Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) - Out of Left Field - 8/10 (13/09/22)

Everything Everywhere All at Once is an experimental, fast and quirky fantasy movie with humorous elements featuring a balanced cast combining veteran actresses and actors such as Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan with young and talented newcomers such as Stephanie Hsu and Tallie Medel.

The movie revolves around laundry shop owner Evelyn Wang who faces quite a few challenges in her life. Her elderly father keeps criticizing her, she fails to show any affection to her delicate husband who wants to divorce her, her daughter feels misunderstood regarding her sexual identity and her poorly aged business is facing bankruptcy. Just as everything seems to be falling apart, Evelyn Wang gets the opportunity to experience different scenarios based upon important life choices she has made. The elderly woman experiences her career as a famous actress, as a martial artist or a lesbian with deformed fingers. However, all these alternative realities are menaced by the anger, deception and despair of her daughter. Evelyn Wang must find a way to connect with her daughter in order to find her way back to reality and solve her numerous problems.

On the positive side, this movie convinces with creative, fluid and unexpected storytelling. The different realities are colourful, exotic and funny. The movie comes around with multiple surprises out of left field that will keep the audience watching until the very end. The acting performances keep the movie together as especially the veteran actresses and actors convincingly play characters with depth, heart and soul.

On the negative side, the film's storytelling can at times be overwhelming and needs a lot of acceptance, focus and patience to be enjoyed to the fullest. The story itself is walking on thin ice and filled with quite a few stereotypes hidden by the bubbly characters and alternative realities.

At the end of the day, Everything Everywhere All at Once is a movie that will divide the masses. Some might call it pretentious nonsense offered at a headache-inducing speed while others will praise its unconventional storytelling and unique characters. No matter where you stand on the issue, one thing is undeniable: this movie is unlike any other you have ever watched and therefore worth everyone's attention. Personally, I'm glad to see that there are still movies that manage to surprise me and push cinematic experiences to a new level.