A Touch of Wit and Wisdom

Megan Park’s My Old Ass is a refreshing, if somewhat melancholic, exploration of youth, identity, and the slippery nature of time. The film offers a unique blend of science fiction, comedy, and drama, following Elliott, a quirky and sometimes impulsive teenager who has an unexpected encounter with her future self on the night of her 18th birthday. The presence of her 39-year-old self – a “My Old Ass” contact on her phone – is both a boon and a burden, leading Elliott to reassess her relationships and her own future.

Park’s direction here maintains an almost dreamlike, intimate tone as she keeps the focus tightly on Elliott and her friends’ last summer together. By blending casual humor with deeper reflections, My Old Ass manages to avoid the pitfalls of a traditional time-travel narrative, focusing instead on the emotional weight of choices, love, and self-discovery.

Maisy Stella makes an impressive debut:

In her debut role, Maisy Stella portrays Elliott with a surprising depth and maturity, capturing the restless curiosity and indecisiveness that define her character. Stella embodies Elliott’s initial confidence as she skips her own birthday party to flirt with Chelsea, but also her vulnerability as she navigates her mixed feelings toward Chad, family expectations, and her sense of self. The humor and candor she brings to Elliott make her relatable, balancing Elliott’s headstrong impulses with a softness that emerges as she interacts with her future self.

Aubrey Plaza is a delight:

Aubrey Plaza as older Elliott is a strong complement to Stella. Plaza infuses the older version of Elliott with the wisdom and regrets that come with age, but without overpowering Stella’s youthful energy. Her portrayal has a wry, slightly jaded edge, which subtly hints at a past filled with both joy and pain. This balance of humor and melancholy brings a rich layer to her scenes, showing the complications that lie ahead for Elliott while also reminding her younger self to live in the present.

Percy Hynes White as Chad plays a believable love interest, toeing the line between mysterious charm and youthful cluelessness. His dynamic with Elliott shifts from casual friendship to budding romance, and their interactions—awkward and charged with uncertainty—capture the thrill and confusion of young love. Maddie Ziegler as Ruthie and Kerrice Brooks as Ro also shine in supporting roles, lending warmth and humor as Elliott’s loyal, carefree friends who provide much-needed levity amid Elliott’s inner conflict.

A witty script:

Megan Park’s script is sharp and witty, and her take on the sci-fi genre is refreshingly grounded. Rather than delving into the mechanics of time travel, Park keeps the focus on the emotional implications of meeting one’s future self, using sci-fi to explore Elliott’s evolving identity. The simplicity of the plot structure—centering on Elliott’s interactions with older Elliott—keeps the story focused, letting us experience the deepening bond between these two versions of the same person. This, in turn, highlights one of the film’s central questions: what would you tell your younger self if given the chance, and would it change anything?

Sci-fi elements:

The film’s sci-fi elements don’t just act as a plot device but serve as a catalyst for Elliott’s self-reflection. Her older self’s warnings and her ambiguous feelings toward Chad, for example, are given weight by this supernatural setup. Through older Elliott’s hints about future heartbreak, Park subtly raises questions about agency, fate, and the bittersweet inevitability of change. By maintaining ambiguity around Chad’s future and Elliott’s path, Park ensures that the story remains more about Elliott’s current journey than her potential future.

A coming-of-age film through-and-through:

My Old Ass captures the hazy, nostalgic beauty of a teenage summer. The film’s cinematography is drenched in the golden hues of the lake, wooded campgrounds, and the cranberry bog where Elliott’s family works, giving a natural warmth to the scenes that emphasizes Elliott’s connection to her childhood home. Park creates an inviting atmosphere, where the lake serves as both a setting and a symbolic threshold between past, present, and future, capturing the fleeting nature of adolescence in images that are rich with nostalgia.

The moments of Elliott’s mushroom trip and her humorous hallucination as Justin Bieber performing “One Less Lonely Girl” add a playful energy to the film, offering a brief escape from her inner turmoil. These scenes showcase Park’s talent for balancing heavier themes with light-hearted moments, resulting in a tone that is both contemplative and lively.

Flaws:

As heartfelt and relatable as My Old Ass is, there are points where the film feels caught between two tones. The sci-fi element, while intriguing, might leave viewers wanting more in terms of its narrative payoff. Park’s choice to leave much of the future vague, especially regarding Chad’s fate, keeps the focus on the present, but it might feel unsatisfying to viewers looking for closure. At times, older Elliott’s purpose in Elliott’s life feels more symbolic than practical, a reflection of future regret rather than a fully-realized character who engages deeply with her younger self.

Additionally, while Elliott’s journey is engaging, some of the supporting characters could have been more fully fleshed out, especially Ruthie and Ro. Though Ziegler and Brooks deliver fun performances, they feel underutilized, with limited development that leaves them orbiting Elliott’s story rather than becoming central to her emotional journey.

Overall:

Megan Park’s My Old Ass is a quirky, heartfelt film that does justice to the complex emotions of coming of age. Its unique take on the sci-fi genre serves as a fresh perspective on adolescence, offering laughs, bittersweet moments, and a thoughtful look at the power of family, friendship, and love.