Supercharged with kinetic energy, Everything Everywhere All at Once drives you to the point of distraction. It is filled with so many grandiose ideas and delivered with such relentless and fast-paced energy it tends to dull the senses as much as it inspires.
The story is built around the life and times of Evelyn Wang played by Michelle Yeoh. She is carrying some scar tissue from an unaccepting father and a difficult life in a new country. She is also having trouble relating to her husband and daughter.
The well-played-out drama is used as a launching pad for an inventive dive through parallel universes. Evelyn’s travels help her secure the skills needed to keep the connection to her daughter and husband intact. This is done at a frantic pace and with visionary flair.
Some will find this accelerated pace exhilarating while others will have a different take. It’s a polarising work and you owe it to yourself to experience it firsthand and with the immersive effect of the cinema. Bombastic or generous? It does have a foot in both camps.
Rob Hudson
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