The Drinker Recommends... Everything Everywhere All At Once

Summary

The video script reviews 'Everything Everywhere All at Once,' a film that creatively explores parallel universes and the redemptive power of love. Centered on Evelyn, a laundromat owner facing a mundane life, the movie takes a turn into the absurd with Kung Fu and alternate realities. It uses these fantastical elements to address universal family conflicts and personal regrets, offering a poignant and humorous take on life's 'what ifs.' The film is praised for its inventive storytelling, standout performances, particularly by Michelle Yeoh, and its refreshing departure from typical Hollywood narratives.

Takeaways

• 🎬 Hollywood often releases similar-themed movies around the same time, such as 'Armageddon' and 'Deep Impact', or 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' and 'Multiverse of Madness'.
• 🌟 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' is praised for its creativity, inventiveness, and emotional depth, unlike its contemporaries.
• 👩‍💼 The film centers on Evelyn, a middle-aged laundromat owner dealing with family and business struggles, who is unexpectedly pulled into a multiversal adventure.
• 🔥 The movie explores alternate realities and the concept of different versions of oneself, allowing Evelyn to access various skills and experiences.
• 💥 A sinister entity, Jobu Togakim, threatens the Multiverse, and Evelyn is believed to be the key to stopping her and the destructive 'everything bagel'.
• 🤸‍♀️ Evelyn's journey through different realities leads to self-discovery and reflection on her life choices, questioning her marriage and personal identity.
• 🎭 The film uses exaggerated characters and situations as metaphors for common family conflicts, such as generational differences, parental expectations, and marital doubts.
• 🌈 The cast, including Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, and James Hong, delivers strong performances that bring depth and humor to their complex roles.
• 🏆 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' is a testament to the power of a good script, great direction, and a talented cast, offering a fresh perspective on the genre.
• 🍿 The movie is recommended for audiences seeking a unique cinematic experience that is both thought-provoking and entertaining, with a memorable take on the multiverse concept.

Q & A

What is the unique aspect of 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' compared to other movies with similar themes?

The unique aspect of 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' is its creative and inventive approach to the multiverse concept, combined with a smart and emotionally satisfying central story, which sets it apart from other movies that may be inconsistent or fail to utilize their interesting premises effectively.

How does the movie explore the concept of alternate realities?

The movie explores alternate realities through the character Evelyn, who is pulled into different universes where she can access skills and memories of different versions of herself, reflecting on the opportunities she's missed and questioning her life choices.

What is the central conflict in 'Everything Everywhere All at Once'?

The central conflict revolves around the character Evelyn, who must stop a sinister entity named Jobu Tepaki from unleashing a super weapon called the 'everything bagel,' which threatens to destroy the entire Multiverse.

How does the movie use the multiversal conflict as a metaphor?

The multiversal conflict and alternate lives in the movie serve as metaphors for a standard family conflict, with characters representing larger-than-life caricatures of real-life issues such as generational differences, parental control, and marital doubts.

What role does the character of Evelyn play in the story?

Evelyn is the central character, a middle-aged laundromat owner who is unexpectedly thrust into a multiversal adventure, reflecting on her life and the choices she's made, and ultimately becoming the key to saving the Multiverse.

How does the movie challenge the typical portrayal of older characters in Hollywood?

The movie challenges the typical portrayal of older characters by giving Evelyn, played by Michelle Yeoh, a complex and layered role that defies the common trend of casting older actors in less prominent or less dynamic roles.

What is the significance of the 'everything bagel' in the movie?

The 'everything bagel' is a super weapon that symbolizes the destructive potential of regret and the road not taken. It is a metaphor for the consuming nature of 'what if' thoughts and the potential to annihilate one's present reality.

How does the movie handle the theme of self-sacrifice and redemption?

The movie explores the themes of self-sacrifice and redemption through Evelyn's journey, where she confronts different versions of herself and learns to appreciate the value of her own life and the lives of those around her, despite their imperfections.

What is the significance of the character's transformations into various realities?

The character's transformations into various realities symbolize the endless possibilities and choices in life, allowing the character to explore different paths and reflect on the consequences of her decisions.

How does the movie's portrayal of family dynamics differ from traditional Hollywood narratives?

The movie diverges from traditional Hollywood narratives by focusing on an older generation's perspective and internal conflicts, rather than a younger character's coming-of-age story, providing a fresh and nuanced take on family dynamics.

What message does the movie convey about appreciating the present and the people in our lives?

The movie conveys the message that despite the flaws and mistakes, the present and the people in our lives are to be treasured and appreciated because they are transient, and the opportunity to do so may not always be available.

Outlines

00:00

🎬 Hollywood's Dual Universe Movies

The paragraph discusses the Hollywood phenomenon of releasing similarly themed movies simultaneously, using 'Armageddon' and 'Deep Impact', 'White House Down' and 'Olympus Has Fallen', and 'Multiverse of Madness' and 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' as examples. It contrasts a poorly executed movie with 'Everything Everywhere All at Once', which is praised for its creativity, inventiveness, and emotional depth. The movie is described as a unique exploration of alternate realities, featuring a central character who discovers different versions of her life and the redemptive power of love and self-sacrifice. The narrative centers on Evelyn, a laundromat owner dealing with family and business struggles, who then embarks on a journey through alternate realities to prevent a multiversal catastrophe.

05:00

🌟 Stellar Performances and Multidimensional Storytelling

This paragraph praises the acting, particularly Michelle Yeoh's portrayal of Evelyn, highlighting her ability to convey a range of emotions and actions, from martial arts to emotional depth. It also acknowledges the return of actor Ke Huy Quan, who, despite being absent from the big screen for decades, delivers a compelling performance. The paragraph discusses the film's exploration of family dynamics, generational conflicts, and the complexities of marriage and personal regrets. It emphasizes the movie's success in using fantastical elements as metaphors for more mundane family issues and commends the film for its ability to entertain, provoke thought, and provide a satisfying narrative conclusion. The recommendation is for viewers seeking a unique cinematic experience beyond typical action or superhero movies.

Keywords

💡Multiverse

The concept of the 'Multiverse' refers to the hypothetical existence of multiple universes, each with its own unique versions of reality. In the context of the video, the multiverse serves as a backdrop for the film's narrative, where characters can jump between different realities, experiencing alternate versions of their lives. This idea is central to the movie's exploration of self-discovery and the impact of choices on one's life.

💡Redemptive Power of Love

The 'Redemptive Power of Love' is a central theme in the video, suggesting that love has the ability to save, heal, or transform individuals or situations. The script implies that love is a driving force behind the characters' actions and a key element in overcoming challenges, as it is often depicted as a force that can bridge gaps between people and realities.

💡Self-Sacrifice

Self-sacrifice is portrayed as an act of giving up one's own interests or needs for the benefit of others. In the video, it is tied to the idea that characters are willing to risk or give up their own well-being for the sake of others, highlighting themes of heroism and altruism within the narrative.

💡Evelyn

Evelyn is a central character in the video, a middle-aged laundromat owner who becomes entangled in a multiversal conflict. She represents the everyperson thrust into extraordinary circumstances, and her journey through the multiverse serves as a metaphor for confronting one's past, present, and potential future selves.

💡Kung Fu

Kung Fu is a Chinese martial art that is referenced in the video as a skill Evelyn gains in alternate realities. It symbolizes empowerment and transformation, as Evelyn's ability to perform Kung Fu signifies her evolution from an ordinary woman to a capable fighter, reflecting her growth and the film's theme of self-discovery.

💡Jobu Tepaki

Jobu Tepaki is depicted as a sinister entity in the video, a character that poses a threat to the multiverse. The antagonist's role is crucial in driving the plot, as the protagonist's mission to stop Jobu Tepaki becomes a central conflict in the story, adding tension and urgency to the narrative.

💡Everything Bagel

The 'Everything Bagel' is a metaphorical device in the video, described as a 'black hole of reality' capable of destroying the entire multiverse. It serves as the ultimate weapon that the antagonist seeks to unleash, symbolizing the potential for destruction that arises from the chaos of infinite realities.

💡Family Conflict

Family conflict is a recurring theme in the video, evident in the strained relationships between Evelyn and her husband, father, and daughter. These conflicts are used to explore deeper issues such as generational differences, the challenges of parenthood, and the complexities of maintaining relationships over time.

💡Metaphor

Metaphors are used throughout the video to represent abstract concepts or emotions through more tangible or relatable imagery. For instance, the multiversal conflict serves as a metaphor for family conflict, allowing the film to explore complex themes in a fantastical and imaginative way.

💡Identity

Identity is a key concept in the video, as it is explored through the various versions of Evelyn and her family members across different realities. The characters' struggles with identity reflect the universal human experience of searching for self-understanding and the impact of choices on shaping one's life.

💡Regret

Regret is a significant theme in the video, as characters grapple with missed opportunities and the paths not taken. It is used to examine the human tendency to reflect on past decisions and the longing for what could have been, adding depth to the characters' emotional journeys.

Highlights

Hollywood's tendency to release similarly themed movies around the same time.

Both movies feature parallel universes, inventive set pieces, and a story about love and self-sacrifice.

One movie is a 'trilogied, inconsistent overblown mess' while the other is 'everything everywhere all at once'.

The movie is creative, inventive, and unashamedly bonkers, yet smart and emotionally satisfying.

The film centers around Evelyn, a middle-aged laundromat owner dealing with family and business struggles.

Evelyn is pulled into different realities, gaining access to skills and memories of alternate versions of herself.

The antagonist, Jobu Topaki, is hunting Evelyn across the Multiverse with the goal of unleashing the 'everything bagel'.

Evelyn's reality jumping leads to self-reflection on missed opportunities and questioning her life choices.

The movie uses multiversal conflict and alternate lives as metaphors for a standard family conflict.

Evelyn is a layered character portrayed by Michelle Yeoh with heart, compassion, and humor.

The film challenges Hollywood's tendency to favor younger characters with a complex, older protagonist.

Ke Huy Quan's performance showcases his ability to transition into multiple versions of himself.

James Hong's portrayal of a sinister villain with a flair for comedy.

The film explores generational conflict, parental tension, and marital doubts.

The movie emphasizes the value of cherishing our loved ones and the life we live, despite its imperfections.

Everything Everywhere All at Once is a testament to cinema's creative potential, blending action, humor, and emotional depth.

The film is recommended for those seeking an alternative to the typical superhero or action movie.

Transcripts

one of the little quirks of Hollywood is

their tendency to release a pair of

similarly themed movies around the same

time for every Armageddon there's a deep

impact for every White House Down

there's an Olympus Has Fallen and for

every Multiverse of Madness there's

everything everywhere all at once both

movies feature a conflict raging across

parallel universes inventive and

Visually stunning set pieces that defy

reality a main character getting to see

different variations of their own life

and a central story about the Redemptive

power of love and self-sacrifice the big

difference is that one is a tri-modled

inconsistent overblown mess that fails

to make use of its interesting premise

and the other is everything everywhere

all at once honestly it's been a long

[ __ ] time since I've seen a movie so

creative inventive and unashamedly

Bonkers with its implementation but

still able to pull it all together into

a smart engaging emotionally satisfying

Central story everything everywhere all

at once does for alternate reality

stories what the north man did for

historical epics injecting a much needed

dose of energy and Imagination it's a

testament to what can still be produced

when a good script is paired up with a

great director and a talented cast of

actors and it left me with a lot to

think about once it was over the movie

centers around Evelyn a middle-aged

laundromat owner who emigrated to the US

from China as a young woman the Frantic

opening sequence makes it pretty clear

that she's not exactly living her best

life she's trapped in a failing business

with her well-meaning but incompetent

husband Waymond and disapproving father

she's overworked and stressed out and

growing increasingly distant from her

unhappy teenage daughter Joy and to make

matters worse the business has been

audited by the [ __ ] IRS it all sounds

like the basic recipe for your standard

family drama intergenerational conflict

or failing business a marriage on the

rocks and a main character who

desperately wishes they'd taken a

different path in life but then it all

starts to go a bit Bonkers when women

suddenly transforms into an ass kicking

Kung Fu Fighting secret agent was

somehow able to pull Evelyn into

different realities as he quickly

explains there's billions of possible

universities out there all created at

different times by different choices

made throughout history at some point an

Evelyn from a different Universe

discovered a way to access and jump into

these alternate realities allowing

people to access the skills and memories

and even take control of different

versions of themselves hmm what does

this remind me of unfortunately a

Sinister entity known as Jobo topakim is

making her way across the Multiverse

hunting and killing other versions of

Evelyn and destroying everything in our

path her ultimate goal was to unleash a

super weapon known as the everything

bagel which is kind of like a black hole

of reality that can destroy the entire

Multiverse as what is apparently the

least successful out of all the evelyns

in the entire Multiverse women believe

that our version has the greatest

potential and therefore the best chance

of defeating jobu topaki and stopping

the everything bagel as tupaki's minions

close in on her Evelyn's able to reality

jump and ask access special skills like

Kung Fu increased lung capacity the

ability to fight blinds or have giant

hot dogs for fingers the more she sees

of other realities the more she realizes

the opportunities that she's missed in

her own life the things that she could

have seen and done if she'd taken

different paths and the more she begins

to question the value of her marriage

and even herself but will she pull

through in time to stop jobu tapaki and

shut down the everything bagel will she

reconcile with her husband or realize

that they were better off without each

other will she even want to do any of

this stuff when she finds out who her

enemy is and how she was created no this

all Probably sounds like completely

absurd nonsense because well that's kind

of the point this isn't a movie that's

meant to be taken literally or viewed as

some kind of serious science fiction

Thriller the wacky multiversal conflict

alternate lives and insane fight

sequences are really there to act as

metaphors for what amounts to a pretty

standard family conflict all of the

characters in this story are blown up

into epic larger than wife caricatures

of their real selves the overbearing

father who uses protectiveness to mask

his own narrow-mindedness and selfish

need for control the lost and confused

teenager facing a world of infinite

possibilities with no real sense of

purpose or identity The Angst of a

married couple questioning whether

they're only still together out of habit

and convenience and at the center of it

all the Aging woman reflecting unhappily

on an unfulfilled life facing the

realization that our best days are

behind her and sadly daydreaming of what

might have been there's a tendency in

Hollywood to skew stories in favor of

younger characters and I think in the

hands of more conventional writers this

movie would almost certainly have been

some kind of coming-of-age story

centered around Joy instead of Evelyn

just another generic plot about a young

woman's quest to find herself and

realize her potential in a bland and

uncaring worlds and well thank [ __ ] the

writers went a different route with this

one Evelyn is a fantastic character

there's so much more layered and

interesting than any Bland directionless

gen Zed could ever hope to be and she's

played to Perfection by Michelle you who

invested with so much heart compassion

and quirky humor that you can't help but

empathize with her one minute she's

laying down Kung Fu moves like this is

20 years ago and she's starring in an

Ang Lee movie the next she's doing some

weird exotic dance with Jamie Lee Curtis

while they both have hot dogs for

fingers and the next she's having a raw

heartfelt emotional exchange with a

loved one she takes all of this in her

stride she commands the screen like the

leading lady she never quite got to be

and it all just reminds me of what a

[ __ ] good actor she is when she has

good material to work with I mean let's

be honest when most actresses get to a

certain age interest in high profile

roles start to dry up pretty rapidly but

this movie proves just how flawed that

thinking really is kehee Kwan is a name

that most of us haven't heard in a

generation in fact he basically vanished

from the big screen back in the 80s but

[ __ ] me his friend is calling here just

like you he has to transition rapidly

into multiple versions of himself and he

plays them all with real heart and

energy invest in women with a

quirky-like ability that's just

infectious his years of stunt

choreography mean that he can handle

himself pretty well in the fight scenes

and there's nothing quite like watching

a pair of middle-aged actors kicking ass

like they're still in their 20s and as

for James Hong what do I even need to

say about this guy the man's an absolute

Legend and he's got a natural Flair for

comedy and playing Sinister villains and

he uses both the full effect here

there's a lot going on in this movie in

terms of ideas and character Dynamics

the conflict between different

Generations growing up in very different

worlds the tension between parents and

their children as one grows old and the

other grows up the doubts and

resentments that creep into a marriage

when too much is left on surds the

regrets of missed opportunities and the

yearning for the road not taken and at

the center of it all the minion and

fulfillment that can still be found in

the people we love most and that the

lives we live for all their faults and

mistakes and shortcomings are something

to be treasured and appreciated while

they last because let's be honest they

don't always last that long everything

everywhere all that once is a fantastic

movie that exemplifies the very best of

what the medium is capable of it's crazy

and wild and creative and poignant and

heartwarming and thought-provoking all

at the same time it thrilled me with

action it made me laugh at the most

absurd moments and it kept me gripped

until the final perfectly constructed

ending and if you're looking for

something that isn't just another tired

superhero flick or a Lumber in action

movie then the Drinker thoroughly

recommends everything everywhere all at

once and hey if nothing else you'll

never look at hot dogs the same way

again

anyway that's all I've got for today

go away now