‘My Old Ass’ Director Megan Park on Capturing the ‘Sadness’ and ‘Sweetness’ of Adolescence in Her Trippy Sophomore Feature

variety.com:

Angelique Jackson As summer slowly slips away, director Megan Park is stoking the fires of nostalgia with her sophomore feature “My Old Ass,” a coming-of-age story set in those sweet final weeks before her 18-year-old protagonist leaves her lakeside hometown for college in the big city.

Maisy Stella (“Nashville,” “Flowervale Street”) stars as Elliott, a free-spirited teen whose birthday mushroom trip brings her face-to-face with her “old ass” 39-year-old self (Aubrey Plaza), who delivers some choice advice and words of warning that transform her relationships with her family and friends. “There’s such a sadness, but a sweetness to that change and the passing of time,” Park tells Variety, thinking back on that transitional period between childhood and adulthood when you know life is about to shift, but you can’t quite pinpoint how. “Sweet” is a word Park uses generously (and fondly) when discussing her work.

In fact, the writer-director has made it a bit of a mission to make heartfelt and “sweet” movies, even though some people in the industry, which tends to prioritize edginess, don’t think that’s particularly “cool.” “There were so many iconic movies, like ‘Stepmom,’ ‘Now and Then’ and My Girl,’ that are so emotional and heartfelt and sweet, but had these gut punches, that defined me and moved me.

It would be an honor to make a movie that was considered a movie like that. I think those movies are very cool,” she says, adding a dash of sass to her tone for emphasis.