What would you tell your younger self if you could? And what do you wish your older self would tell you? It is these questions, which have no doubt plagued the minds of most of us at one point in our lives, that My Old Ass chooses to explore with its hilarious, yet poignant, coming of age narrative. The film portrays the story of Elliott (Maisy Stella), our freshly 18-year-old protagonist who dreams of escaping her small lakeside hometown in Canada for the big city of Toronto when she leaves for college at the end of the summer. It is during her 18th birthday celebrations with her friends that, in a mushroom-fuelled hallucination, Elliott is confronted by her 39-year-old self (played by the sarcastic and effortlessly funny as ever Aubrey Plaza). Elliott proceeds to do what any of us would do when faced with our future selves, by harassing her for information about her future life and what she wishes she could do differently if given a second chance. Whilst remaining mysterious regarding the reasoning behind her advice, Plaza’s Elliott does impart some cryptic words of wisdom for her younger self, who then spends the rest of the film trying to figure out why she has received these particular instructions. 

My Old Ass seamlessly blends fantasy and reality when, after believing her encounter with her future self to have been a purely drug induced experience, Elliott subsequently finds a new contact in her phone under the name ‘My Old Ass’. The two Elliotts then continue their correspondence across timelines, with Plaza’s Elliott encouraging her 18-year-old counterpart to spend more time with her family and reinforcing her initial warning to ‘stay away from Chad’, the ostensibly harmless new farm hand helping out with Elliott’s family’s cranberry farm. Though young Elliott tries to adhere to her future self’s advice by avoiding Chad at all costs, as she gets to know him more she becomes increasingly confused about why this is the one instruction her older self provided. And what are teenagers for if not to rebel against advice from their elders? 

Park’s second directorial endeavour highlights how each version of Elliott has something to learn from the other and generates questions about our relationships with ourselves and our identities. Similarly to her debut film, The Fallout (2021), My Old Ass explores the protagonist’s relationship with her sexuality, but refreshingly where straight is not considered the default. In a charming reversal of the typical coming out scene, Elliott discusses her newfound attraction to the opposite sex with her friend Ro (Kerrice Brooks), who assures her that ‘liking men doesn’t make you any less queer’. It is through natural conversations like this that the film reinforces the validity of bisexuality, and how our perceptions of ourselves can change over time. What My Old Ass highlights through the juxtaposition of the two Elliotts is that, thankfully, we are not chained to the versions of ourselves we were at 18, or any age for that matter, and that we can and should allow ourselves to grow as we experience life and learn more about ourselves. Whilst Stella’s Elliott may not be thrilled about what her future self has to reveal about what awaits her in life, the film highlights how the visions we have of our futures will inevitably change as we mature and that one of the most exciting, though terrifying, parts of life is its unpredictability. 

Set against the backdrop of the natural beauty of Canada, the film reminds us of the importance of appreciating your home, something that we believe will always be there waiting for us, until one day it isn’t. My Old Ass emphasises the inevitability of change, both humorously with ambiguous remarks from Plaza’s Elliott about the future disappearance of salmon, and reflectively through emotionally charged conversations between Elliott and her mother about the realities of growing up. The film exposes Elliott’s youthful indifference to her small town life and her eagerness to rush towards the exciting prospect of her new life as an adult, a relatable feeling to anyone on the cusp of adulthood impatiently waiting for their life to begin. It is easy to forget about the lives we leave behind in pursuit of our future, but My Old Ass serves as a reminder of how the things we take for granted may be much more meaningful to us than we ever realised. 

Maisy Stella provides a standout performance as the stubborn yet endearingly youthful Elliott, from heartfelt moments of introspection to an incredible Justin Bieber circa 2010 impersonation that I dare any member of the audience to claim didn’t put a smile on their face. My Old Ass is a gentle rumination on the passage of time and the importance of making the most of every moment, experience, and feeling. Though at times sickly sweet and almost simplistic in its message, it is this simplicity that makes the film so incredibly moving and uplifting. Sometimes we need to be reminded of the simplest things in life. My Old Ass is a beautifully balanced film that reminds its audience to never take your family, your home, or yourself for granted, leaving us with the final message that love is never a waste of time.