the IRS office then becomes a multiple universe, violent fight for survival with the owner’s family playing multiple roles outside of the typical family. The owner deals with her aging father and her rebellious daughter as the viewer slips into different levels of reality and unreality.

This is a sometimes family movie, sometimes fantasy movie and sometimes horror movie. Yes, this movie is hard to describe. I had the feeling that as the movie progressed, the screenwriter/director got a new idea and thought, let’s throw that in.

Cast

Michelle Yeoh plays the lead character, Evelyn Wang. Stephanie Hsu is the daughter, Joy. Jamie Lee Curtis is IRS agent , Deidre Beaubiredre. I did not recognize her until I saw the credits. James Hong plays Gong Gong, the aging father. As soon as Hong spoke his first lines, I knew he was on Seinfeld. He was the maitre d’ in a restaurant who wouldn’t give Jerry and his friends a table by never calling their name, that is, until after they leave.

Production

The special effects are the best part of this disappointing movie. The multiple universe/fantasy scenes held my attention, even though I could never tell why this element was added to the story. I just never got the connection.

Recommendation

1 of 5, do not waste your time. I watched this movie once and hated it. But I then doubt myself, and maybe I missed the theme. I began watching it again. Two-thirds of the way through, I knew, no, I did not miss a thing. The movie is bad. Some critics disagree with me. I read one review that this is the best American movie ever made. Really? The movie is from the great studio, A24. This is the studio that brought us “Uncut Gems,” a truly wonderful movie, that I have watched twice. Granted, “Uncut Gems” garnered about half the box office receipts as “Everywhere,” but I am still not convinced. There is talk this movie will be an Oscar Best Picture nominee. You may decide to watch this or listen to me and not waste your time.

Everything Everywhere All At Once, A24, 139 minutes.