Just got around to watching it for the first time tonight. We had so many people tell us we’d love it and need to watch it, so it was high on our list. Great cast, and it won so many awards.
I didn’t hate it, but I was left scratching my head over all the hype. I like odd movies and books, so it’s not that I couldn’t handle the weirdness. It seemed like in the same vein as Scott Pilgrim, and if you told me it wasn’t a bit box office but got a cult following, I’d totally believe that.
My wife felt exactly the same way. Maybe it’s just one of those cases where there was too much hype for us, but I felt kind of let down.
Here’s the thing. There are a lot of people who are unhappy with the way their lives turned out. Or they have relationships that they wish were different. Regret is a universal theme. And this movie explores what might have been for characters in those circumstances with the possibility of changing those things in their past that they regret, while at the same the movie maintains a surreality and sense of humor that’s memorable and endearing.
I think it might resonate more with people who have lived long enough to experience that feeling of “is this all there is?”—and I don’t mean younger people whose lives are still mostly ahead of them. I mean those people who are divorced or contemplating divorce, parents with disappointing relationships with their adult children, those caring for an older family member who feel trapped. There’s a reason most actors in the film are in their 50s and 60s, as well as 40s.
If you didn’t like it, maybe that’s why. I finally reread The Great Gatsby when I was approaching middle age and it resonated with me in a way that it didn’t when I was in high school, to the point where it became one of my favorite novels. You are literally and figuratively a different person when you experience something at a later age.
I’m not suggesting everyone of a certain age or experience should like this movie. I’m just saying it might be why some didn’t connect with it.
I’m in my 60s, and I don’t lack for regrets. I completely understood and resonated with that aspect of the movie. It just didn’t seem that deep to me. And, as I’ve said repeatedly, I didn’t dislike it, I just felt like it was over-hyped.
Got it. For what it’s worth, I also think it was overhyped, although I don’t really blame the movie for that. That said, I don’t think any Oscar winners that come to mind have necessarily been particularly deep.
In terms of recent winners, quality-wise I think this was about on-par with Birdman, which I also enjoyed. I think Parasite was superior, but I have loved Bong Joon-ho since I saw Memories of Murder, which I also think is superior, so I’m biased.
The Daniels also made a 10-minute short called, “Interesting Ball”. It felt like their entire goal was to say nothing at all and still make it feel profound.
Everything Everywhere wasn’t that, because it really explored regret, acceptance, and the importance of pursuing empathy in relationships. That being said, they definitely did their director magic and hyperbolized everything they could.
Is it still my favorite movie? Yes.
Yes it is.
Imagine the people it might appeal to
- If you’re Asian
- If you’re Asian American
- if you were an American immigrant
- if you like comedies
- if you like action movies
- if you like choreographed fights
- if you like absurdist humour
- if you had a bad relationship with your parents
- if you’re LGBT
- if you like multiverse sci fi
- if you like cool costumes
- if you like set pieces
- if you like family drama
- if you like pop culture references. -if you like creative cinematography
- if you like Michelle Yeoh
- if you like Jamie Lee Curtis
- If you like Ke huy quans comeback
This movie is maximalist, so it hits a lot of things at the same time, so naturally people may tack on to whatever they are attracted to. If none of the above fits you, then so be it
I think that was part of why I didn’t care for it all that much. At least no more than it felt like an OK movie.
It felt like it was trying too hard to be too many things and not really excelling at any of them.
I saw it before all the hype and loved it. Maybe the hype hurts the experience?
Depends on your tastes. I personally really liked it because it represented philosophical absurdism and various existential concepts in an interesting/comedic way. I laughed really hard at things like the “everything” donut and Michelle Yeoh’s big fight scene where she used “compassion” to solve all the henchpeople’s life problems and “defeat” them.
Despite it’s fun/weird/comedic exterior it was very clearly written with these philosophical concepts in mind. If you like thinky/philosophical stuff you probably like this movie too, that said if you don’t like that kind of vibe you probably just viewed the randomness/oddness of some of the scenes as strange.
deleted by creator
The best way to watch EEAAO is knowing nothing about it. Its never going to be what you expect and if you go in expecting too much, you’re likely to be disappointed. Sounds very much like the hype might be why you feel the way you do.
Personally, I love it because there is more than just weirdness to it. It manages to have quite deep and emotional moments that fit naturally amongst everything that is going on. For example:
spoilers
When Evelyn learns that breaking up with Waymond would have led to a ‘perfect’ life and the complexity of her feelings around that, only to be hit moments later by the gut-punch that Waymond would have been far more successful without her too. After that, how can she not regret the decision which led to them both being stuck doing laundry and taxes?
It’s this deeper side and the depth and realism of the characters that really elevate the movie for me and lead to me still thinking about it months later. That’s why it’s more than just a cult hit IMO, but you aren’t wrong if you disagree.
Yeah, I went in completely blind, having somehow dodged spoilers for a good year when I finally saw it upon its re-release in theaters for the Oscars campaign, and I left the theater thinking it was one of my favorite movies I’ve ever seen.
It’s absolutely not for everyone though, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
It’s one of my all time favorite movies, but you’re not alone. I’ve talked to a handful of people who say the same. My parents don’t “get it”, but I suspect that has something to do with the fact that a big theme of the movie is about being “of” the internet, being always connected, and unable to escape the weight of the world. It’s a very generational theme that isn’t relatable for them.
Being that you’re posting this on Lenny leads me to bet that’s not something you share with them 🤷🏼♂️
It’s fine! Just like what you like. there are countless things that are critically acclaimed that aren’t for me, I chalk it up to different perspectives on what art should do. People loved that “ready player one” book, but I thought it was trash lol.
I really liked it, but a big part of that is because I found the family dynamics to be very relatable to those of someone I care about. Tbh, that gave the ending even more impact for me, when the mother pulled everyone together, instead of letting her pride push her child away :(
The action and inventive effects certainly didn’t hurt.
I loved Swiss Army Man, the directors’ previous film, for its weirdness, charm, music, humour and visual flare. Everything Everywhere was an improvement over all of these aspects so I absolutely loved it, such that I can overlook the pacing issues. They never lose the very human story through the madness.
No, it seems a lot of people just didn’t click with it for some reason. There are always a few people here or on reddit saying they hated it, and it seems like it’s more than the average movie.
I personally loved it, so I have a hard time seeing what people disliked about it.
I loved it too. The only thing I could think of is, it has a veneer of goofiness that people might find strange or obnoxious.
But it’s one of those few films that I feel like a sociopath wouldn’t enjoy at all due to how emotionally charged it is lol (for legal reasons that’s a joke)
What movie from last year did you think deserved to be “best picture”?
Yes, you’re strange for not loving EEAAO.
Seriously though, while you may have horrible taste, that’s ok. Everyone is allowed to have at least one fault and still be a good person.
Edit: yeesh, tough crowd around here. Seems my joke fell flat.
It’s just a movie. If you don’t like it, oh well.
I waited to watch it when it came out on digital. But I hadn’t seen even a trailer for it. One of my friends saw it in theaters and loved it, and told me to go in completely blind, so that’s what I did.It’s really cool for what it is. But it definitely has its own vibe and style. I could see why someone wouldn’t like it.
I actively avoid trailers and spoilers.
- Theyre ads. Fuck ads.
- They make the movie experience worse pretty much every time. Going in blind is almost always the best option.
