Great Scene: “Everything Everywhere All at Once”

Plot summary: A middle-aged Chinese immigrant is swept up into an insane adventure in which she alone can save existence by exploring other universes and connecting with the lives she could have led.

Written by Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert

Scene setup: Evelyn stares into the bagel and accepts Jobu’s nihilistic view that “nothing matters.” She begins being cruel and uncaring in other universes, including using her loved ones, disregarding her responsibilities, and even stabbing Waymond. She nearly accepts Jobu’s offer to enter the bagel, but stops when she hears Waymond still fighting for her. In every universe, even when she hurts him, he defends and cleans up after her. He explains that his optimism is not naivete, but rather a conscious choice to be kind, since “that is how [he] fights.” Evelyn resolves to fight more like him and defeats Jobu’s minions by sifting through the multiverse, discovering what is causing them anguish, and helping them find happiness. In the Tax-Universe, Evelyn confronts Gong Gong about his life-long disappointment in her and finally stands up for herself and Joy. Finally Evelyn reaches Jobu and attempts to pull her back from the brink, but…

Here is the movie version of the scene:

The multiverses and sheer spectacle of action in Everything Everywhere All at Once is entertaining as hell. But when the action slows … and the noise stops … what the story boils down to are relationships. At its foundation, this is a mother-daughter story. Evelyn and Joy. These flawed, fractured, and flailing souls who despite everything … love and need each other.

When I saw the movie and Evelyn said these lines — “I still want to be here with you. I will always want to be here with you.” — some audience members began to sob. I confess tears flowed down my cheeks.

I mean, who doesn’t want to hear those words from their parents? That affirmation? That acceptance?

It’s a miracle Everything Everywhere All at Once got made. Even the good folks at A24 must have shook their heads in confusion at times when reading the script or hearing the pitch for the story the first time. But I’ve got to believe that when they hit this scene, they got it.

The universality of family, of parent-child relationships…

That stuff lies at the very core of our emotional and psychological being.

And that’s why this is a Great Scene.

For more articles in the Great Scene series, go here.

Great Scene: “Everything Everywhere All at Once” was originally published in Go Into The Story on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.