My Old Ass (2024) Review!!

Synopsis – A mushroom trip brings free-spirited Elliott face-to-face with her 39-year-old self. But when Elliott’s “old ass” delivers warnings to her younger self, Elliott realizes she has to rethink everything about her family, life, and love.

My Take – What would your 30+ year old self do if he/she would come across their 18 year old version? Would you advice against certain bad decisions, particularly about the life altering ones? Or would you just let things be and reminiscent about how you once where?

This basic idea is somewhat the crux of this genre-bending coming-of-age story from writer-director Megan Park, who following her strong debut The Fallout (2021), dives into absurdity by blending stoner comedy and sci-fi elements into an emotional drama with just the right touch of sentimentality.

Without offering any spoilers, this Margot Robbie-produced wonderfully crafted transportation into the “what ifs” in the rear view of life, is propped up by a stellar cast and requires a certain suspension of disbelief as it is expertly kept afloat by its mix of weirdness and heartfelt moments.

Despite a few familiar tropes, the film’s exploration of identity, time, and the messy transition into adulthood strikes a chord, and director Park‘s playful mixing of genres keeps the ride enjoyable, even if not every element perfectly lands.

And whilst it’s easy to accuse the film of a little emotional manipulation with its message of savoring your friends and family when you can, Park’s story is so confidently told and assuredly led by the stellar Maisy Stella that it can be forgiven for ever feeling too rote. In the end, heartstrings will be tugged and lessons will be learned, but all done so with the sweetest of intentions.

The story follows 18-year-old free-spirited Elliott (Maisy Stella) who is leaving for college in exactly 22 days. However her life takes an unexpected turn when she heads into the woods with her friends Ro (Kerrice Brooks) and Ruthie (Maddie Ziegler), hoping to have an excellent mushroom trip.

But while her friends are tripping out, Elliott is visited by her 39-year-old self (Aubrey Plaza). Of course, she asks all the logical questions one would ask if you met your older self and the older Elliot is justifiably cagy in what she tells her for butterfly effect reasons. But what begins as a surreal encounter quickly turns into a hilarious and heartfelt journey as Elliott’s older self-starts dishing out unsolicited advice on love, family, and life choices, forcing young Elliott to rethink everything she thought she knew.

What follows is a shaggy and immensely likeable coming of age comedy, playing out as if it were based on a slightly cruder YA novel. Here, actor turned film-maker Megan Park smartly makes Elliott’s last few weeks feel refreshingly low-stakes. She doesn’t go on some hellish teen rampage against her loving family, and is just slightly thoughtless like most people that age.

This is technically a sci-fi film, as it involves time travel, but it has zero interest in explaining how Elliott meets herself, teasing it as more like a psychedelic experience. Instead is more interested in exploring what it’s like to be young and on the verge of everything, and what a person might or might not want to know about the future they’re about to begin. Even Older Elliott keeps her advice extremely general, except for one thing, except about staying away from anyone named Chad.

And when younger Elliott soon meets a likeable summer teen worker called Chad (Percy Hynes White), she starts to question that prohibition, and wonder if her older self really knows more than she does.

While the film’s surreal elements could have derailed into chaos, director Park, thankfully, keeps things grounded, using the bizarre premise to enhance the emotional stakes. Elliott’s internal struggles about growing up, love, and identity hit hard, and even though the film dips into melodrama, it maintains a level of authenticity that resonates. It is also to the film’s benefit that it treats its queer themes with a natural flair.

Sure, some of the relationships are a little rushed, particularly Elliott’s relationship with her parents needed a few more beats. A scene between Elliott and her mother (Maria Dizzia) is especially sad and lovely, a familiar wrench of having to let go of someone.

However, it is the last act that hits the hardest, in which director Park pushes the film’s sad-around-the-edges melancholy into the spotlight. There’s a surprisingly grand emotional punch, arriving suddenly and landing with force. While it’s pegged to a reveal that we’ve seen before, it’s handled so well that it is impossible not to be moved.

Performance wise, Maisy Stella‘s portrayal of young Elliott captures the essence of teenage uncertainty and angst. For a feature film debut, she proves to be quite charming in front of the camera, with a nice screen presence. Aubrey Plaza plays from-the-future thirty-nine-year-old Elliott, and though she doesn’t have much screen time, her trademark snark fits well, and the scenes with both Elliotts are quite fun.

Though she doesn’t have much screen time, Aubrey Plaza injects the story with her signature dry wit and offbeat energy. Plaza‘s performance, which could have easily overshadowed the film, instead complements Elliott’s more earnest journey, striking a balance between humor and heartfelt moments. Together, the two create a compelling dynamic that elevates the film beyond its quirky premise.

Percy Hynes White too shines in his charming portrayal of Chad. In supporting roles, Maria Dizzia, Maddie Ziegler, Kerrice Brooks, Al Goulem, Seth Isaac-Johnson and Carter Trozzolo are likable. On the whole, ‘My Old Ass‘ is an unconventional coming-of-age story that is sweet, funny, and punches hard with an emotional force.