My Old Ass
What would you tell the younger version of yourself?
Maisy Stella stumbles her way to adulthood in Megan Park's My Old Ass.
The summer before she leaves her family’s cranberry farm to go to college, Elliott (Maisy Stella) has some simple goals: hang out with friends, hook up with the cute girl who works at the marina, and pack her room so she can flee her boring family. She’s so committed to these goals that she skips her familial birthday party to go camping with her friends in the woods. The group decides to drink some mushroom tea to “open their minds” and maybe get some inspiration for the future.
Elliott’s friends start tripping immediately. Elliott begins to feel left out until a random woman (Aubrey Plaza) sits down next to her. The woman, it turns out, is Elliott from the future, and she has a lot of advice for her younger counterpart. In the morning, Elliott wakes up and dismisses the experience as a weird drug trip.
But then she gets a text…
Is it possible to communicate with her future self? Should Elliott take the advice given?
A twist on the typical coming-of-age drama, My Old Ass is both tender and funny. Director Megan Park takes an interesting look at girlhood and hindsight through the lens of a girl on the verge of some major life changes. Park is careful not to dull the silly capricious nature of youth, nor the bravery that comes with it. While older Elliott may have sound advice, it may not be best for younger Elliott to never make a misstep in life. Part of what shapes us as people are the mistakes we make.
Park makes Elliott’s journey both believable and fantastic. Yes, it’s pretty odd to text with an older version of yourself, but the rest of Elliott’s life is pretty grounded in reality. She’s still discovering herself, her likes, and even who she’s attracted to. Is taking advice from an older Elliott really going to help her develop? Or will it simply strip her of all the experiences that make her who she is? Park seems to think we learn more from adversity than peace. Her film ultimately makes Elliott choose between a safe path or an unknown one.
But even though Park plays with some rather philosophical concepts, at the core of My Old Ass is a sweet humor that keeps things from getting too serious. Elliott is a bit of a mess (both younger and older versions), but she’s ultimately doing her level best to be a good person. That doesn’t mean she won’t literally and figuratively fall on her face, but she’s always willing to get back up and try again.
Though Park’s deft direction helps guide the film to a proper tone, it’s the lead performance from Stella that really makes the film. She gives Elliott just enough vulnerability under her youthful bravado to make her a character you genuinely root for. Even when she makes the absolutely wrong choice, you’re with her. Stella’s Elliott is just realizing that the world is an odd and scary place at times and that things she’s always assumed would be a constant in her life may leave whether she wants them to or not. It’s a lovely performance and one that speaks to Stella’s depth as an actor.
If there’s one weak piece in this bildungsroman flick, it’s Plaza. She does her reliable schtick and it works for the most part. But she neither looks nor behaves much like Stella’s Elliott. It’s a bit of a weird disconnect, leaving you wondering just what happened to Elliott for her to change so completely. The film doesn’t offer up much of an answer beyond the fact that Plaza is fun as a dry, sarcastic presence and was cast for that reason.
Still, even if Elliott’s older self seems a bit off, the emotions and themes in the film ring true. With Stella guiding the film and Park handling the tone, it’s a solid movie with some truly touching moments.
Verdict: A solid coming-of-age story with a magical realism twist.
My Old Ass is rated R and is available Sept. 13 in theaters.
