Tears ran down cheeks and sniffles echoed in Regal Union Square’s outdoor lobby after the credits for “My Old Ass” rolled. However, my eyes were dry and all I could think of the film was that I had seen some version of it so many times before. “My Old Ass” claims to be a progressive and fresh take on the coming-of-age genre, but there are no surprising moments outside of quirky gags that make this film unique.
Written and directed by Megan Park, “My Old Ass” had an advanced screening on Sept. 10.
“My Old Ass” follows 18-year-old Elliot (Maisy Stella) on her birthday during the summer right before she leaves for college. Elliot takes magic mushrooms with her friends and has a “bad trip,” conjuring a 39-year-old version of herself (Aubrey Plaza) dubbed her “old ass.” Naturally, Elliot asks her future self for advice, but older Elliot declines to disclose much of anything.
The crux of the story relies on the first mushroom trip that Elliot has and her attempts to replicate it when Elliot’s “old ass” will not reappear.
Elliot’s “old ass” is the most authentic character because of the actress’s trademark dry delivery.
Mostly, these tripping scenes functioned as a cop out to fit the comedy genre. A trip typically facilitates insights at any stage in one’s life. And using the trip as a comedic device is a troupe that films never seem to try to get right. To accomplish an accurate mushroom trip scene, filmmaker Megan Park leans into absurd yet innocent teen girl visions. Which only works for audiences susceptible to quick chortles at the cringe and quirky.
Elliot’s “old ass” is the most authentic character because of the actress’s trademark dry delivery. Plaza primarily serves as a mentor to prop up the younger actors in the film, but ultimately outshines them with her emotional and comedic delivery.
The one piece of advice that Elliot’s “old ass” does offer her, however, is to avoid a guy named Chad (Percy Hynes White).
As a woman with a few run-ins with guys having seemingly harmless names, this line was admittedly funny. But, Chad (Percy Hynes White) then becomes the centerpiece of this woman-driven film from this mention onward.
I applaud the film for decentering men from the beginning, but that one line reverted the film to clawing its way through the previously established decentering. Most of the film did become about the lanky boy-next-door Chad, but in a manner in which Elliot relearns and discovers love and her sexuality. Still, the film did not have to become about the boy, especially with the queer framing and “progressive” drug trips that drove the first act.
As the film rolled on, I became slightly disappointed because it strayed from what at first made the plot feel fresh. Scrolling online after the film, influencers I follow on Instagram posted about how much they thought the film was new, exciting and tear-jerking. Reading those comments and Letterboxd reviews with four and five star ratings made me think I went into the wrong theater.
However, the piece of advice that tugged on people’s heartstrings the most was for Elliot to spend more time with her family before going away.
Maybe I’m heartless, but the scenes with family heart-to-hearts and tearful goodbyes seemed overly played out. Although the conversation between Elliot and her mom seemed to choke up everyone in the theater, the “when you were a kid …” talk was a sweet yet cliche resolution to the mother-daughter tension that I have seen numerous times in other coming-of-age movies that focus on teenage girls.
What Elliot and her “old ass” really learned is if you change much about the messy experiences of love and pain, then that is not much of a life — or much of a movie.
