when “All at once, anywhereopened in several theaters in March, but its creators, directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, weren’t sure what to expect. The film had a star — “I thought it could be billed as ‘Michelle Yeoh fights Jamie Lee Curtis,'” said Scheinert, but otherwise difficult to classify. Sure, it was a picture of the Multiverse, but instead of superheroes and spaceships, there were fanny pack fights, cinematic yells at Wong Kar-wai and Stanley Kubrick, and singing raccoons. And with the pandemic, who knew what it would do to the box office? Told.
Instead, the film became one of the summer sleeper hits, expanding from 10 screens in three American cities to 2,200 theaters worldwide, A24’s highest-selling release in the process.Strong reviews helped: Rotten Tomatoes rated the movie 95% fresh, The Times called it “a frenetic whirlwind of genre anarchy” and praised its “sincere and generous heart”. The film also benefited from enthusiastic word of mouth, with viewers posting photos and videos of themselves on his social media and crying one or three of him. “It was very humbling, provocative and confusing,” Scheinert said.
In this film, Yoo stars as a laundromat owner who must summon various alter-egos in parallel worlds to fight a mysterious force to destroy the Multiverse. On a recent morning, Kwan and Scheinert, known professionally as Daniels, spoke via video call from their separate Los Angeles homes about the film’s slow-burning, still-burning success. How Yeoh and Curtis Became Finger Winners. And why, in a movie about infinite possibilities, they don’t change things.
The film had a fairly low first weekend release. What was it like watching audiences discover the film?
Daniel Scheinert I think I was able to process people’s reactions, so I’m grateful for the delay. There was not.
Inside the world of “everywhere at once”
In this mind-expanding idiosyncratic take on a superhero movie, a laundromat owner becomes the focal point of an epic, multidimensional showdown.
Daniel Kwan That first month was very emotional. It has become this version of group therapy for certain people, especially on college campuses. They didn’t even ask about movies past the point. They would be asking about their lives. how should i talk to my parents i am not a therapist. Good relationship with parents Asian American Immigration Relations.
“Everything” is difficult to describe. How would you describe it?
Scheinart Michelle Yeoh is in an action-adventure movie, but it’s in the multiverse. So she can interrupt that movie with a family drama, then a romance, and then an absurdist comedy. And all of that is a fun way to enjoy how overwhelming life can be these days.
Kwan And a really silly pitch, it’s like my mom is in the ‘Matrix’.
In one universe, Michelle Yeoh (as beleaguered Chinese-American laundromat owner Evelyn Wang) and Jamie Lee Curtis (as her IRS auditor and nemesis Deirdre Beauveidra) serve hot dogs. I have. how did that happen?
Scheinart We were just high and hungry. No, it’s not. When we were writing this, we were designing that particular universe to be the one that pushed Michelle the furthest out of her comfort zone. It was like if you could do it. So, oh well, you were in love with the auditor and it was like holding a floppy useless hot dog in your finger.
Kwan Those are just stupid ideas. The idea of hot dog fingers is something a 5-year-old would come up with, and the only difference between us and his 5-year-old is that he’s an adult with a budget to actually implement the idea. Many of these ideas are really silly. It’s something anyone could think of.
you”Ratatouille,” This is already a really weird movie. Instead of a mouse under the chef’s hat, controlling all of the chef’s movements, there’s a singing raccoon riding over Harry’s Siamese Jr.
Kwan There is a phrase I picked up while working with a comedian. Jokes piled on jokes and piled on jokes is called hat-on-hat. That’s a problem. It’s like not wearing a hat over a hat. You’ve ruined the joke’s purity and it’s no longer funny. But we do the opposite. We love wearing hats on hats.
Scheinart I hope the little hat on top of the other hats is what makes you cry.
Kwan I think the reason you say “Ratatouille” is already a really weird movie is probably why we love that movie. teeth strange. A rat who manipulates a man with his hair is hilarious and weird. And it already feels like a hat over a hat.
Scheinart Mouse under the hat.
“Everything” deals with alternate realities and what you might do differently if you could live your life over. If you took a second shot on this film, might you do something different?
Scheinart not really. I think our lesson from the whole practice of making a movie about another life was that it made me think about all the little junctures in my life where I am here. How precarious and miraculous the good things are!I feel like a really attractive person [expletive] My high school friends and my life would be trash right now. If there was only one compelling ass to convince me to join a cult or be a misogynist, I wouldn’t be here prize.
Kwan It was the same with this movie. There were a lot of moments when I thought the movie was going to fall apart, but those moments ultimately made it better. It’s not a perfect movie. Very strange and messy. But I have no regrets.
What are you waiting for?
Kwan You might try to make something really small. The exact opposite of this movie will disappoint all of our new fans. [Laughs] I often think about the way the Coen brothers worked. Shortly after filming No Country for Old Men, which won an Oscar and is probably one of his best movies of the last 50 years, they continued:burn when read’ I love “Burn After Reading,” but it’s more of a farcical, nihilistic, stupid joke about bureaucracy. I think the reason they have had such long careers is because they always play with expectations and do whatever they want. I wish I had that kind of courage.