Everything Everywhere All at Once is a 2022 American absurdist comedy-drama film written and directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert ¹.
What is the movie about?
The film follows Evelyn Quan Wang, a middle-aged Chinese immigrant who runs a laundromat with her husband, Waymond. The laundromat is being audited by the IRS, and Waymond is trying to serve Evelyn divorce papers. At a tense meeting with IRS inspector Deirdre Beaubeirdre, Waymond’s body is taken over by Alpha-Waymond, a version of Waymond from the “Alphaverse.” Alpha-Waymond explains to Evelyn that many parallel universes exist because every life choice creates a new alternative universe ¹.
What are the themes of the movie?
The film incorporates elements from several genres and film media, including surreal comedy, science fiction, fantasy, martial arts films, immigrant narrative, and animation. The film explores philosophical themes such as existentialism, nihilism, surrealism, and absurdism, as well as themes such as neurodivergence, depression, generational trauma, and Asian American identity ¹.
What are the cast and crew of the movie?
The film stars Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, Jamie Lee Curtis, and James Hong. The film was directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, and produced by Anthony and Joe Russo, Jonathan Wang, and Peter Tam Lee ¹.
What are the awards and accolades of the movie?
The film won seven out of the eleven awards it was nominated for at the 95th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actress for Yeoh, Best Supporting Actor for Quan, Best Supporting Actress for Curtis, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay for Kwan and Scheinert, and Best Editing. The film also won two Golden Globe Awards, five Critics’ Choice Awards (including Best Picture), a BAFTA Award, and a record four SAG Awards (including Best Ensemble) ¹.
What is the reception of the movie?
The film received critical acclaim and grossed $143.4 million worldwide on a $14.3–25 million production budget, becoming A24’s highest-grossing film ¹. The film has been praised for its originality, creativity, and exploration of complex themes, and has been considered one of the best films of 2022 ¹.