Peter Debruge Chief Film Critic It takes some time to fall in love with 18-year-old Elliott (Maisy Stella) in “My Old Ass.” She’s young and self-involved, so focused on heading off to college in the big city that she’s kind of a jerk to everyone around her (especially her small-town cranberry-farming family).
Maybe young adult audiences won’t think so. Canadian actor-turned-auteur Megan Park’s sweetly insightful coming-of-age comedy is intended for them — whereas adults might not have so much patience for the way Stella’s impulsive character takes for granted what are arguably her best years.
Don’t worry, the movie is great, and Elliott eventually grows on you. Besides, her initially off-putting persona is kind of the point of Park’s older-and-wiser second feature, which follows the director’s terrific, SXSW-winning debut “The Fallout.” Park plays a magic trick early in the film: Elliott and her besties (Maddie Ziegler and Kerrice Brooks) take the boat to an island in the middle of the lake to camp out and do shrooms.
While high, Elliott is visited by her 39-year-old self (Aubrey Plaza), whom she peppers with insults, calling her “middle-aged” and commenting on how little they look alike.
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