Yes, it’s usually worth trying. Old exposed film can still produce images, but age may reduce quality and make the film more fragile.

If the rolls may contain important photos, avoid a one-hour mini-lab. A specialist film lab is a safer choice, since they’re more likely to handle older film carefully and have better process control. If possible, ask for gentle handling rather than automated high-speed processing.

For black-and-white film specifically, careful hand processing is often preferred. A dilute developer and longer development can help control contrast and improve the chances of getting usable negatives from aged film.

So the practical advice is:

• develop it rather than discard it
• use a reputable film lab, not a quick one-hour lab
• tell them the film is exposed, at least 10 years old, and may be fragile
• if it’s black-and-white and important, consider a lab or person experienced in hand processing old film