‘My Old Ass’ Review: Aubrey Plaza’s Time-Travel Comedy Sparkles
Ever thought about what you would say to your younger self if you had the chance? Well, My Old Ass explores just that, in a hilarious time-travel comedy from the talented Megan Park, known for the fantastic The Fallout.
Featuring Aubrey Plaza and Maisy Stella as different versions of the same woman, this film reminds us that even as we age, we may not necessarily get wiser. There’s something special about the innocence and recklessness of youth that we can’t help but miss.
My Old Ass puts a fresh spin on time-travel tropes.
Unlike typical time-travel plots, this movie doesn’t focus on changing the past to alter the present or future. Instead, it delves into the complexities of choices and self-acceptance, showing that life isn’t about having it all figured out as we age.
With Plaza bringing her trademark wit and Stella’s exuberant performance, My Old Ass is a refreshing take on the genre that challenges common notions about growing older and finding fulfillment. It’s a must-watch for anyone who enjoys a blend of humor, heart, and a touch of nostalgia.
Maisy Stella shines in My Old Ass.
Agatha All Along: A Coven of Talented Actresses
While thematically, Park’s script is moving and spirited — just as The Fallout before it was — Plaza struggles to nail this balance. While she’s shown range in series like Legion and White Lotus, here she wobbles when playing anything but irritated. In scenes of bonding between the two, there’s an buzzing edge to Plaza’s tone even as she smiles at her character’s younger self. When the third act calls for softness, Plaza’s vulnerability feels performed instead of organic. Here’s where My Old Ass undercuts its sharp self-awareness and sincerity and slips into saccharine.
A Teen Coming-of-age Comedy: My Old Ass
My Old Ass rebuffs time-travel standards, like looking into the future to see how Elliott’s life changes. It treats the mission, and even the sci-fi premise, as little more than a launchpad for its heroine’s summer of reflection. If anything, the movie is more a teen coming-of-age comedy about that leap from high school to whatever comes next than a Quantum Leap at all.
Yet where those two subgenres collide is in a shared sentimentality over the past, and that veers into schmaltzy, for better or worse. Still, aside from this trip into treacle, My Old Ass is a spirited comedy about growing up and moving on that’s a true joy — just as Stella is a star on the rise to watch.
My Old Ass opens in theaters Sept. 13.
