'My Old Ass' doesn't have enough to hold on to
The premise is clever, and also thin, and also manipulative: What if your older self showed up to give you advice from 21 years in the future, but really only said one thing and refused to explain in detail -- would you listen?
Obviously, 18-year-old Elliott (Maisy Stella) has doubts when she gets high in the woods and suddenly a 39-year-old (Aubrey Plaza) appears, claiming to be herself in the future. Not for long, though, and not without hearing a warning about staying away from someone named Chad for unspecified reasons. When Elliott soon meets a seemingly nice guy (Percy Hynes White of “I Like Movies”) and he says his name is Chad, she freaks and keeps him at a distance while wondering why her older ass — er, self — issued the warning.
There's no question "My Old Ass" has heart. I’m unclear how anyone can see a movie about parents deeply processing their kids growing up, or kids reckoning with approaching life stages and things they took for granted coming to an end, and not feel something. But I also don't know why writer-director Megan Park didn't want to explore this premise in a way that felt like a feature and not a short. Certain aspects feel oddly duplicated from, yes, “Rookie of the Year” (teenager who enjoys driving a rickety boat explores romantic and parental relationships/absences while also experiencing a magical revelation that can only last for so long) while the sci-fi elements don’t offer nearly as much to think about as Plaza’s “Safety Not Guaranteed.”
Safety, of course, isn’t guaranteed when putting your heart out there, and “My Old Ass” lands uncomfortably close to the basic themes of the recent “The Greatest Hits,” plus the old adage of don’t know what you got ‘til it’s gone. Aside from the movie not really being convincing about the older Elliott’s motivations, it’s also removed from a real exploration of its theoretical sliding doors scenario. (Any other questions about the future, Elliott?) Because that’s not the point of the movie; the point is if the high is worth the pain.
Yet even at barely 85 minutes, “My Old Ass” is shockingly slow, and a breakout turn from Stella won’t keep you from checking your watch/phone repeatedly. It would make a solid speech at a high school graduation, though.
C
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