My Old Ass

My Old Ass is a damn fun movie. It’s partly the fantastic, rapid-fire dialogue (the whole movie is a speedy treat, yet somehow chill at the same time). It’s partly the refreshingly natural look and feel of the characters – for example, Elliott’s hair's never perfect. It's not a "movie" looking movie. Maybe that’s why we felt more belief in this story than other “magical realism” films. The concept is just so juicy – who wouldn’t want to know which pitfalls to avoid in their future? Who wouldn’t want to go back and give yourself the advice that nobody else (literally nobody) is equipped to give? But after that top layer of fun is peeled back, writer/director Megan Park asks us to ponder the delicate balance between life experience being a gift, and a burden. Read more of our thoughts on MY OLD ASS at good.film: https://good.film/guide/life-going-nowhere-you-need-a-visit-from-my-old-ass

If you had the chance to speak with your future self, what would you discuss? That’s the opportunity unexpectedly presented to 18-year-old Elliott (Maisy Stella), the daughter of a Canadian cranberry farmer who’s about to leave her rural home to attend college in Toronto, a new chapter in her life that she anxiously awaits. To commemorate the occasion, Elliott and her two best friends (Kerrice Brooks, Maddie Ziegler) decide to celebrate by imbibing in festivities involving a brew of magic mushrooms. However, much to her surprise, while in her altered state of consciousness, Elliott meets her 39-year-old self (Aubrey Plaza), who provides the teen with an insightful look into her future. Much of their conversation focuses on things that her younger self could stand to work on, but, perhaps the most significant topic of discussion centers on a warning to avoid involvement with an as-yet-unmet young man named Chad (Percy Hynes White). Not long thereafter, though, Elliott meets this mysterious stranger, who just happens to be a field hand hired to work on the farm for the summer. She quickly becomes smitten with the charming newcomer and wonders why her elder self so vehemently cautions her from getting to know him, advice she promptly ignores. This, of course, raises many pertinent questions, such as must we obediently accept such supposedly prophetic proclamations as gospel? Is our future indeed written in stone? And, even if our destiny is allegedly unalterable, should we unquestioningly abide by any cautions associated with it, or should we follow our gut instincts even knowing what the consequences might be? These are among the themes thoughtfully addressed in writer-director Megan Park’s second feature, a sweet coming of age tale with a twist, one punctuated with gentle humor, heartfelt emotions, astute realizations and more than a few intriguing revelations. The picture is also beautifully filmed in the picturesque lake country surrounding Muskoka, Ontario, providing audiences with views of some spectacularly gorgeous scenery reminiscent of “On Golden Pond” (1981). However, despite these strengths, the film feels a little underdeveloped in several regards, particularly when it comes to various supporting characters and subplots, as well as some back story aspects of the elder Elliott’s future existence. Given this offering’s relatively short 1:29:00 runtime, it’s somewhat baffling why the filmmaker didn’t take a little extra time to more fully flesh out these elements (after all, it’s not like the picture is overlong or tiresomely tedious). Nevertheless, those shortcomings aside, “My Old Ass” is a pleasant, inoffensive way to spend some time at the movies watching an uplifting, enlightening little story that nicely warms the heart and tells a story with an earnest message about how to approach living our lives. And it’s hard to find much fault with that.