Warning: Contains SPOILERS for My Old Ass!
My Old Ass is finally here, and here is everything that there is to know about the film's ending explained, including if old Elliot was real and what happens to Chad after the movie. My Old Ass follows a young girl named Elliot who, after taking drugs, meets a version of herself from several decades into the future. Through their continued conversations, Elliot begins to learn about what life has in store for her. Despite being a coming-of-age romantic comedy, My Old Ass has a lot of mysteries, all of which will be broken down here.
Director Megan Park has finally released My Old Ass, with the film continuing the director's feature filmography after the release of the 2021 HBO Max hit The Fallout. The Canadian coming-of-age film may not be the biggest commercial hit of 2024, but it was a major critical success, with it getting acclaimed across the board. Despite the small scale of My Old Ass, the movie leaves a lot of questions about the future and reality open for audience interpretation, meaning that there is a lot to discuss.
What Happens In My Old Ass' Ending
What Happens To Elliot After Meeting Old Elliot?
My Old Ass takes place in the weeks leading up to Elliot departing for college, although things take an emotional turn when Elliot meets an older version of herself as well as a guy named Chad. Despite old Elliot pleading against it, Elliot develops a romantic relationship with Chad. This leads to a lot of conflict within Elliot's mind, as the film leading up to Chad's introduction has established that Elliot is a lesbian. Elliot then has to come to terms with her sexuality once again, leading to her struggling with her identity among the many other problems she faces in the film.
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Most of My Old Ass' ending focuses on their relationship, although things take a dark turn when old Elliot returns. At the very end of My Old Ass, old Elliot finally reveals why she has been warning Elliot against dating Chad. As it turns out, old Elliot stayed with Chad, only for him to die shortly later. Old Elliot explains that Chad's death cannot be prevented and that it will leave permanent scars on Elliot. Despite this, Elliot decides to stay with Chad, deciding that the pain is worth it as the duo moves off to college.
Was Elliot Actually Talking To Her Older Self?
Or Is She Just The Product Of A Drug Trip?
One of the biggest questions at the end of My Old Ass has to do with if Elliot is actually talking to her older self. Elliot first encounters old Elliot in the immediate aftermath of a drug trip, immediately suggesting that she is not real. Later in the film, drugs cause Elliot to have a hallucination that she is Justin Bieber, further solidifying that the events that follow the drug trip are all inside her head. While Elliot does continue to see old Elliot after the effects of the drug have worn off, her friends cannot see her, further suggesting that old Elliot isn't real.
However, the very fact that old Elliot keeps appearing after the effects of the drugs are gone supports the notion that she is real. On top of that, old Elliot is giving seemingly accurate predictions, something that wouldn't happen if she was a figment of Elliot's imagination. Elliot can't get old Elliot to come back after taking more of the drugs, which is also evidence of the fact that she is real. At the end of My Old Ass, Chad is able to see Aubrey Plaza's old Elliot. So, while the reality of My Old Ass is up in the air, it seems that the film doesn't want there to be a definitive answer.
What Happens To Chad After My Old Ass
How Does He Die?
Throughout My Old Ass, old Elliot is constantly warning young Elliot that she should avoid a guy named Chad. Upon meeting Chad, old Elliot then tells Elliot not to get into a relationship with him. Elliot ignores the pleas of her future self, with the two eventually falling for each other. The reasoning behind old Elliot's warning remains a mystery until the end of the film, where it is revealed that Chad will die at a young age, permanently leaving Elliot emotionally scarred.
Old Elliot does not reveal how Chad will die after the events of My Old Ass, although she does make it clear that Elliot cannot prevent it despite her knowledge of his death. However, the most popular theory is that Chad will die of cancer. In the movie, Chad mentions that he wants to study cancer due to his grandfather dying of cancer years ago. Since cancer can be genetic, it is possible that Chad's death will be caused by cancer, with this story detail being a bit of foreshadowing. However, this is all just speculation, with the only known fact being that Chad will die.
My Old Ass Is About Elliot's Journey Of Self-Discovery
She Has To Learn A Lot About Herself
My Old Ass is a coming-of-age movie, with the film being all about Elliot's journey of self-discovery. The movie takes place in the lead-up to Elliot leaving home and going to college, with her having to find herself before she leaves her family. She literally finds herself in the form of Audrey Plaza's futuristic take on the character, with old Elliot serving as a thematic bond to Elliot. Through old Elliot, Elliot learns more about who she is, coming to terms with the person who she will become.
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Much of the self-discovery that Elliot has to do is concerned with her sexuality. Despite saying that she is a lesbian throughout My Old Ass, Elliot ends up starting a relationship with a man, something that leads to a lot of stress in Elliot's mind. Eventually, Elliot learns that she should not constrain who she is in order to fit into a label, something that is discovered through a conversation with her friend.
The Real Meaning Of My Old Ass' Ending
The Film Asks If Loss Is Worth It
My Old Ass has a lot of themes and lingering questions, but the central dramatic argument of the film is that love for a short time can be worth a lifetime of sadness. Despite knowing that Chad will die one day, something that Elliot knows will hurt her for life, Elliot decides to stay with him anyway. Elliot knows that all good things must come to an end, but she sees her love for Chad as so good that it is worth struggling with his loss for the rest of her life. This is what makes Elliot's character arc so beautiful in My Old Ass, leading to the film's bittersweet ending.
My Old Ass is a 2024 comedy film written and directed by Megan Park. When Elliot Labrant has a strange encounter with her future self, warning her to avoid falling in love. Despite her best efforts, however, love remains on the table when the boy her future self warns her about enters the picture in the present day.
Director Megan Park
Release Date January 20, 2024
Studio(s) Indian Paintbrush , LuckyChap Entertainment , Scythia Films
Writers Megan Park
Runtime 88 Minutes
English (US) ·