A One Mann’s Movies review of “My Old Ass” (2024).
There have been a lot of timey-wimey films over the years. But “My Old Ass” is an unusual one in that, unlike “Back to the Future”, our main protagonist Elliott doesn’t actually go anywhere. In that respect, it is much more akin to “Field of Dreams” in that characters from a different time impinge on Elliott’s present.
Bob the Movie Man Rating:
“My Old Ass” Plot Summary:
Elliott (Maisy Stella) is an 18-year old lesbian about to head off from her rural home to the bright lights of Toronto to go to college. When on a mushroom trip with her friends, Ruthie (Maddie Ziegler) and Ro (Kerrice Brooks), she meets her 39-year-old self (Aubrey Plaza). Getting information out of Elliott Mk 2 is hard… but the one thing she tells her not to do is to get involved with a boy called Chad. Guess who she meets the very next day?
Certification:
UK: 15; US: R. (From the BBFC web site: “Strong language, drug misuse”)
Talent:
Starring: Maisy Stella, Aubrey Plaza, Percy Hynes White, Maddie Ziegler, Kerrice Brooks, Maria Dizzia, Alain Goulem, Seth Isaac Johnson, Carter Trozzolo.
Directed by: Megan Park.
Written by: Megan Park.
Running Time: 1h 29m.
“My Old Ass” Summary:
Positives:
- Wonderfully engaging and humerous script.
- A stunning debut feature performance by Maisy Stella with Aubrey Plaza also being excellent.
- A finale that really hits you in the feels.
Negatives:
- Quite a simple story when, frankly, I could have had more timey-wimey complexity and a longer film.
Review of “My Old Ass”:
A well-crafted character.
Elliott is a well-crafted character living in an interesting environment. We learn that she is a truly terrible boat driver. Her interest in escaping her farming environment is strong: “I can’t be a 3rd generation cranberry farmer and live in a town of 300 people”. But her drive belies a surprisingly strong connection to her home that emerges as the film proceeds.
A brilliant cute-meet with yourself.
As in “Field of Dreams”, you need to suspend your belief at various points in the story. Firstly when Elliott meets her future self sitting on the log next to her. But then even more so when the pair are able to text across time! (Older Elliott enters her details in Young Elliott’s phone as “My Old Ass”!)
Their first meeting is particularly cute with Young Elliott (YE) originally suspecting Older Elliott (OE) is God! When her identity is revealed, YE is appalled that OE is a PhD student: “You mean I’m going to be in school until I’m 40??!” (“39” corrects OE!) YE digs for information about her future from OE but gets very little with OE fearing that things could get very messed up if too much information is imparted. In a “Sports Alamanac” moment, YE plies OE for the details of “the next Apple”… but without success.
YE is suspicious though. Why does OE have a gap in her teeth? The retort from OA is to “keep wearing your retainer!”. The convincer is OE’s inside information on her breasts: “Left boob. One cup smaller than the right. And no, it never catches up to the right. But honestly, you get used to it and it’s OK. Guys can’t really tell. Girls can.”
Given Elliott is a lesbian there is a moment of frisson as the pair lie in her bed together. Surely not! But have no fear… they share a kiss, just to “see what it’s like kissing myself”, but that is all!
The long goodbye.
The timing of the meeting – 3 weeks before she leaves – is well chosen, given her a chance to reengage with her own family (“You should talk more to your mum” was the advice). She also gets to engage more with her siblings: younger brother Max (Seth Isaac Johnson), who has dreams of taking over the farm if he doesn’t become a professional golfer first, and much young brother Spencer (Carter Trozzolo) who wants to go to Ireland and marry Saoirse Ronan!
It also gives Elliott time to form the inevitable attachment to Chad (Percy Hynes White), which obviously challenges her own view of her sexuality. Is she a bisexual… or even a pansexual? She’s confused. “I can admit someone’s face is symmetrical and not fuck them” she protests. An encounter between the pair on a boat dock during a raging storm if a memorable movie moment.
A superb feature debut
This is a big-screen debut for Maisy Stella and she knocks it out of the park. (Stella previously started playing the role of Daphne Conrad in “Nashville” at the age of 9 and appeared in 119 episodes with her sister Lennon Stella. The pair have a successful music career and a top Youtube channel.) She is utterly charming in the role. She’s funny when she needs to be funny and manages to really move you in the quieter moments.
In very much a supporting role, but carrying much of the emotional lifting in the gut-wrenching finale (very much a “Field of Dreams” sort of moment), is the ever-reliable Aubrey Plaza. This is a MUCH better entry for her CV than “Megalopolis“!
I could have used more.
Now, you know how much I love a tightly crafted 90 minute movie. And this is one of those. But it was so good that I could have done with more of the relationships (e.g. with her mother and father) being further developed, even if that added another 20 minutes to the running time.
Summary Thoughts on “My Old Ass”
A ‘small’ but highly enjoyable comedy/drama. This is only the second feature from writer/director Megan Park and really positions her as yet another powerful female director to watch out for.
This is really a film about “saying goodbye” to the old before welcoming the unknown new. Anyone who wept as Andy went off to university in “Toy Story 3” will probably appreciate the point of view of Elliott’s mum (Maria Dizzia) in this! It’s a little gem of a movie.
It’s made by MGM/Amazon so if you can’t watch it on the big screen, it should be streaming on Amazon before long. Look out for it.
Where to Watch it (Powered by Justwatch)
Trailer for “My Old Ass”:
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yvks3SeCDOs.
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