My Old Ass

Rating 6/10

There’s a classic question that contemplates: If you could go back in time and give your younger self advice, what would it be?

That hypothetical forms the basis of My Old Ass. In it, 18-year-old Elliott (Maisy Stella) and friends Ruthie (Maddie Ziegler) and Ro (Kerrice Brooks) head into the woods to hang out. There, after drinking a hallucinogenic tea made from mushrooms, Elliott encounters the 39-year-old version of herself (Aubrey Plaza). Actresses Maisy Stella and Aubrey Plaza look nothing alike, but the script cleverly acknowledges this. It’s an amusing construct, although Aubrey Plaza’s participation seems more of a marketing ploy. Plaza only appears briefly here and again near the end, despite what her star billing and the movie poster suggest.

A science fiction element is infused into this basically romantic tale about falling in love. The older Elliott offers the younger version the sort of cliched advice you’d expect. Embrace the uncertainty of the future. Spend more time with family. Yet, some advice is more mysterious: Avoid a guy named Chad. This remains a cryptic warning until a summer worker with that name appears. He seems to be a really nice guy. As Elliott navigates the last remaining weeks before college, budding feelings for this man awaken questions about her sexuality while also reflecting on relationships with family and friends. She receives ongoing guidance from her future self through phone calls and texts.

The tonal shift from edgy R-rated comedy about a lesbian into a traditional girl-meets-boy story was so abrupt that I almost got whiplash from the rapid change in tone and direction. Elliott’s capricious change in sexual orientation feels utterly random. The narrative bait-and-switch is one of the most sudden I’ve seen in recent memory. Nevertheless, it reflects the fluid identity dynamics often associated with that generation colloquially known as “Zoomers” or Generation Z. The innocent sweetness the chronicle achieves is undeniable.

Set against a scenic lakeside family farm, the film explores coming-of-age themes with humor and introspection. I accepted this sensitive coming-of-age tale from writer and director Megan Park (The Fallout). The heartfelt trajectory of this uplifting story won me over. The acting ensemble plucked from various TV shows is up for the task. Percy Hynes White (Netflix’s Wednesday) embodies a sweet boy who seems almost too empathetic to be a real teen. Actress Maria Dizzia (Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black) radiates warmth and understanding as Elliott’s mother. Actor Seth Isaac Johnson (Netflix’s Firefly Lane) gamely occupies the older of Elliot’s two younger brothers. He’s initially dismissed by his sister for being a “cis white male,” but she grows to appreciate him as a nuanced dude worthy of admiration.

The MVP award for the production goes to lead actress Maisy Stella (ABC’s Nashville). The Canadian singer is asked to do some of the heaviest lifting in this schizophrenic screenplay by believably conveying a woman navigating her evolving desires. Stella makes this character human and relatable as she welcomes a new romantic world. Despite being saddled with a terrible title, a misleading marketing campaign, and a bizarre intro, My Old Ass manages to unexpectedly present a sentimental saga. Perhaps “My Mature Self” would have better reflected the poignant mood.

09-09-24