My Old Ass
2024
**½
Director: Megan Park
Cast: Maisy Stella, Percy Hynes White, Maddie Ziegler, Kerrice Brooks, Aubrey Plaza, Maria Dizzia, Alexandria Rivera, Al Goulem, Seth Isaac Johnson, Carter Trozzolo
18-year-old Elliott is about to leave her rural home and move to Toronto. After taking psychedelic mushrooms, she encounters her 39-year-old self, who warns her about a boy named Chad. Megan Park's second feature, which she also scripted, is a short and sympathetic but messy coming-of-age drama comedy. Although the Old Ass turns out to be more than a hallucination, Aubrey Plaza makes a disappointingly brief appearance. In all honesty, this entire fantasy gimmick could have been left out. The film focuses on Elliott's reluctant but inevitable romance with Chad, which feels ill-judged and conservative, as Elliott starts off as a lesbian.
