Spoiler Warning: This discussion contains some spoilers. It could be an entire gag from a comedy or in-depth conversation concerning events in the second act.
"Every rejection, every disappointment has led you to this moment."
Daniels Scheinert and Kwan return as directorial partners for Everything Everywhere All at Once, the surprise success of the year as it has been insanely responsive to audiences and mega-successful at the box office despite its indie credentials. I very much expected this to be significantly less weird than Swiss Army Man (the Daniels' last feature film together) because of its commercial success. However, almost two and a half hours later of googly eyes, hot dog fingers, and bagels being vital parts of this narrative, I can safely say that isn't true.
It has cemented itself already as one of my favourite cinema experiences. The room was packed with people who were absolutely clueless about what was about to unfurl in front of us, each laughing deliriously at its absurdity and equally enjoying the honest sincerity of what boils down to a mother-daughter story. Everyone seemed to have fun, and I certainly did as 140 minutes became more like 40 as this gargantuan multiverse story rapidly became more and more touching and sentimental than your biggest studio Oscar drama. It's such a unique experiment and having guys like Kwan and Scheinert be the figureheads to make such utter absurdity feel poignant has worked twice now to great effect. I'd highly recommend going out to support, what is undoubtedly, one of the most original movies I've ever seen.
Its fantastic cast is willing to do all of the ridiculous shit in the screenplay with fervour and all of the class they bring in any other role. Hollywood royalty Michelle Yeoh and Jamie Lee Curtis get quite a bulk of the lunacy with the aforementioned hot dog fingers but also multiple manic fight sequences. Stephanie Hsu bounces well off her counterparts and makes up an integral portion of the primary family unit this film focuses on. Ke Huy Quan has his triumphant return in one of my favourite performances in the entire movie. He embraces a fanny pack kung-fu fight scene as much as the bumbling awkward kindness or husbandly drama that the screenplay offers.
I love the genre parodies with the In the Mood For Love style romance catching my eye and Racacoonie stealing the breath from my lungs. The Daniels always know how to have fun no matter the occasion. The costume and make-up are brilliant and I find the brief flashes of maximalist editing to be refreshing rather than exhausting because the film usually earns its stripes with a relentless pace and forward-driven narrative.
Everything Everywhere All at Once may not be the best film of all time, as the initial reaction might have suggested, but it is every bit as good as you've heard. I could watch it again today and find something new in its expansive madness. A24 and Daniels continues to be a magical relationship, and I pray that they continue to fund whatever they write next.
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