THE STORY – An 18th birthday mushroom trip brings Elliott face-to-face with her wisecracking 39-year-old self.
THE CAST – Maisy Stella, Percy Hynes White, Maddie Ziegler, Kerrice Brooks & Aubrey Plaza
THE TEAM – Megan Park (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 88 Minutes
When filmmaker Megan Park emerged on the scene at the 2021 South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival, her feature debut, “The Fallout,” won the grand jury award in the festival’s narrative competition. That film spoke powerfully to young people who were bonded by grief in the aftermath of school gun violence. Through heavy subject matter, Park wrote and directed a sincere coming-of-age story about this generation’s real fears. Her multi-dimensional perspective on the world of teenagers extends to her sophomore feature, “My Old Ass,” a triumphant reminder of the preciousness of our time on earth. While this film tells a tonally different story from “The Fallout,” it’s clear that Park is quickly becoming an exciting new voice for a young generation. “My Old Ass” grounds a neat sci-fi concept with familiar themes, mainly self-discovery in the vulnerable transition from adolescence to adulthood. With a supremely lovable cast and surprising tricks up Park’s sleeve, “My Old Ass” shines as a charming coming-of-age tale.
The setting of “My Old Ass” paints a serene picture of summer in the Muskoka Lakes of Canada. Queer teenager Elliott (Maisy Stella) is enjoying an easy breezy time riding boats, hooking up with local barista Chelsea (Alexandria Rivera), and getting high with best friends Ro (Kerrice Brooks) and Ruthie (Maddie Ziegler). In all the fun, Elliott finds less opportunity to spend time with her family. On the cusp of college, she can’t wait to leave the cranberry farm run by her parents, Kathy (Maria Dizzia) and Tom (Alain Goulem). She doesn’t spend as much time with them as they would like, which can also be said for her two younger brothers — golfer Max (Seth Isaac Johnson) and Saoirse Ronan super-fan Spencer (Connor Trozollo). Elliott is living carefree, but her summer of fun becomes a transformative season of change when a mushroom trip in the wilderness summons the future.
If you could meet your older self, would you want to know how the rest of your life turns out? Or would you embrace the present and let the future remain yours to discover? Elliott opts for the former when she gets high on mushrooms and suddenly encounters her 39-year-old self (Aubrey Plaza). Younger Elliott wants to know everything: is she married with kids? What does she do for a living? But the future does not sound all that exciting to her. Older Elliott (Plaza) takes a long pause before finally coming up with the most interesting part of her life…she is a PhD student. Her being almost 40 and still in school speaks to the expectations that everyone needs to accomplish certain milestones at a certain age. Younger and older Elliott – both freaked out by the surreal experience of meeting – form a special bond that reshuffles their past, present, and future lives.
Part of what makes “My Old Ass” so endearing to watch is Elliott’s character development and the performances that bring her to life. In her feature film acting debut, Stella exudes a delightful energy that lights up the screen. She has a youthful exuberance and a maturity beyond her years. Her impressive balance of vulnerability and light-heartedness lends perfectly to the film’s tone. Stella also shares dynamic chemistry with Plaza, whose signature deadpan humor is always a joy to watch. Older Elliott, having had more life experiences, carries an emotional weight that Plaza can convey just by a look. Given how her version of the character unfolds in the final act, Plaza is called upon to delve into darker territory. She makes one particular plot point that could have fallen flat feel emotionally impactful.
Both versions of Elliott speak to different parts of her life: the formative “young and dumb” stage and the retrospective wistful stage. In providing a dual perspective, the film shines as an entertaining character study. The grown-up version is especially more interesting because she exists beyond teenage Elliott’s imagination. In some alternate universe, she leads her real life as a 39-year-old and, much like her younger counterpart, is shaken by the ability to transcend time. The sci-fi elements are a clever way to emphasize the thematic significance of time in the coming-of-age genre. To echo Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Older Elliott is haunted by time and becomes devastatingly hyper-aware of how quickly the days go by through observing her younger self.
Time is the one thing we cannot make more of. As such, older Elliott advises her younger self on who to spend her days with and who to avoid. Younger Elliott is given strict instructions: make better connections with her family and stay away from a guy named Chad (Percy Hynes White). Chad’s character adds an intriguing, ambiguous romantic layer to the story. Since the viewer is meant to question his presence from the beginning, the budding connection between him and younger Elliott is tinged with uncertainty. Stella and White’s lovely chemistry is serviceable to the story, and their characters share sweet moments. However, the increasing focus on their relationship feels like a misguided exploration of Elliott’s sexual journey and identity. Their connection lacks the nuance and depth of what we see elsewhere in the film, such as Elliott’s insightful conversations with her friends and the main relationship between younger and older Elliott, whose transcendent bond rests at the heart of “My Old Ass.” Stella and Plaza make the dialogue pop, bringing a sparkling presence to their roles.
Endearing performances make the exciting aspirations and painful disappointments of this story all the more hard-hitting. Notes of nostalgia can be felt so strongly, especially through the perspective of older Elliott’s character. In addition, the high-concept story has a grounded approach in Park’s relatable writing and refreshing direction. She captures the light-hearted energy of a YA coming-of-age tale with just as much aptness as the more dramatic elements. The final act is a clear reminder of why “The Fallout” was such a heartfelt knockout. Park excels at conveying the emotional ups and downs of adolescent experiences. With “My Old Ass,” she throws in charming curveballs, including a fun musical number that must be seen to be believed. With a delightful balance of humor and drama, plus grounded sci-fi elements, “My Old Ass” makes a memorable mark.
