My Old Ass (United States, 2024)

My Old Ass is an effective and affecting coming-of-age story with a large dose of magical realism that allows an 18-year-old version of the lead character to meet her 39-year-old self. Despite what has been written about it in some quarters, this is not in any way, shape, or form “science fiction.” (Any more than Somewhere in Time was.) But, by allowing two versions of the same person to interact, writer/director Megan Park touches on more thematic elements than would have been possible in a straightforward telling of the same story: ruminations about fate, consequences, the importance of loss, and the power of nostalgia.

Even without the time-jumping of Elliott Labrant (primarily by Maisy Stella as the younger iteration and Aubrey Plaza as the older one), My Old Ass would have been a fine movie, primarily because the story it tells feels real and the characters have a lived-in, believable texture. In fact, while adding in the elements featuring Elliott-at-39 allow the movie to expand beyond the common bounds the genre, they can also at times be distracting. And, although the movie is presented from the perspective of young Elliott (in which her older self is a visitor), I couldn’t help but wonder what the story would be like if told from the other point-of-view. Fodder for a sequel, I guess.

Like many teenagers stuck in a dead-end location (in this case, a rural cranberry farm in Canada), Elliott can’t wait to get away. Her destination is a college in Toronto and she fantasizes about the experiences she’ll have and the girls she’ll meet. On her 18th birthday, she and her two best friends, Ruthie (Maddie Ziegler) and Ro (Kerrice Brooks), celebrate by brewing tea using hallucinogenic mushrooms. Elliott thinks they aren’t working until a mysterious stranger sits down next to her and introduces herself as a future version of herself. And, while this encounter might be easily dismissed as a byproduct of the mushrooms, it doesn’t explain (a) how it’s possible to have phone conversations with Older Elliott long after the effects have worn off, (b) how a future encounter might be possible, and (c) how someone other than Young Elliott can see Older Elliott. Don’t expect those questions be to answered because the answers don’t interest Park.

Although Elliott occasionally consults with herself regarding ways to make life better, this is mostly about a girl coming to grips with things she’s about to lose and recognizing that maybe she doesn’t hate some of those annoying, repetitive things as much as she thought she did. Taking Older Elliott’s advice, she seeks to build stronger relationships with her brothers and mother (Maria Dizzia), who often seems tired and muted (and has the film’s most tender speech when she talks about how a child’s milestones can be a source of both pride and sadness to a parent). Ignoring Older Elliott’s advice, she falls into an awkward romance with Chad (Percy Hynes White), a guy doing a summer stint on her parents’ cranberry farm.

Aubrey Plaza is, as usual, a spark plug, but she is never a camera hog. She knows this is Maisy Stella’s film and doesn’t steal scenes from the younger actress and the two share an unconventional chemistry. Overall, Stella is excellent, capturing the variable nuances of being 18 without trying to force things. The tears, laughter, and longing feel natural. As Chad, Percy Hynes White exudes an offbeat charm that makes it easy to understand how someone like Elliott could fall for him.

The story, which approaches the subject matter with sensitivity, wit, and intelligence, speaks to insight and experience on the part of Park. The only artificial element is the time-travel aspect; everything else is grounded. I was surprised how much I liked My Old Ass and how easily I related to the characters and their circumstances. That’s a credit not only to the writing and directing but to the performances of the actors. Despite some minor issues in presenting and pursuing the time travel episodes, My Old Ass rarely missteps and that will likely earn it a place on my end-of-the-year Top 10.

My Old Ass (United States, 2024)