In Megan Park’s new comedy-drama “My Old Ass,” film newcomer Maisy Stella turns in an excellent performance as Elliott, a lesbian teen living on her family’s New England cranberry farm the summer before she begins her college career. One night, Elliott and her two closest friends go camping and take hallucinogenic mushrooms, causing Elliott to see – and have an intimate conversation with – herself as a 39-year-old adult!
I realize this premise sounds ridiculous but just go with me here. “My Old Ass” is one of the joys of the 2024 film season. And Stella’s performance is dynamite. She plays the typical bored, sarcastic teen girl character to the hilt. And the quick cadence of her speech is reminiscent of Hailee Steinfeld’s character in “The Edge of Seventeen” – complete with an all-knowing demeanor that masks her 18-year-old insecurity.
39-year-old Elliott is played by Aubrey Plaza, who once specialized in similar teen roles, but now begins a new phase in her career as the older and wiser mentor. It takes some convincing for Older Elliott to convince Younger Elliott of her authenticity, particularly since the three girls have taken the mushrooms for “tripping.” But after sharing a few personal tidbits that only Elliott would know, their conversation takes off.
Some of the best dialogue in Park’s original screenplay occurs during this encounter. I particularly love when Older Elliott tells her younger self to stop using certain slang phrases. “Nobody says that anymore” is one of this film’s funniest lines and it’s used more than once.
On the more serious side, Older Elliott shares she wishes she had tried to relax a little more during her younger years, advising Younger Elliott that she will never have this much time on her hands again and that the months and years will go by faster and faster as life goes on. I think we would have all appreciated hearing this advice when we were younger.
Older Elliott doesn’t want to share too many details, preferring to keep her younger version’s life full of surprises. She does inadvertently share an anecdote about how Younger Elliott will accidentally lose a toe at a party. But she primarily keeps to the “big picture” checklist. Younger Elliott is shocked to learn that she will someday go to school to earn a PhD – but Older Elliott doesn’t reveal in what discipline. Older Elliott is very adamant, however, that Younger Elliott stay away from boys named Chad.
As we might then expect, the very next day, Elliott meets a very nice boy named Chad. He’s spending the summer working for Elliott’s dad as a hired farmhand. Played by Percy Hynes White, Chad puts forth no red flags whatsoever. And although she tries to fight the temptation, Elliott soon begins falling for his humble charm. Elliott’s attempts to heed the advice of her older self and stay away from Chad are the fodder for much of the humor of “My Old Ass,” particularly since Chad and Elliott seem as perfect a match as we can imagine.
Now, I know I introduced Elliott as a lesbian – and she has had a longtime relationship with a girl who works with her in a local coffee shop – but the truth is Elliott isn’t sure exactly what her orientation is. And that is another area of her life that Older Elliott doesn’t resolve. Again, she wants to ensure that her younger self “experience” life, rather than having it all mapped out for her.
While Plaza’s is obviously the biggest name attached to “My Old Ass,” the real star here is Stella, who starred in “Nashville” on television. This is her first motion picture role, and she nails it. I foresee a bright future for Maisy Stella. Not to disappoint, but Plaza doesn’t have much screen time here. Most of the communication between the two Elliotts occurs after the hallucinogenic camping trip via phone or text. (I know, how could they exchange numbers and still be able to communicate? Again, sometimes it’s best to just go with the premise.)
And while “My Old Ass” does have enough humor to carry the label of “comedy-drama,” it leans more heavily to the drama side. The sentimental ending is the stuff in which Neil Simon used to excel – albeit without the too-cute one-liners from any of the characters. I don’t want to give too much away but suffice to say Younger Elliott teaches her older self a thing or two about experiencing life.
Life has a tendency to jade all of us. And while Older Elliott obviously has the years of life experiences under her belt, there’s something to be said for the innocent naivety of youth. “My Old Ass” has a lot to teach us. Both younger and middle-aged audiences should love this film. It’s very accessible, and it’s one of the true joys of this year. I hope the academy remembers the name Maisy Stella at Oscar season.
