SPOILER ALERT!!!
I realize that last week I urged you to entertain yourselves by watching a television series. At the risk of being redundant, I am again urging you to watch something; this time a movie you’ve probably heard a lot about.
Everything Everywhere All At Once is the best movie I’ve seen in years. Perhaps a decade. It is phenomenally clever, thought provoking and entertaining. If you have not seen the movie yet, please stop reading now. If you are thinking that you’ll never watch it anyway, you should stop reading and reconsider.
If you are going to read on regardless of my suggestion, I’ll try to avoid being too specific because you’ll probably want to watch this film after you read this. If you have seen it, read on, and please comment below to let me know what you thought of it.
As far as cinematic experiences are concerned, EEAAO is dense with entertainment. It is surprising, especially if you have no clue what the film is about. I had absolutely no idea what I was getting into. I had heard the title and that it was winning awards, but that’s all I knew. I am so glad! It was super fun to watch; there are many twists and turns, each like a scrumptious chocolate chip in a cookie of awesomeness. I wish I could watch it again for the first time.
This might sound odd, but the film could be described as a psychedelic trip. Not simply because it is fantastical, although it is. Many who have taken psychedelic journeys have described them as entering another realm where they are shown a new perspective that changes them profoundly. This movie runs on exactly that premise.
The main character learns something about herself and this inspires her to change her relationship with her family and with life in general. She sees the folly in her behavior, in her thinking. She is shown “the big picture” and thus she begins to reassess her values. By peeking into a different realm, the main character improves her mental health and becomes able to better appreciate the experience of living. This is akin to many reports from individuals who have utilized psychedelics, including those who have escaped the suffering of PTSD.
Aside from being a cinematic trip, the film has plenty of other surprises. Initially we are led to believe that the villain is a traditional movie bad guy; a cranky IRS agent easily invites booing and hissing from most Americans. (Uhg. April. It is tax time again.) But this villain is a red herring; brilliantly, the “real” villain turns out not to be a villain at all. Again, we are touching on ideas more likely to come up in a Psych 101 class than an international blockbuster. For most of us, the villains in our lives are inside us; they are formed in our minds and this film plays with the concept beautifully.
The film explores the love life of the main character, but not exclusively the romantic aspect of love. It looks at the family dynamic as well. It even explores the power of love between strangers. Love thy neighbor is a reoccurring theme throughout. All of the love stories are brilliantly told, unravelling in unexpected directions. I like the idea that broken, imperfect people can become more balanced through loving each other. It is the famous Jerry Maguire quote in a movie form: “You complete me.”
Ultimately, the movie has my most favorite premise: love is the key. Any movie that can be summarized by saying that love is all we need to solve our problems is probably a movie I will be gushing about. This film is telling you exactly that. Love just might be the most powerful, valuable and delicate component in the universe.
What are your thoughts on this film? What aspects made an impression? Did you like this film as much as I did? Why, or why not? I am so curious; please feel free to comment below.