September 18, 2024
FILM: MY OLD ASS
DIRECTED BY: MEGAN PARK
STARRING: MAISY STELLA, AUBREY PLAZA, PERCY HYNES WHITE
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
If you just look at the premise, poster, and trailer for the new film My Old Ass (yes, that’s the title) you might assume that it is some silly teen-focused comedy with little substance. But, as written and directed by Megan Park, the film is much more heartwarming and philosophical than such surface features would suggest.
Elliott, played by Maisy Stella, is in her late teens and ready to head off to college. Before leaving though she goes camping with her two best friends and indulge in some psychedelic mushrooms. Soon Elliott is talking to her 39-year old self, played by Aubrey Plaza. As a film like this doesn’t have much time to move into its second act, it doesn’t take long for “middle-aged” Elliott to convince teen Elliott who she is. Their conversation is heartfelt and fairly honest, and older Elliott warns younger Elliott to stay away from someone named Chad. Of course, young Elliott meets Chad (Percy Hynes White) right after that and sparks fly.
There is a certain twisted logic to this story which makes it hard to express what is really going on here. Because Plaza is the bigger name star, we might assume that she is present to change the destiny of her character’s younger self. She may also be trying to embrace “the child within” and support her through young adult life. Maybe Plaza is doing the equivalent of writing a letter to her younger self to offer some advice that comes with age and experience.
However, the perspective of the film is mostly from that of young Elliott. After all, it is she that takes the ‘shrooms which conjures up her older self. In the spirit of science fiction (although this is not really a member of that genre) Elliott is able to tap into the wisdom of her older self. She is also being given some warnings about the consequences of her actions. Whether she follows what she learns or not would reveal the direction of the plot. Most of what she learns though is to embrace the time we have with people when younger and to not take them for granted. Pay attention to those special moments and people in life.
Park also is exploring fate and whether it exists or not. Can we change our destinies? Should we? Films such as Alexander Payne’s Election and Charlie Kaufman’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind also have played with this idea. All three films provoke us to contemplate whether we would or should make changes in the directions of our lives if we knew the outcomes of our actions. Perhaps destiny is just that: destiny. As such the films are all, in one degree or another, bigger proponents of a pre-determined future. Matthew Broderick’s character in Election could have affected his own destiny by certain choices he makes late in the film but then maybe these choices were already pre-determined just like it seemed that Reese Witherspoon’s character was destined for political gain even if she made some questionable choices earlier in her life. Thus, in My Old Ass, Elliott could choose to listen to the advice from her older self or she can follow her own path. Wouldn’t the choices end up with the same result either way? Do we really have the ability to alter the directions of our lives?
There is another interesting concept being addressed here that is worth mentioning. At the start of the film, Elliott has a physical relationship with another girl. What does it mean then if she finds herself attracted to guy? As a very 21st Century story, My Old Ass doesn’t demand a static definition of one’s sexuality. It embraces fluidity without any flak from those who only view sexuality as being gay or straight. Elliott isn’t sure if she is bisexual or pansexual. Her future self might be suggesting that she does have a destiny in this regard or maybe she will always have a fluid sexual orientation.
On the technical side, the film is beautifully shot with many wide perspectives of the open and inviting setting. However, it is some of the intimate moments between the Elliott’s and between young Elliott and Chad that are particularly well-captured. Park moves in closely to the characters at key moments when emotions are at their highest. Thankfully, all of the leads are terrific and feel completely natural in these scenes. Both youth and maturity appear simultaneously on their expressive faces. I was not familiar with Maisy Stella (she appeared for several seasons on the TV series Nashville) but she is damn good here! At such a young age, she is clearly a seasoned acting pro, although looks-wise she far more resembles a young Rachel McAdams than Aubrey Plaza. Percy Hynes White, who has appeared in the Netflix series Wednesday, is also great as Chad. He exudes warmth and caring with considerable skill and finesse.
Aubrey Plaza has also matured into a major actress capable of handling the comedic and dramatic moments associated with older Elliott. There are also sequences in the film when she speaks through her younger self’s phone. (Don’t try real hard to figure out the logistics of some of this but they’re mostly related to those ‘shrooms.) Her emotional state is clearly and effectively communicated through her voice. These scenes echoed Spike Jonze’s Her which featured Scarlett Johansson speaking to Joaquin Phoenix through 21st Century technology. (So, perhaps it’s not all the ‘shrooms.)
My Old Ass is a clever and original story with the universal themes of aging, fate, and love. It’s thought-provoking and entertaining and begins a theatrical run this week before eventually landing on Amazon Prime for streaming.
FILM: MY OLD ASS
DIRECTED BY: MEGAN PARK
STARRING: MAISY STELLA, AUBREY PLAZA, PERCY HYNES WHITE
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
If you just look at the premise, poster, and trailer for the new film My Old Ass (yes, that’s the title) you might assume that it is some silly teen-focused comedy with little substance. But, as written and directed by Megan Park, the film is much more heartwarming and philosophical than such surface features would suggest.
Elliott, played by Maisy Stella, is in her late teens and ready to head off to college. Before leaving though she goes camping with her two best friends and indulge in some psychedelic mushrooms. Soon Elliott is talking to her 39-year old self, played by Aubrey Plaza. As a film like this doesn’t have much time to move into its second act, it doesn’t take long for “middle-aged” Elliott to convince teen Elliott who she is. Their conversation is heartfelt and fairly honest, and older Elliott warns younger Elliott to stay away from someone named Chad. Of course, young Elliott meets Chad (Percy Hynes White) right after that and sparks fly.
There is a certain twisted logic to this story which makes it hard to express what is really going on here. Because Plaza is the bigger name star, we might assume that she is present to change the destiny of her character’s younger self. She may also be trying to embrace “the child within” and support her through young adult life. Maybe Plaza is doing the equivalent of writing a letter to her younger self to offer some advice that comes with age and experience.
However, the perspective of the film is mostly from that of young Elliott. After all, it is she that takes the ‘shrooms which conjures up her older self. In the spirit of science fiction (although this is not really a member of that genre) Elliott is able to tap into the wisdom of her older self. She is also being given some warnings about the consequences of her actions. Whether she follows what she learns or not would reveal the direction of the plot. Most of what she learns though is to embrace the time we have with people when younger and to not take them for granted. Pay attention to those special moments and people in life.
Park also is exploring fate and whether it exists or not. Can we change our destinies? Should we? Films such as Alexander Payne’s Election and Charlie Kaufman’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind also have played with this idea. All three films provoke us to contemplate whether we would or should make changes in the directions of our lives if we knew the outcomes of our actions. Perhaps destiny is just that: destiny. As such the films are all, in one degree or another, bigger proponents of a pre-determined future. Matthew Broderick’s character in Election could have affected his own destiny by certain choices he makes late in the film but then maybe these choices were already pre-determined just like it seemed that Reese Witherspoon’s character was destined for political gain even if she made some questionable choices earlier in her life. Thus, in My Old Ass, Elliott could choose to listen to the advice from her older self or she can follow her own path. Wouldn’t the choices end up with the same result either way? Do we really have the ability to alter the directions of our lives?
There is another interesting concept being addressed here that is worth mentioning. At the start of the film, Elliott has a physical relationship with another girl. What does it mean then if she finds herself attracted to guy? As a very 21st Century story, My Old Ass doesn’t demand a static definition of one’s sexuality. It embraces fluidity without any flak from those who only view sexuality as being gay or straight. Elliott isn’t sure if she is bisexual or pansexual. Her future self might be suggesting that she does have a destiny in this regard or maybe she will always have a fluid sexual orientation.
On the technical side, the film is beautifully shot with many wide perspectives of the open and inviting setting. However, it is some of the intimate moments between the Elliott’s and between young Elliott and Chad that are particularly well-captured. Park moves in closely to the characters at key moments when emotions are at their highest. Thankfully, all of the leads are terrific and feel completely natural in these scenes. Both youth and maturity appear simultaneously on their expressive faces. I was not familiar with Maisy Stella (she appeared for several seasons on the TV series Nashville) but she is damn good here! At such a young age, she is clearly a seasoned acting pro, although looks-wise she far more resembles a young Rachel McAdams than Aubrey Plaza. Percy Hynes White, who has appeared in the Netflix series Wednesday, is also great as Chad. He exudes warmth and caring with considerable skill and finesse.
Aubrey Plaza has also matured into a major actress capable of handling the comedic and dramatic moments associated with older Elliott. There are also sequences in the film when she speaks through her younger self’s phone. (Don’t try real hard to figure out the logistics of some of this but they’re mostly related to those ‘shrooms.) Her emotional state is clearly and effectively communicated through her voice. These scenes echoed Spike Jonze’s Her which featured Scarlett Johansson speaking to Joaquin Phoenix through 21st Century technology. (So, perhaps it’s not all the ‘shrooms.)
My Old Ass is a clever and original story with the universal themes of aging, fate, and love. It’s thought-provoking and entertaining and begins a theatrical run this week before eventually landing on Amazon Prime for streaming.