My Old Ass ★★★

CANADIAN actress Megan Park surprised many critics with her 2021 directorial debut The Fallout.

She has followed this up in 2024 with the more comedic drama My Old Ass featuring one of those unexplainable sci-fi concepts where a teenager finds herself being able to communicate with her future 39-year-old self.

The fact that older version is played by the fascinatingly quirky Aubrey Plaza is just an added bonus in a witty film told with intelligence and heart.

Maisy Stella, best known from the television series Nashville, is very good in the lead role of Elliott, the type of sassy, independent character that Hailee Steinfeld has played so well in the past.

At age 18 Maisy is facing familiar choices in the type of future she desires, both in terms of career and relationships. After taking mushrooms with her friends, Maisy is visited by her future self who reluctantly becomes a sounding board for her actions now and how they may resonate in the future.

The first advice she gives the young Maisy is to avoid anyone called Chad, not knowing Maisy has already met an odd but interesting guy named, you guessed it, Chad.

Park’s film, which she also wrote, achieves enough distance from the usual coming-of-age comedy to make it a standout.

Watched on Prime.