I always find it exciting when you go into a movie that you’ve only heard inklings about, presented with an unknown experience full of potential to go anywhere in a new world, and what an apt description that turned out to be after seeing Everything Everywhere All at Once from directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert. This film boldly leaps into the absurd at a breakneck pace as we go on a limitless adventure in the shoes of Evelyn Wang (Michelle Yeoh), who is having trouble with her laundromat and tumultuous relationship with her husband Waymond (Ke Huy Quan) and daughter Eleanor (Stephanie Hsu). As the title would imply, this film is about everything which in turn means it’s about nothing, and if that confuses you then that’s okay because nothing matters.

That’s essentially what the film boils down to, and I wouldn’t even classify that as a spoiler because it’s just a basic truth of existence that anyone can determine with enough time. Where you’re supposed to get your money’s worth, is in the journey of Evelyn and her bizarre experience coming to this conclusion. The film is a refreshing take on a sort of positive nihilism that claims, “nothing in the universe matters but just enjoy the good when you find it anyway,” which is an obvious and simple message but sincere in its delivery. I’m not saying this film is cracking the code or doing something too groundbreaking, but it gives us engaging visuals, absurdist humor and a fun convoluted story that makes sense as soon as you decide to accept it does and just go along for the ride. Layered on that, the performances all feel very zany and genuine with everyone seeming to lean into the whacky concepts and heartfelt moments. With that being said, once you arrive early at the destination the film wants to meet you at, the pacing starts to slow down dramatically, leaving me feeling like it was about thirty minutes too long at which point the film’s humor and shenanigans also begin to lose a bit of their luster. As an overall experience Everything Everywhere All at Once is a charming and original experience that I would recommend for a fun evening out, though I don’t think I’d ever have to see it again.