Nothing, but also everything, matters in the film ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’

By Danielle Cosino Social Media editor

The 2022 science-fiction film

Everything Everywhere All At Once (EEAAO) has become the talk of this year’s award season. As the 95th Academy Awards are approaching, Everything Everywhere All At Once has become the most nominated film with a total of 11 nominations. While the movie was released in spring of last year, it was recently re-released in theaters due to its growing popularity.

Everything Everywhere All At Once follows the story of a Chinese-American immigrant family, the Wang’s, who own a laundromat and are currently being audited by the IRS. As she is preparing for a very important meeting, Eveyln Wang discovers that everything is in danger and it is she who can save life itself from the evil and mysterious force of Jobu Tupaki. With the help of her husband, Waymond, Evelyn delves into the multiverse in order to save humanity.

If you plan on watching the movie and don’t mind any spoilers, then feel free to continue reading. Otherwise, this is your official spoiler warning.

This comedic sci-fi film uses the multiverse in order to explore deep and meaningful themes such as the concept of absurdism, the nuances of life, depression and mental health, growing up with immigrant parents, generational trauma and generational differences.

First and foremost, the film is a great representation of Asian and Asian-Americans. Additionally, it does a great job of depicting the challenges of being born into an Asian immigrant family, and how Asian beliefs and tradition produces genera- tional trauma through various generational differences.

As a Filipino immigrant myself, there were multiple points in the film where I strongly resonated with the mixed internal and external feelings and emotions that Evelyn and her daughter Joy have of each other. This complex and strained relationship, and the journey of trying to restore it, is the driving force of the plot that helps explore the film’s themes.

EEAAO takes the viewers on a wild ride through the multiverse. It may seem confusing at first to understand how the multiverse and the action of verse-jumping works, so here’s a quick rundown:

• The multiverse is the concept that there are other universes existing simultaneously, and everyone has an alternate version of themselves in every universe.

• The film emphasizes that every decision and action you make, from the smallest to the largest, could have led you to another life, to another universe. This concept is shown through the action of verse-jumping which is when a character performs small (and typically strange actions) in order to temporarily access the memories, emotions and skills of an alternative version of them-