Even in a universe where new discoveries and the consequences of time make us feel small and stupid, it is certain that Everything Everywhere All at Once is not. The motion picture starring Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, and Stephanie Hsu features an interdimensional adventure that answers an important philosophical question: what truly matters? Comedic elements are incorporated into the movie to bring the entire storyline together in a touching manner. The unique aspects of the film create an artistic rendition of the multiverses that were made possible by the directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert.

Michelle Yeoh plays Evelyn Quan Wang, a laundromat owner failing to pay her taxes and has forgotten what it means to love. Joy, Evelyn’s daughter, portrayed by Stephanie Hsu, knows the pain and frustration of being trapped within the box her mother puts her in. Evelyn’s life is thrown astray when a different version of her husband, Waymond Wang, warns her of a danger that is to come: Jobu Tupaki. In the Alphaverse, she was Evelyn’s daughter and pushed to become skilled in verse-jumping, a feat discovered and invented by another Evelyn in order to communicate with different worlds.

Everything Everywhere All at Once encompasses misunderstanding between generations and the fear of not being good enough in a deteriorating mother-daughter relationship. The characters come to heartbreaking realizations over a course of action and emotion-packed events, allowing the audience to see what the characters see and feel what they feel. Ethan Huynh (9) states, “I think it was hard to get people to understand the movie because it was too mature for someone young to fully appreciate it and too immature for adults to get the concept behind the comedy. Everything Everywhere All At Once fully depends on the viewer, which is also one of the reasons it’s a favorite.”

Divided into three chapters, this movie puts a spin on the theory of multiverses while putting into perspective issues that occur within breaking families. Evelyn can’t help but take her daughter and husband for granted and wonder how her life could have been different in another universe. Joy struggles with the tough love that her mother gives her and the results of the choices that Evelyn makes. Jobu Tupaki lives by the philosophy of the bagel: that nothing matters, and therefore life and the happiness within it is meaningless. Googly eyes can be seen throughout the movie, representing Evelyn’s mindset that the moments in time that may seem unmeaning are what make life worthwhile.

The A24 motion picture grossed 106.5 million USD as of 2023 and gained 95% on Rotten Tomatoes. Everything Everywhere All at Once has been nominated for an Oscar in several categories including Best Picture, Costume Design, and Music. In the movie, Stephanie Hsu wears stunning costumes as Jobu Tupaki that encapsulate the character’s ubiquitous mind. Over the course of the film, Jobu’s outfits change into various creative styles designed by 2023 Academy Award nominee Shirley Kurata. Actresses Michelle Yeoh and Stephanie Hsu are rightfully nominated for awards given their phenomenally developed performances as Evelyn and Joy/Jobu Tupaki.

Everything in the universe may make life feel unreal or too real at times, and there are some questions that might never be answered. In a world where the possibilities are limitless, it would seem as though every prospect would layer over one another to create the sense that nothing really matters. However, it is the moments surrounded by joy that cause the realization that being able to feel and be human are what make the trials of life meaningful.