By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
Young romance and heartfelt drama sprinkled with a little comedy gives this surprising independent feature a nice lift. “My Old Ass” is a coming-of-age story that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. The raw and natural storytelling is billed as a comedy but is significantly deeper and complexly emotional that invests the audience from its opening scenes.
Spending her final summer at her parent’s cranberry farm before venturing to the big city, Elliott (Maisy Stella) tries making the most of it, hanging out with her good friends Ro (Kerrice Brooks) and Ruthie (Maddie Ziegler), and joy riding in a barely functional motorboat on the lake. On her 18th birthday, the friends decide to take some hallucinogenic mushrooms, leading to a trip Elliott won’t soon forget. She encounters her 39-year-old self (Aubrey Plaza), who imparts words of wisdom to try to reshape their future.
Having always identified as a lesbian, Elliott begins to question her sexuality as she develops strange feelings for a boy named Chad (Percy Hynes White), who took a summer job working on her parent’s farm. Haunted by the explicit warning from her older self to avoid any boy named Chad at all costs for reasons unknown, Elliott struggles to comply when confronted with his genuine charm. Yearning for more advice from her “old ass,” she begins to see not only herself but her family and her childhood home in a brand new light that will make this summer a life changing one to remember.
Canadian actress and singer Megan Park follows up her impressive directorial debut of 2021’s “The Fallout” with an even better overall production. With coming-of-age stories being made at an exhausting rate, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to offer something new that moves the needle, but that’s exactly what Park provides. Having also written the screenplay, she’s able to fashion a cohesive film that places a refreshing emphasis on storytelling. From the beginning of the movie, Park quickly enthralls the audience and doesn’t relinquish that hold until the ending credits. Her commitment to capturing the essence and lives of older teenage girls leads to relatable scenarios that speak to her viewers.
There may not be as much comedy as audiences may be led to expect, but there are funny moments throughout, especially when the main character meets her older self. Megan Park chooses instead to focus on character development and meaningful messaging that resonates with the audience. Whether it’s realizing how easy it is to take family for granted, or forgetting to live in the moment, or understanding the importance of real love regardless of the outcomes, the film’s themes leave lasting impressions on the audience.
The cast does a remarkable job providing natural performances that are charmingly endearing. Young actress Maisy Stella, who made a name for herself on the ABC TV series “Nashville,” owns the starring role. With her innate line delivery and sometimes clumsy nature, Maisy provides an authenticity that appeals to viewers. Her evolving introspection shows a multi-faceted dimension to her performance that few her age can match.
Having an accomplished comedic actress like Aubrey Plaza on set is a nice luxury, and she provides those much-needed moments of levity that enhance the entertainment value. As anticipated, her deadpan line delivery generates some laughter, but it’s her insightful realization towards the end of the film that’s surprising and moves the audience to tears. She will next be appearing in Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis” later this month.
Give this one a chance, it is an impressive independent film that will resonate with its viewers regardless of age. It’s a creative comedy that is also a surprising tearjerker, so don’t forget to bring some tissues when you see it. “My Old Ass” has a limited release on 9/13 with a much wider theatrical release in a couple of weeks.
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