Another take: ReelBob: ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ ★★★★

A bizarre, delightful and mind-tripping journey through a bad day for a wife, mother and businesswoman who must deal with her life's choices.

Figuring out your taxes and visiting an IRS office can be stressful experiences, especially if you are trying to balance running a business and a home.

That is the overwhelming situation for Evelyn Wang (Michelle Yeoh) in “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”

This is a difficult movie to describe because I don’t want to reveal too much. It’s best you should know as little as possible so you can be Evelyn’s companion on her bizarre and fantastical journey.

“Everything Everywhere …” is wholly original. It’s also outrageous, funny and heartwarming, as we experience life through Evelyn’s point of view.

The movie, written and directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (“Swiss Army Man”), a k a “The Daniels,” is a visual feast that rivets you. Events and situations fly by quickly; your full attention is paramount to enjoying and appreciating the film.

The movie rests on Yeoh’s shoulders and she does not disappoint. She gives a magnificent performance as a harried wife, mother and businesswoman seemingly at the end of her rope.

The crux of the feature involves Evelyn’s fractured relationship with her daughter, Joy. Evelyn is a demanding mother who expects the best from her daughter. Evelyn is not shy about letting her know how disappointed she is in the young woman.

Plus, Joy is gay, which Evelyn fears will kill her judgmental and demanding father, Gong Gong (the veteran and delightful James Hong), who is now living with the family because he is ill.

Before Evelyn can repair her bond with Joy, she must dig deep and find her true self. “You are living your worst you” and “You are so bad at everything,” she is told at various points.

Evelyn’s road to discovery is a mind-tripping journey accentuated by hilarious situations and weird encounters with people she seems to know — yet actually doesn’t.

Helping push “Everything Everywhere” is the music of Son Lux, the extraordinary film editing by Paul Rogers and the incredible special and visual effects teams.

The movie’s foundation is built on the performances of Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan as her put-upon but always optimistic husband, Waymond, and Stephanie Hsu as Joy.

Over a career that has spanned close to 40 years, Yeoh has made a name for herself in martial arts and such action epics as “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” the James Bond feature “Tomorrow Never Dies” and in the Paramount+-series “Star Trek: Discovery,” in which she played Emperor Philippa Georgiou.

She ably displays her dramatic chops in “Memoir of a Geisha” and the romantic comedy “Crazy Rich Asians.”

Yeoh handles a wide range of emotions in “Everything Everywhere …” including regret, shame, anger and sadness. Her Evelyn lacks self-confidence, believing life has passed her by. At times, she looks and walks as if the weight of the world is on her shoulders.

Ke Huy Quan is best remembered for his childhood roles as Indy’s sidekick, Short Round, in “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” and as Data in “The Goonies.”

His Waymond is a loving husband who, though he may seem inept and henpecked, does everything he can to lift Evelyn’s spirits. Despite her taking him for granted, he loves her deeply, going to great lengths to prove his devotion.

Hsu’s Joy is not so much rebellious as she is hurt by her mother’s lack of understanding about who she really is and what she wants from life.

A round of applause also should go to Jamie Lee Curtis, who portrays Deidre, the IRS agent who appears to be Evelyn’s main nemesis.

I will not tell you where “Everything Everywhere All at Once” takes you, nor explain how you get there. It’s simply a movie you must see to believe and enjoy.

Even at nearly 140 minutes, it’s a joy ride that will entertain you, make you laugh and could also bring a tear or two to your eyes.

I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. I review movies, 4K UHD, Blu-rays and DVDs for ReelBob (ReelBob.com), The Film Yap and other print and online publications. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com. You also can follow me on Twitter @ReelBobBloom and on Facebook at ReelBob.com or the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My movie reviews also can be found at Rotten Tomatoes: www.rottentomatoes.com.

EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE
4 stars out of 4
(R), violence, sexual material, language