The scene that lingers like a fever dream long after leaving the theater is Michelle Yeoh tumbling through an endless void, her face flickering between emotions as she witnesses the infinite versions of herself scattered across the multiverse. Everything Everywhere All at Once isn’t just a film—it’s an experience, a cinematic equivalent of being caught in a tornado of ideas, colors, and existential dread. Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (collectively known as Daniels), this 2022 independent gem is a genre-defying beast that refuses to be neatly categorized.

The film follows Evelyn Wang (Yeoh), a frazzled Chinese immigrant running a struggling laundromat with her husband Waymond (Ke Huy Quan). Their life is already unraveling—financial stress, marital strife, and a fractured relationship with their daughter Joy (Stephanie Hsu)—when they’re thrust into an even more absurd crisis: Evelyn must connect with parallel universe versions of herself to prevent the destruction of the multiverse. The premise alone is enough to make one’s head spin, but Daniels don’t just throw viewers into this chaos—they guide us through it with a deft hand.

Visually, Everything Everywhere All at Once is a tour de force (sorry, I had to say it). The directors employ rapid-fire editing, surreal imagery, and a vibrant color palette that shifts from warm, nostalgic tones to cold, sterile hues depending on the universe we’re exploring. The “Everything Bagel” sequence, where Evelyn peers into infinite universes, is a standout moment. The sound design here—layered with frantic beeping and distant echoes—combined with Yeoh’s expressive face (moving from awe to horror in seconds), makes it a masterclass in conveying existential dread through pure cinema. The fight scenes, choreographed with a mix of martial arts precision and slapstick humor, are equally impressive. A standout is the scene where Evelyn battles multiple versions of herself—each wielding absurd weapons like a giant dumpling or a rake—in a laundromat that transforms into a surreal battlefield.

At its core, Everything Everywhere All at Once is a story about family, generational trauma, and the search for meaning in a chaotic world. The film’s emotional heart lies in the relationships between Evelyn, Waymond, Joy, and Evelyn’s father Gong Gong (James Hong). Daniels explore these dynamics with a blend of humor and heartache that makes even the most outlandish scenes feel grounded. The scene where Evelyn and Waymond attempt to serve each other divorce papers is a perfect example: it’s absurd on the surface—a man handing his wife divorce papers while a parallel universe version of himself takes over his body—but beneath the comedy lies a poignant exploration of marital strife and cultural expectations.

The performances are another highlight. Michelle Yeoh delivers a career-best performance, balancing humor, pathos, and sheer physicality with ease. Her chemistry with Ke Huy Quan is electric, their scenes together oscillating between heartwarming and heart-wrenching. Quan’s portrayal of Waymond—gentle yet determined—is a testament to his range, especially after decades away from major film roles. Stephanie Hsu as Joy/Jobu Tupaki is another standout, imbuing her character with a raw vulnerability that makes the film’s philosophical musings on nihilism and absurdism feel deeply personal.

The film’s originality is its greatest strength. Daniels don’t just pay homage to Hong Kong cinema or multiverse narratives; they dissect them, play with them, and stitch them back together in ways that feel both familiar and entirely new. The soundtrack, featuring collaborations with Mitski and David Byrne, amplifies the film’s emotional beats without ever feeling intrusive. The score by Son Lux is particularly noteworthy, blending electronic elements with traditional instrumentation to create a sound that’s as unique as the film itself.

However, for all its brilliance, Everything Everywhere All at Once occasionally stumbles under the weight of its own ambition. Some of the multiverse sequences feel overextended, and the pacing can be uneven, leaving certain character arcs underdeveloped. The film’s exploration of neurodivergence and depression is poignant but sometimes glossed over in favor of spectacle. Additionally, while the film’s absurdist humor will resonate with many viewers, others might find it overwhelming or even off-putting.

Everything Everywhere All at Once is a rare beast: a film that dares to ask big questions while never taking itself too seriously. It’s a love letter to cinema, to family, and to the chaotic beauty of existence.