Parents' Guide to My Old Ass

This is a sweet, poignant coming-of-age dramedy that explores the importance of family, first love, and friends. My Old Ass's winning chemistry is twofold, between young Elliott and Chad and also between the two Elliotts. The conversations between Stella and Plaza are mostly comical and occasionally moving. Plaza's Elliott is wise but worried about saying anything that could too drastically change the future. And young Elliott is consumed with her "old" self's warning about Chad, who is, as played by White, a complete cinnamon roll of a love interest: kind, funny, generous, and downright adorable.

Plaza is the bigger star, and she's a fabulous pick for the older, jaded Elliott who's apparently survived quite a lot. But it's Stella who steals the show, making young Elliott's various personal crises both entertaining and touching. Older viewers will likely wonder what they'd advise their 18-year-old selves if they could, and younger viewers will consider what they'd want to ask their older selves. The screenplay manages to be wise without being preachy, and the supporting performances are all believable. The soundtrack includes a hilarious rendition of Justin Bieber's "One Less Lonely Girl," and Kristen Correll's cinematography beautifully captures the summer landscapes of lakeside Ontario. And the slow-burn romance is lovely, even as it forces Elliott to reconsider her identity. As the older Elliott finally admits, love is a gift, even if it includes pain. If the saying is correct and you can't ever go home again, apparently an exception must be made for hallucinogenic visions.