“My Old Ass” is a film that subverts expectations that come with meeting your future self. In addressing the relationship between you and your future self, the movie challenges the societal narrative of having to reach success at a young age but focuses on a coming-of-age story that explores the last summer before college.
The main character Elliott (played by Maisy Stella) encounters her future self (played by Aubrey Plaza) the summer before she leaves for college alters her summer, which alters her summer, but for the better. The relationship between the present and future Elliott isn’t about changing the future or avoiding who you become but taking small steps to better the relationships around you. Future Elliott encourages Elliott to invest in family and camping in different parks that will become private property in the future. Elliott begins re-evaluating the people and places in her life because of this. Her deep desire to run away from her family and home in Canada shifts to Elliott spending more one-on-one time with her mother and brothers.
It’s a bit polarizing for Elliott to see that her future isn’t as glamorous as she expected it to be. Her excitement and goals for herself at 18 pales in comparison to her unexciting future life as a PhD student. It begins a conversation about societal expectations for when someone should have their entire life together. Future Elliott is still in school at 31 and rejects notions of her being considered old or that she’s failed to live a noteworthy life. Her contentment with her life influences her to advise Elliott to be content in the present. *In a talk with the director Megan Park, Park emphasized how she wanted to film to convey how “life moves faster as you get older.” Having Elliott slow her life down is how the movie communicated relishing in your present rather than taking it for granted.
As Elliott takes most of her future self’s advice. Elliott slips into hanging out with someone who works at her family’s cranberry farm for the summer, a boy named Chad (played by Percy Hynes White). Chad also happens to be the one thing her future self-told Elliott to say away from. In her initial encounters with Chad, future Elliott once again rails warnings about Chad, but never gives a reason as to why Chad should be avoided. It creates a sense of tension throughout the movie whenever Chad appears. The ambiguity surrounding Chad doesn’t just create tension in the plot, but tension for the viewer as you believe Chad is the yet-to-be-revealed villain. Director Megan Park successfully incorporates a mystery element and emotional tension into a film already juggling a strong plotline. The character of Chad and the lack of information about him becomes an alternate conflict that contrasts with the ideas of interpersonal and family issues.
However, Chad’s funny and kind-hearted antics win young Elliott over. Eventually Chad and Elliott admit their feelings for each other and Elliott decides to pursue a relationship with Chad. It’s after these moments that future Elliott returns to the screen for the final time (after being away at a Penelope Disick mediation conference). She isn’t angry at her younger self, but more of a mix of disappointment and frustration. With more pressure from young Elliott, it’s revealed that Elliott will fall in love with Chad, but he will die soon after. Future Elliott’s warnings were about making sure she could avoid the grief of Chad because the imprint of his love and subsequent death left on her. Elliott decides that’s not a good enough reason to avoid loving Chad and declares she will pursue a relationship with him despite the fatal outcome. To which, her future self calls her “young and dumb” and Elliott delivers a speech on the importance of making dumb decisions when you’re young, triggering a shift in tone for the film.
The movie goes from future Elliott guiding her younger self to the inverse. *Megan Park explained that she wanted this as a way to go against a traditional model of the older person being the only one transmitting knowledge to “a conversation between old and young.” As future Elliott accepts Elliott’s decision, Chad comes into the scene. For some reason, he’s able to see future Elliott. The two share an embrace, bringing a sense of closure to future Elliott’s grief.
The approach to the coming-of-age story “My Old Ass” asks viewers to be present in their lives and be present in their decisions. Embracing the people in your life, rather than taking their existence for granted is what brings the sense of fulfillment Elliott thought she would find by moving away. By giving Elliott the opportunity to see her life with more nuance before she leaves, Megan Park communicates to the audience the importance of taking a second look at our own lives before making the decision to abandon it.
*All quotes from Megan Park are from a Collegian roundtable interview that included other college journalists
Suzanne Bagia can be reached at [email protected]
