The movie "Everywhere and Everything all at Once" is about the many lives one lives, but also about how the main character, Joy, struggles being a second generation Asian.
Cultural identity is a big part of this movie. The movie revolves around Joy and the pressure she gets from her family, specifically her mother and grandpa who are still living within their own generation and terms instead of trying to advance or learn how to ease up when it comes to Joy. They pressure her on her weight, her language, even the way she presents herself and her sexuality. Gender roles are also a big play in this movie. The mother, Evelyn, is expected to basically do all the heavy lifting and support her family. She even gets pressured by her own dad to be the caretaker of the house, and all the pressure is put on her as a woman to act professional and sane under pressure. Her husband, Waymond, has things easier. He can be himself, be gentle and caring, and basically has no pressure on him despite his wife thinking he is aloof. Even when Joy was born, the doctor states "I'm sorry, it's a girl." Mental health is a potent detail of this movie. To me at least, Joy seems completely depressed and just ready to let it all go, doing whatever she needs to get away. Evelyn seems overworked and depressed but in a different aspect. She feels held back, and disappointed with how her life turned out, wanting to start over or go back.
Visual style, Editing, rhythm, Sound, language, or music are key opponents to make these scenes feel authentic and memorable. From the music, flashbacks, the clothing designs, and even the way the characters look at themselves. I have noticed there was an abundance of slow-motion scenes, especially when Evelyn or Waymond are fighting. And it really adds to how intense the scenes are, while also giving you time to really process what you are seeing as a viewer.
The parts that stuck out to me the most was the ending where Joy is telling her mom to stop and just let her go. This is because, I was once a young girl struggling with depression as well, and while my parent also tried to help me in many ways, I just had to tell her to let it go and let me do my thing, so that scene really spoke to me. The movie definitely felt universal due to the abstract nature of the entire thing. This movie did a respectable job of challenging my understanding of cultures and different viewpoints. Because while I understood that Joy was being discriminated against, I think this movie did an excellent job showing it in a comedic, abstract, and interesting way.
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