NOT TO GET EMOTIONAL ON LETTERBOXD BUT-

scheinert & kwan show us what would have happened if Marvel made Lady Bird in aptly named Everything Everywhere All At Once, a movie that brings together the emotional journey of mother and daughter, wife and husband, and the universe vs everything bagels. Showing girls around the world that an eating disorder isn’t the worst thing your mother could pass onto you, this story combines the perils and arrows of familial woahs and universal angst to give a perfectly discombobulated plot paired with CGI and practical effects that dr. strange could benefit from in terms of both subtly and execution. 

On a serious note- the suicidal anguish of a daughter faced with the weight of never being good enough is truly a force to be reckoned with, and as it expands across universes, we see the upheaval of the world as it tries to fight against itself. Everything Everywhere All At Once is a mosaic of action, romance, family, and comedy wherein which we can only marvel (ha) at the amazing acting, story, and visuals from the theater seats. Daughter turned villain Joy gives us what Ms. Kloss thought she was giving when she proclaimed to look camp right in the eye, with outrageous but well suited outfits, as well as equally outrageous outbursts of realistic daughter emotion, making her a well written villain and victim.
As her marriage fails, her life disappoints, and her self worth wither away, Evelyn finds herself in the middle of a multiverse based conflict where she has to face her shortcomings as a parent, wife, and human. Though they may not be entirely her fault, the reckoning she has throughout the film position her to be a great hero and a flawed human, as we all are. I have much to say about this, so I will likely circle back to it, but I can’t leave it off without admitting that the rock scenes brought me to tears each time they cut in, and I say this with both shame and pride, as they are really kind of stupid, but also so true to life. 

As a daughter of a woman who happened to become a mother, I feel that movies like this are meant to bring about conversations between us on the car ride home, a squeeze of a hand in the theater, or even just a knowing smile as the credits roll (mitski??). Movies that are entertaining and joining are not far and few between, but it’s always a pleasant surprise when you find one in a movie you never expected to be that. I entered the theater expecting CGI whimsy and a light hearted action movie, and left hiding the tear rolling down my face when the lights turned on. I like this movie. I think I actually may even really like this movie a lot.
do they hit you over the head with the metaphor? yes. did I like it? yes. Was I bored and hated it at first? yes. but that’s ok.