Directed by: Megan Park
Starring: Maisy Stella, Percy Hines White, Maddie Ziegler, Kerrice Brooks, Aubrey Plaza

Fantasy dramedy My Old Ass is actress turned director Megan Park’s second full feature after the critically acclaimed The Fallout (2021). 18-year-old Elliott (Maisy Stella), a spirited young Canadian adult about to enter college and semi-independence, is eager to leave her family’s farm for Toronto to begin an exciting new chapter.

On the last leg of her summer vacation, She and best friends Ro and Ruthie, spend the night out in the woods to partake in magic mushrooms. As Ro and Ruthie fade off on their own respective trips, Elliott’s hallucinogenic effects take the form of her 39-year-old self christened My Old Ass, who has some unwelcome and confusing advice concerning the present/future. Will she heed older Elliott?

Stella who portrays Elliott, is a joy to watch in her screen debut. Her performance has an earnestness that captures the teen optimism when the universe seems right there for the taking; this is her movie. The 39-year-old version of Elliott, aka My Old Ass, is how you would expect her to be: cynical, sarcastic, and overly-protective but with added dimension, thanks to Aubrey Plaza’s perfect performance.

The rest of the cast is excellent as well and kudos to director Park for her solid direction and engaging script. The premise is dangerously vulnerable to cheeseball melodrama and the fantasy Twilight Zone cliché, but Park somehow navigates the course intelligently. Though it has its cheesy moments, it feels almost like a guilty pleasure and I laughed more than I cried.

My Old Ass is by all means a nice idyllic coming-of-age film with a modern touch (gender identity) that keeps up with the times. Compared to the compelling and dark I Saw the TV Glow (2024), My Old Ass is its bizarro companion, full of comedic moments and light dramatic flair. Apples and oranges, but this movie reminds us of the innocence of youth and that those significant moments can be bright and sunny even in a gentle rain. Recommended.

So have you seen MY OLD ASS? Well, what did you think?

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