Everything everywhere all the time

[picklemewalnuts]

I watched this tonight and feel a bit confused. The queer theory influence was all over it and irritating, but... it had feminist touches too.

The main character is an older women struggling with the demands of her young adult daughter, elderly dad, needy husband and struggling business.
The role of the mother is right at the heart of the film.

The end seems to be about acceptance and reconciliation. I can't quite work out whether the mum is the solution- yay- or the problem. It reads both ways, she both saves the world and is the source of the danger.

Did anyone else think too hard about it?!

It led to a tricky conversation with DS1, too. He was unaware of 'queer theory' and 'critical race theory'.
He thought they were critical phrases used by conservatives to bash liberals- slurs, in effect.

I hadn't thought that hard about it because the kids kept interrupting while I was trying to watch but ultimately it seemed a bit of a hodge podge of sentimental, thoughtful, and daft. I suspect the makers don't mind confusion in viewers, it's a useful response in that it suggests something so profound you've just failed to grasp it.

Dont hurt yourself overreaching there

I think it was there. And a Google about 'queer' and E,E,ATT gets loads of hits from reviewers claiming it.

What was the queer theory in it?

(Genuine Q, honest)

I watched it. No idea what you mean about the queer theory influence (and I am on a hair trigger with that stuff).

I'm no expert, so may have misunderstood. And most problematically my memory is shot so I can't actually remember a lot of it. My gut feel is good at seeing stuff, but I struggle with articulating detail.

I saw-
The destruction of boundaries. The multiverse of all things being possible.
Kink as one man's salvation (near the end)- she stops fighting with aggression and fights with love, giving everyone what the need- hugs, a ball gag and thrashing/dom session. She overcomes nihilism with love and acceptance of queerness in all its forms.
The butt plugs, and random weird behaviour as the magical key to opening the doors to all possibilities.

I'm sure there was more. As I say, bad memory.

Oh, right! Well, ok, yeah. I just saw all that as sweet, really. 😆

I think that's why I'm confused, @thefactsarefriendly !

I think I got a lot of mixed messages from it. It's all the mum's fault, but when she stops being mean [holding the entire family together with hard work, organisation and business], and just accepts that her husband is a bit wet and her daughter is gay, then she saves the world.

It's all her fault. If she was nicer, everything would be fine.

Oh yeah I forgot about all that.

Yes I didn't like the BDSM references

But on the other hand, an ordinary middle aged woman gets to solve the world's problems.

Which I loved- her mediocrity being her strength, and 'ordinary mum wins the day!'. Then I remember it was all her fault anyway, apparently.

I guess it's a very childish plot.
Mum's a boring old stick in the mud who is too busy for me.
Child starts destroying the world to get mum's attention.
Mum realises how awful and ordinary she is and sorts her shit out.
Mother and child reunion saves the day (and saves a few poor repressed kinksters in the process).

You're not selling this film to me op.

OMG I knew it would turn out to be ‘Oh look how kind and inclusive we are in Hollywood’ rather than a good story with good acting.
I go to the cinema to be entertained.

Well i preferred it to the banshees of iniseherin

It was entertaining- though we almost gave up part way through as the zaniness got in the way of understanding what was going on.

It kind of wrapped itself up at the end.

I wouldn't say it was must see- I think it will end up like twin peaks. A bit cult following, rather than 'classic'.

I'm glad I watched it- there were many funny moments. It was a bit headache inducing as you tried to follow what was going on- lots of subtitles, mixed Chinese language (no idea which one) and English. Very fast speaking from one character in particular- he was always on borrowed time to explain to Michelle Yoeh what was needed.

It's troubling that DS just saw inclusivity and felt I was very regressive in raising the weirdness of it. He objected to my use of the word queer- which carefully wasn't negative, merely objective.

I think it will end up being seen as 'middle aged woman saves the world', whereas I saw 'it's all the middle aged woman's fault, if she'd only been kinder!'.

If I'd written it, the troubled daughter would have explained to the elderly grandad that he needed to be nicer to younger people and respect his daughter, the husband would have stepped up and taken some of the weight of the world off the wife's shoulders, and she would have become nicer because she actually had time- maybe a classic MN spa day!

But obviously, that film would never be made- too unrealistic!

Hated it. Found it too full of visual acrobatics, the plot was really bizarre, characters unlikeable except M Yeoh, I'm probably too dense and low brow for this film but I just didn't get it atall. Switched off half way through as I just didn't care what happened to any of them once the dildo fight started.

Why's he objecting to "queer"?

I object to it, as someone old enough to remember it as a slur and a call to violence. But the younger generation are generally falling over themselves to identify as "queer"

He assumed I was using it as a slur, because I was noting how influenced in queer theory it was.

He thought 'queer theory' and 'critical race theory' are slurs, rather than philosophies/political systems or whatever.

He was seeing 'lovely inclusivity, which is normal and right' and heard my 'heavily influenced by queer theory' as criticism rather than observation.

He's not a worldly person.

Thought the film was incredibly boring despite the frantic pace, the characters were so sketchily realised I didn't care what happened to any of them, but I didn't really notice any queer theory aspects. Though I may have nodded off towards the end as I can't remember some of the scenes people mention.

Sounds like that generated an interesting discussion for both of you ❤

Would have helped to have the correct title

Everything Everywhere All at Once

Oh dear! Sadly detail isn't my thing. Thanks for the clarification, @Tealsofa

Probably fairly recognisable even with my mistake, though.

I feel like I watched a different movie! I thought it was more about parallel universes and how your life could have been different if you took a different path. This is something I think about a lot, especially key moments when I could have taken a different path. I didn’t pick up on queer theory, inclusivity or BDSM at all! I think I need to watch it again.
It was definitely a lot better than Banshees, and All Quiet on the Western Front was better than both of them IMHO. An Cailín Ciúin (The Quiet Girl) is a beautiful timeless film.

Yes, fair point. 'never confuse movement with action', perhaps.