My Old Ass Review
While the poster might feel slightly misleading, given the barely there Aubrey Plaza, what we get instead is a wonderful, nuanced, heartfelt coming of age story that frankly, doesn’t need her.
On the cusp of leaving her small town farm, Elliot (Maisy Stella) take a mushroom trip with her best friends Ro (Kerrice Brooks) and Ruthie (Maddie Ziegler). The trip brings her older self (Aubrey Plaza) to speak with her, and their connection continues long after the drugs wear off. Older Elliot warns Younger Elliot to stay away from Chad (Percy Hynes White), and to spend time with her family while she has them, and while her advice teaches the younger Elliot the importance of family, Elliot and Chad’s unmistakeable connection perhaps teaches the older Elliot something about life too.
Written and Directed by Megan Park, My Old Ass is a wonderfully warm tale of love and heartbreak, of the pains of growing up and the pains of getting older. It’s a movie that leans heavily into the themes of young love and lost love, and in doing so doesn’t shy away from tugging on your heartstrings.
The setting also contributes to the vibe, with this part of Canada being full of autumnal leaves and gorgeous lakes. It gives the whole film an added feeling of wanderlust that creates a real atmosphere for the viewer.
There is a lot of wonderfully nuanced acting on display, particularly from Stella and Hynes White. Their burgeoning romance feels lived in and authentic, and feels appropriate for their respective ages. There’s no furiously witty, rapid fire dialogue here - it’s all awkward chat and tense eye contact. In fact, it’s probably a film that has one of the most believable romances I can recall seeing.
Aubrey Plaza is lovely when she is on screen, although despite her prominent appearance on the poster that is only really for about 10 minutes of the runtime. When she is there, she brings a wealth of world-weariness and grief, culminating in a beautiful tearful performance from her in the final act that reminds you how good of an actress she really is.
While the emotions are fully on display, that doesn’t mean the film is devoid of humour. There are lots of funny bits throughout, whether it’s the awkward funny between Chad and Elliot, some of Plaza’s rapid fire dialogue, or the lovable rogue trio of Elliot, Ro and Ruthie. One particular musical moment doesn’t land as well as it perhaps thinks it does, but that soon can be forgotten.
