Written by Maria Paula Acosta
Would you listen to your future self or your current self?
After her debut with The Fallout (2021), Canadian writer and director Megan Park returns just three years later with her newest release My Old Ass (2024). A fun, short, sweet coming-of-age comedy.
The film follows Elliott (Maisy Stella) who is just a few days away from leaving her hometown to study at University of Toronto. For her 18th birthday, Elliott and her friends Ruthie (Maddie Ziegler) and Ro (Kerrice Brooks) decide to take some mushrooms in the woods. Effects of the mushrooms have Elliott facing her 39-year-old self (Aubrey Plaza). Disappointed to see her future self wasn’t as “cool” as she imagined, she asks her for advice. Part of the advice her older-self gave was to stay away from a guy named Chad (Percy Hynes White).
Once the effects of the mushrooms disappear, Elliott wakes up with a lot more questions and more confused than ever before. Future Elliott saves her number in younger Elliott’s phone, which begins a series of messages and calls between the two. Following her older self’s advice, Elliott tries to share more with her family but doesn’t seem to fit in with them as much as they do with each other.
Overwhelmed with her family and future, Elliot meets Chad, whom she tries to avoid at all cost but falls for without even realizing it. This sparks even more questioning in Elliott’s mind, as she was sure of only liking girls. Caught in this confusion, she tries to reach her future self, only for her “Old Self” to disappear without leaving a trace.
The movie explores themes of self-discovery, time, and the choices we make. Aubrey Plaza shines with her sarcastic humor, while the film balances youthful energy with deeper moments, making it both funny and thought-provoking. Maisy Stella makes a fantastic and funny debut in feature films. Mixing a lot of gen z humor and even some Justin Bieber references - hinting to the Canadian audiences. Without a doubt this is a film to watch both for the laughs and the life lessons.
After watching this film, the real question is: Would you listen to your future self or follow the desires you currently have?
Photo credits to Rotten Tomatoes and USA Today.