May 9, 2022 – We live in crazy times, and it seems like everyone is going crazy (mass shootings, too many suicides, crazy politicians promoting mass death) and this crazy movie fits in pretty well to the times. The difference between this movie and the crazy times we actually live in, is that it ends well.

Michelle Yeoh (“Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon”) stars as Evelyn Wang, a beleaguered laundromat owner being audited by the IRS, who suddenly finds herself swept up in alternate realities. Her husband, Waymond Wang (Ke Huy Quan) who is filing for divorce, suddenly turns into an action hero from an alternate reality and informs Evelyn that the entire multiverse is under threat, and that only she can save it.

The focal point of the threat to the universe is Evelyn's daughter, Joy (played by Stephanie Hsu) or rather an alternate version of Joy, who has gone over to the dark side, embracing a form of dark power that threatens the entire multiverse. Evelyn alone has the power to stop Joy from destroying everything.

One of Joy's evil agents, sent to kill Evelyn is none other than an alternate version of the IRS agent, Deirdre Beaubeirdra (Jamie Lee Curtis) who is auditing Evelyn's books. Deirdre, Evelyn and Waymond engage in a running battle with Deirdre across a number of increasingly strange alternate realities, including one where everyone has long, rubbery fingers.

Along the way, Evelyn is forced to confront her unhappy marriage and her troubled relationships with her father, Gong Gong (James Hong of “The Shadow”) and daughter. She must also come to grips with her own stunted ambitions and failed dreams.

The struggle to save the multiverse is a metaphor for Evelyn's personal journey of reconciliation with her family. Both these struggles merge into a single story. While the premise of this story sounds crazy, the everyday problems faced by Evelyn make it very easy to relate to.

Being a superhero is a fantasy, but being a hero to your own family is something that is readily achievable with love and dedication. Many people have become that kind of hero. It is quite easy to be guarded and selfish, but very hard to be vulnerable and generous. These are the two sides of the coin that is human nature. The war between these two sides is what is depicted here in this very imaginative story, written by Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, who also direct this movie.

The acting in this movie is superb and it looks great with its dazzling visuals, great stunts and elaborate sets. This is one of those films that really stands out from the crowd, and it will probably end up on a lot of top 10 lists for 2022. This film rates an A.

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