My Old Ass (2024) MGM/Comedy-Drama RT: 88 minutes Rated R (language throughout, drug use, sexual material) Director: Megan Park Screenplay: Megan Park Music: Tyler Hilton and Jaco Caraco Cinematography: Kristen Correll Release date: September 27, 2024 (US) Cast: Maisy Stella, Aubrey Plaza, Percy Hynes White, Maddie Ziegler, Kerrice Brooks, Maria Dizzia, Alain Goulem, Seth Isaac Johnson, Carter Trozzolo, Alexandria Rivera.
Rating: *** ½
I called it with Christina Ricci, Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson. They all successfully made the transition from child star to adult actress. I predict the same for Maisy Stella, the star of the new comedy-drama My Old Ass. She hasn’t done too much so far. She’s primarily known for playing one of the Conrad sisters (opposite real-life sis Lennon) on the TV series Nashville. I had a feeling about her at the time, a feeling that’s now been confirmed by her incredible feature film debut.
Stella plays Elliott, an Ontario farm girl who’s looking forward to moving to the big city to start university in a few weeks. She decides to spend her 18th birthday with her two besties Ro (Brooks) and Ruthie (dancer Ziegler) camping overnight in the woods. They’re not there to enjoy nature though. The plan is to do hallucinogenic mushrooms. That’s where My Old Ass gets kind of trippy.
Before I get into what happens next, let me ask you this. It’s a question that frequently appears in memes on FaceBook. If you could meet your 18YO self, what advice would you give? Now let’s flip the question. If you could meet your older self, what would you ask? What would you want to know about your future? That’s the premise of My Old Ass.
While under the influence, Elliott encounters her 39YO self (Plaza, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) sitting beside her. She just appears out of nowhere. After the initial shock wears off, she has a ton of questions about what the future holds for her. Older Elliott refuses to divulge too much. The only advice she offers her younger self is to stay away from guys named Chad.
When she comes off her high, younger Elliott is confused. She doesn’t know anybody named Chad (yet) and besides, she’s gay. When she returns home, she meets the new summer farm hand, a young man named….. you guessed it, Chad (White, Wednesday). Although he seems nice and harmless, younger Elliott follows her older self’s advice and actively avoids him…. for a little while anyway. It isn’t long before she can no longer deny her attraction to Chad. What’s a girl to do?
The Chad thing isn’t the only advice older Elliott dispenses. She also tells the headstrong teen not to take her family for granted. They might be annoying, but they’re there for her. Now is the time to start appreciating them. Younger Elliott takes that advice. She makes an effort to get closer to her mother (Dizzia, Martha Marcy May Marlene) and younger brothers, golf aficionado Max (Johnson, The Killing) and likely gay Spencer (Trozzolo).
Ever since the pandemic hit, I haven’t gone to my favorite arthouse theater in the city. It’s been almost five years since I set foot in the Ritz 5. I miss seeing independent films like My Old Ass. They’re usually better than mainstream studio movies. That’s certainly true in this case. Written and directed by actress Megan Park (The Secret Life of the American Teenager), it’s one of the best films I’ve seen in the past few weeks (along with the brilliant body horror The Substance). She deftly blends magical realism with a compelling coming-of-age story. Think of it as a more mature version of 13 Going on 30 without the body-swap angle. Here we have a bright but inexperienced girl about to navigate life on her own for the first time. She’s always been independent and sure of herself. Now she’s not so sure. Meeting her older self is something of an eye-opener. In the role, Stella delivers a pitch perfect performance. She makes her character believable in the midst of all the unbelievability.
Plaza is generally known for her comedic roles like April on the series Parks and Recreation. She has shown she’s equally adept at more dramatic roles in films like Ingrid Goes West and Emily the Criminal. She absolutely nails it in My Old Ass. She’s funny when she needs to be and serious when she has to be. You see, older Elliott isn’t the only one with wise advice. She hasn’t had the most idyllic life. You can see she’s not happy. Younger Elliott has a lesson or two to teach her. Plaza has this one scene near the end that’s legitimately heartbreaking. Her tears feel real. What a performance!
What’s interesting about My Old Ass is that it doesn’t waste time overexplaining itself. Some things, like younger Elliott’s ability to call and text her older self, remain a mystery. It would take some of the magic out of the story. At the same time, it stays grounded in realism thanks to Park’s down-to-earth approach to the material. Elliott, both incarnations, is as authentic as they come. Also, Park creates a vivid sense of place with the gorgeous Canadian scenery. That lake is simply beautiful.
I doubt My Old Ass will break any box office records. I truly hope the opposite proves to be true. This is a film that deserves to be discovered. It’s smart, insightful and funny. It benefits from two fantastic lead performances by two talented actresses, one new and one more seasoned. I hope we’re looking at a sleeper hit with My Old Ass.
