As the days become colder and darker, sometimes we just want to be wrapped up in a warm blanket. Megan Park's comedy-drama My Old Ass offers that cosy embrace. A coming-of-age story with a sci-fi spin, Park's script tells a simple but emotionally resonant tale of a teenager's final summer before college; where she learns lessons about growing up from her older self.
After freshly turning 18, Elliott (Maisy Stella) spends her time amongst the lakes and forests of Muskoka, Ontario; driving her boat, making out with the coffee shop girl, getting high with her two best friends, and remarking how she can't wait to leave the community and head to Toronto in a few weeks. It's during a psychedelic trip on an island hideaway with her pals that Elliott's older 39-year-old self (Aubrey Plaza) suddenly appears at their campsite. Whilst the pair don't look too similar, they certainly share the same charismatic personality. Younger Elliott is more excitable and mercurial, like any 18-year-old, and the older Elliott is more cynical with a sarcastic yet loving nature.
After an amusing back and forth between the pair to distinguish that this weird turn of events is happening, the elder Elliott is more than happy to share some select advice: Spend more time with the family, and avoid anyone called Chad at any cost. One aspect that makes My Old Ass so enjoyable to watch is how endearing Elliott is. She's capable, goofy, and finds her family annoying, but is never bratty. Stella delivers a stunning, lived-in performance for her feature-length debut—marking her as an actor to keep an eye on.
Elliott is quick to spend more time with her brothers and mother but struggles to adhere to her older self's advice when Chad (Percy Hynes White), a naturally charming student, turns up as a summer worker on her parent's farm. The crux of the narrative themes comes to fruition in their relationship: following impulses and making mistakes when we're young since that's a part of living. There's a palpable spark between the two, and Elliott opts to spend more time with Chad even when her older self warns her not to for reasons unexplained.
What's so smart about Park's screenplay is how My Old Ass is a coming-of-age story not just for teens but for us older audiences too—you never stop learning or growing. Older Elliott has a chance to change the past and is grappling with painful events that Elliott has yet to experience. Plaza doesn't have much screen time but unsurprisingly delivers another terrific performance where she shows off her quietly powerful dramatic chops on top of the usual sardonic retorts.
Older Elliott's pivotal scene late in the film also demonstrates Park's intelligent storytelling. A shocking development in how the two Elliotts interact is introduced without any attempt at explaining the rules or logistics. In fact, there is zero time for answering questions about the science of the situation at any point in the film. Because it doesn't matter. That late scene is one of the more emotionally devastating and fits directly into older Elliott's character arc. The heart is favoured over the mind, for the better.
Pairing the gorgeous, sun-kissed Muskoka landscape with a bittersweet but hopeful message, My Old Ass will make you laugh and even shed a few tears. This is destined to become a future coming-of-age classic, but for now, this works wonders as a heart-warming story to light up your day.
My Old Ass is in UK cinemas on September 27.
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