REVIEW: ‘My Old Ass’ Is A Poignantly Playful Coming-of-Age Story

My Old Ass, written and directed by Megan Park, premiered at Sundance Film Festival 2024 and was produced by Daniel Bekerman, Steve Rales, Bronte Payne, Tom Ackerley, Margot Robbie, Josey McNamara, and Megan Park, is a coming-of-age comedy from Amazon Studios. The cast stars Maisy Stella as Elliott, Aubrey Plaza as 39-year-old Elliott, Maddie Ziegler as Ruthie, Kerrice Brooks as Ro, and Percy Hynes White as Chad.

In My Old Ass, newly turned 18-year-old Elliott experiments with drugs alongside her best friends. They experience shrooms for the first time together on her birthday. During Elliott’s hallucinogenic trip, she meets her slightly more cynical 39-year-old self. Through this odd encounter, Elliott and her older self discuss life and their dreams, reminisce on the past, and young Elliott receives some future wisdom from her older self. The next day, Elliott’s older self is gone, and she starts to prepare for going off to college as she navigates a summer filled with self-discovery, family, and difficult decisions about love and identity.

My Old Ass is set against the beautiful backdrop of an Ontario cranberry farm and a small town. Park infuses each scene and setting that Elliott visits with an intimate sense of place, such as the local coffee shop and Elliott’s family farm and home. The cinematography complements this tone with serene shots of the lake, woods, and farm, creating a nostalgic atmosphere that adds to the film’s depth. The cinematography and setting evoke a longing for a simpler time in life, as it captures the beauty of Elliott’s home and small town.

The casting for the film is perfect. Aubrey Plaza and Maisy Stella have great on-screen chemistry with one another as they play two versions of the same women, each at different points in their lives. Their conversations are funny and insightful, almost like how a close younger and older sister would talk to one another. Audiences are familiar with Plaza’s penchant for sarcasm and cynicism in previous roles and will also enjoy seeing more of a reflective energy in her portrayal of Older Elliott.

Although Plaza’s performance and wit steal most of the scenes she is in, she is not in My Old Ass for most of the runtime. Granted, that is not to say Plaza carries the entire weight of the film alone. Stella also shines as 18-year-old Elliott, balancing humor and drama in her performances, providing authenticity throughout the film. The moments when Stella’s Elliott is going through her journey of self-discovery feel so relatable to those who ever come to a point in their life and question what they want is different from what they thought they wanted for most of their life.

In 18-year-old Elliott’s case, her character undergoes a nuanced exploration of her sexuality, as she, who has always considered herself gay, begins to question her orientation when she finds herself attracted to Chad, a summer worker on her family’s farm. My Old Ass does a fantastic job of allowing Elliott to explore her sexuality openly without judgment or second-guessing from her friends, thus giving her a safe place to express herself. This storyline is an excellent example of how figuring out one’s identity is a complex, multifaceted, and ever-evolving. Through Elliot’s experience, the film thoughtfully captures the fluidity of attraction and the importance of embracing one’s feelings.

My Old Ass taps into the timeless question, “What would you tell your younger self?” but also takes an unexpected turn when it delves into themes of grief and loss. Older Elliott’s warnings lead to a painful revelation, leaving young Elliott heartbroken. This revelation in the film raises the tough questions about whether our experiences, even the painful ones, are worth it.

Park’s film invites viewers to consider how we might protect ourselves from future heartbreak and pain if we had the chance. Hardened by life’s struggles, our older selves might say some things aren’t worth the hurt. However, our younger selves would likely argue that a life without risk or love is not a life you have truly lived.

My Old Ass is not the wild, drug-fueled comedy you might expect, but it is the movie you need. Yes, there are drugs and plenty of funny moments. However, the film is ultimately a refreshing coming-of-age story that will make you nostalgic for when you were young, naive, and open to all of life’s possibilities, even if it meant experiencing pain.

With impressive performances, humor, and profound lessons about self-discovery, love, and family, My Old Ass delivers a heartfelt message about living authentically while also cherishing our past and present experiences.

My Old Ass is now streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.