Everything Everywhere All At Once (EEAAO) is a sci-fi action-comedy multiverse film directed by the Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert). The movie explores themes related to interconnectedness, identity, and personal growth through pathos and lots of humor. While the movie does not directly address mental illness, it does touch on several issues related to mental health and well-being, especially in relation to Joy (Stephanie Hsu) who could easily be seen as struggling with depression and perhaps anxiety.
Throughout the film, the main character Evelyn Hu (played by Michelle Yeoh) goes on a journey of self-discovery and personal growth, which can be seen as a metaphor for the process of healing and recovery from mental health challenges. Evelyn experiences different versions of herself in parallel dimensions, each with their own set of strengths and weaknesses. As she navigates these worlds, she confronts her fears and insecurities, learns to accept herself, and ultimately discovers the power within herself to make a positive impact on the world.
In addition to Evelyn’s personal journey, the film also touches on issues related to trauma and coping mechanisms. Evelyn’s ability to travel through parallel dimensions is triggered by stress, and the film explores the ways in which she copes with this trauma through her travels. The different versions of herself that she encounters in other dimensions can be seen as manifestations of her subconscious mind, reflecting her fears, desires, and unresolved emotions.
Furthermore, the film also explores issues related to cultural identity and the challenges faced by immigrants in adapting to a new culture. While this is not a direct reference to mental illness, it touches on issues related to social isolation, discrimination, and the impact of cultural displacement on mental health.
Joy and her alter-ego, Jobu Tupaki, exemplify the anguish and subsequent rebellion of not being accepted by your family and feeling lost in the world. Jobu Tupaki is Joy’s depression personified — angry, powerful, and brash, but at her core, devastated and lashing out.
Joy’s interactions with Evelyn and their relationship can be seen as an exploration of the difficult dynamic between parent and child, layered with the tension of a child’s coming out. They also struggle with wanting to connect but not wanting to be too similar — Evelyn doesn’t want Joy to end up like her (the owner of a laundry business struggling with a tax auditor played by Jamie Lee Curtis), and Joy struggles with seeing herself in the parts of her mother that hurt her. This push and pull also hurts Evelyn’s husband and Joy’s father, Waymond (Ke Huy Quan), who is a large part of why their life has ended up the way it has. The entire family is also haunted by the presence and power of Evelyn’s father (James Hong), whose overprotectiveness and conservative nature hurt Evelyn in the same way she now hurts Joy. Through this, the filmmakers demonstrate generational trauma and the difficulty in breaking the cycle of abuse/harm caused by parents. Evelyn has to find peace in the freedom she fought for in order to give it to Joy as well. This dynamic touches on issues related to self-worth, validation, and the need for recognition and acceptance.
In conclusion, while Everything Everywhere All At Once is not primarily about mental illness, it touches on several issues related to mental health and well-being, including trauma, coping mechanisms, personal growth, and cultural identity. The film uses science fiction and comedy tropes to explore these themes in a creative and engaging way, highlighting the importance of acceptance, self-discovery, and connectedness.