Aubrey Plaza Represents Ominous Future in Enchanting Tale 'My Old Ass' | Vanity Fair

Written by Richard Lawson

In the summer prior to heading for college, I had more interest in spending time with my friends than my family. As I got involved with long goodbyes, public park drinking sessions, and solitary drives accompanied by Eve 6’s “Here’s to the Night”, I failed to allocate due time for my family. It was a mesmerizing summer - full of energy and intensity. However, when my mother pointed out that I was almost unnoticeable around the house, I realized I had left out two important people while preparing to leave home. Although I felt guilty, I hardly had time to make amends before moving to a dorm room fifteen minutes away from home.

Such kind of experience is likely universal enough to be portrayed in a feature film. One such film is My Old Ass - a humorous yet thoughtful film that debuted at the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday. The film is penned and directed by Megan Park, featuring Maisy Stella as Elliott, an unthinking teen whose 39-year-old version (played by Aubrey Plaza) jolts her to reality during a mushroom trip. This older, unhappy version of herself seems to persuade Elliott to realize and appreciate the beauty and charm of her teenage life and the people contributing to it, primarily her family who runs a cranberry business. 

The concept of the movie is appealing, credits to Park's insight of character and environment creation. Stella had been featuring regularly in the show "Nashville" but gives an image-breaking performance in this movie. Her portrayal of a fun-loving and generous girl with occasional rudeness and unruliness is enjoyable. The setting of the film further enhances the appeal by presenting the captivating scenery of Lake Muskoka in Ontario, thereby making the film distinctly Canadian. 

Apart from this perspective, the film also explores romance as a key aspect of teenage life. Elliott, a girl who dates girls and looks at herself as gay, finds herself attracted to Chad, a good-looking summer worker at the Cranberry Bog and is puzzled by her feelings towards him. Older Elliott has warned the younger version about Chad - although she does not reveal the reasons. Nevertheless, the younger Elliott finds the attraction towards Chad irresistible. 

The movie dives into interesting territory by relating the present excitement and joy against a future that seems threatening. It carries a powerful message about life's risk and rewards which could be profound to both youngsters and adults. 

My Old Ass is a film that doesn't try to be overtly modern or representative of a particular generation. It has its shortcomings, like questionable supernatural logic and inconsistent plots, but overall, it sends out an exciting, modern and empathetic message about sexual orientation. It highlights the brief moment between one phase of life to another, which can be a valuable lesson for teens and a nostalgic recall for adults. Even those who are too old to picture a bright future could be inspired by the film's optimistic outlook.