Ben Meyler | Writer
April 25, 2022
Since being released, the new A24 film “Everything Everywhere All at Once” has received many mixed reviews, with the majority being positive. Strong opinions in both directions have comes as no surprise, as many viewers have described the film as the best movie they have ever seen.
Everything Everywhere All at Once is not only hilarious and wacky, it’s also endearing and sincere. The soundtrack, lighting, camera angles and shots create controlled chaos. It’s simultaneously every genre in one; one minute I was laughing at sexual innuendos, and the next I was crying over the estranged mother-daughter relationship portrayed on screen. There are several moments that feel as if they might be the end, but the film keeps going. I found myself feeling relieved every time a new scene flashed onto the screen, thinking “give me more!” Everything about this movie was a step forward for filmmaking. Especially notable was its amazing casting, which provided an opportunity for talented actors who have been largely neglected by the media to show how capable they are.
“This movie is now one of my favorites because of its excellent cinematography and deep emotional impact. It really tied together an intersectional conflict with such complex emotions,” senior Bethany Padilla said. “Representing Asian Americans in this light is so important to our whole understanding and development.”
The movie is broken down into three separate parts: Everything, Everywhere, and All at Once. Part one is hilarious, part two is emotional, yet filled with non-stop action, and part three is the shortest, lasting only five minutes but wrapping the whole story together in a satisfying ending. The plot of the movie follows the protagonist’s exploration of different universes in a journey to protect herself and her relationship with her daughter. It takes viewers on a wild ride that all connects back to the main theme of what it means to have meaningful relationships. Beyond non-stop action and ceaselessly entertaining visuals, the movie teaches important lessons about the humanity that all people share. The movie’s protagonist is a scattered, goalless, Asian American immigrant who owns a laundromat, yet anyone can relate to her struggle against doubts and regrets and her persisting – though imperfect – devotion to family.
“Everything Everywhere All at Once is the type of movie that reminds me why I want to make movies,” Randy Rodriguez said. “It reminded me that movies can make you feel things and aren’t just pretty moving pictures on the screen. After seeing it for the first time, I told all my friends about it and even dragged them to the theater to watch it with me again because I wanted to see their reactions.” Everything, Everywhere, All at Once is a great movie to see with friends – a whole night could be made of talking about it and all of its weird and wonderful symbols and nuances.
“Movie snobs and fans are going to be coming back to this movie in the future and talking about how ahead of its time it was,” Rodriguez added.
One can only truly understand how amazing this movie is by seeing it with their own eyes. The film is far from surface-level and it contains many deep and potentially painful topics, so it’s not everybody’s cup of tea. Still, I can’t help but recommend it to everyone. Make sure to see it while it’s still in theaters to get the full experience!
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