As is so often the case, two things collided on my radar this week with unexpected connections. While at first these two things might seem like disparate items I actually think one is a great example of the other.
The first thing on my mind is the idea of good movies often being very simple stories when you get down to it.
And the second, more mind-boggling thing is the movie Everything Everywhere All at Once. (If you haven’t seen it yet, there are some spoilers below.)
At first glance, Everything Everywhere probably doesn’t seem like a simple story. (Maybe far from it.) But I’m here to argue that the simplicity at its core is a big part of what makes the movie accessible, entertaining, and moving.
What is Everything Everywhere All at Once about?
At its most basic, EEAAO is about an average woman who must save the multiverse from destruction.
Of course, how that simple story plays out in the movie is wildly inventive and completely bonkers. But that’s why it’s a great example to look at.
The simple plot framework of the Chosen One story helps to orient us so we understand what’s happening and can get up to speed quickly, even when there are a lot of other things that might be new and need explaining. The familiar aspect gives us a frame of reference that makes the story easier to consume.
And that also gives the filmmakers room to play. Since we’re oriented to the territory and we have a sense of the milestones and shape of this kind of story, we can follow the filmmakers on some crazy, creative execution of the plot events without getting lost or off track.
Another example is Inception, which uses the familiar framework of a heist movie to make the more unfamiliar elements and execution digestible.
A simple theme can be more relatable and resonant
Just because more people can relate to a theme, that doesn’t mean it’s watered down. Simple thematic statements can be powerful because they feel like plain truth. And simple thematic statements also relate to a larger array of situations and people, so they have the ability to connect more widely.
In EEAAO, the very simple idea “see the good” is at the heart of the story.
The movie starts with Evelyn worrying about her father’s view of her family and the life they’ve built for themselves, and husband Waymond telling Evelyn that what her father thinks of their life doesn’t matter, “It’s what we see, right?”
That’s what matters — how they see their own life (and selves). What they see. Over the course of the movie, this is what Evelyn learns and comes to accept. There’s always some good, something to love. We can choose to see it or not.
This allows her to have empathy for others, as well as be more gentle with herself. And because she can finally see the good, she can cherish the life she has (and save the multiverse while she’s at it).
I enjoyed Everything Everywhere so much more than I expected to. The directors’ first movie, Swiss Army Man, wasn’t one of my favorites. But this one I watched two nights in a row and cried both times. And I think that really speaks to the power of character and relationships and — as an extension of those two things — the power of theme to connect with an audience.