Thelma (2024) Review!!

Synopsis – When 93-year-old Thelma Post gets duped by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson, she sets out on a treacherous quest across the city to reclaim what was taken from her.

My Take – While it might seem like she has been around forever, it is hard to believe that June Squibb‘s first film role was in the Woody Allen directed romantic comedy Alice (1990) at the age of 62.

Since then, she has put together a remarkable career that includes several stage, television and films appearances, which include the likes of The Age of Innocence (1993), In & Out (1997), Meet Joe Black (1998), About Schmidt (2002), Far from Heaven (2002), and Blow the Man Down (2019). Even earning herself an Oscar nomination for her supporting role in Nebraska (2013).

However, what makes her latest appearance special is that at the age of 94, Squibb finally gets to play her first leading role, that too as the year’s least likely action hero, winning us over once again with her charm and determination.

Helmed by first-time writer-director-editor Josh Margolin, the film is a hilarious retelling of a true story of how his (currently) 105-year-old grandmother tracked down the men who scammed her and got her money back.

Working as a low-stakes mission casual caper, the resulting feature is quite entertaining and, quite fittingly, appropriate for most ages as it does a pretty good job in blending comedic and dramatic elements together into a narrative with good humor, fun characters and interesting dynamics.

Yes, it isn’t perfect, but stands as a testament to the boundless potential of June Squibb, who is phenomenal and heartbreaking at the same time here. And paired with Margolin‘s direction, the film successfully tackles themes of aging, agency, and family with such grace and authenticity that it manages to stand freshly apart from other action-comedy flicks.

The story follows Thelma Post (June Squibb), a 93-year-old who lives a comfortable senior life of computer games, pill box organizers, crocheting and the evening news at a Los Angeles condo. Widowed two years prior, she’s on the precipice of independence, one fall or forgotten keys away from full-time care.

Leaving her daughter Gail (Parker Posey), and son-in-law Alan (Clark Gregg), always scanning for signs of her decline; only her beloved grandson Danny (Fred Hechinger), a lost twenty something who is struggling with independence of a different variety, engages with her as a full person, though he too over-presumes her handicaps.

However, her contentment is thrown into disarray when she falls victim to a typical elder scam. A panicked voice on the phone pretending to be her grandson, calls from a prison cell; he needs $10,000 in cash to be bailed out. She sends the money to a P.O. Box, only to be informed that Danny is perfectly healthy and that she’s been duped.

But when the local police inform that they can’t help due to it being an analog scam, and her family brushes off the incident as a chaotic if funny indicator of her vulnerability, Thelma being the ever resourceful grandmother finds the address where she sent the cash and embarks on a stealth journey to retrieve it.

Joined by a kind-of-friend, Ben (Richard Roundtree), a stolen gun, and a two-seat scooter, Thelma is determined to prove that strong will knows no age.

Despite this being his debut, director Josh Margolin has a firm hand on the whimsical adventure as Thelma tracks down the crooks while keeping her dignity and avoiding the clichés of the old-folks drama. He gives her no heroic speeches but rather shows by using mostly her point of view a human being of sweet, even temper not ready to give in to the grim reaper.

We know she’s already had a brain tumor, sepsis, edema, hip replacement, double mastectomy, and valve replacement, but we also know she’s a survivor, leaving her family less able to handle her aging’s infirmity than she. After all, her spirit animal is the Mission: Impossible series.

Unlike what one would believe, this is not your typical action flick, instead of sending Thelma and Ben on chases sequences or action scenes, it finds ways to make the story tense by showing how dangerous this seemingly simple journey for Thelma can be. The film’s greatest strength lies in the film’s ability to balance humor with heartfelt moments.

The comedy aspect of the film arises naturally from the characters and situations, allowing the audience to laugh alongside Thelma rather than at her. This kind of inclusive approach to humor is what makes the film so endearing and relatable, Thelma’s antics are not just funny, but also a celebration of her agency and vitality, serving as a poignant reminder that life doesn’t stop at a certain age. One of my favorite scenes being the scooter chase in the nursing home. It is such a creative and entertaining sequence.

At its core, the film is about life in one’s very sunset years, something we don’t see nearly enough on screen. The experience of a fall is scary and devastating and potentially quest-ending; the process of getting on a bed genuinely fraught, which director Margolin, cinematographer David Bolen and sound designer Nathan Ruyle effectively and convincingly dress up in the visual and sonic language of an action flick.

Collecting the ten grand that is rightfully hers is about more than the money; it’s an extreme assertion of her independence in an increasingly dependent world. If you’ve been around defiant seniors, there’s no scene more familiar than the two or three times Thelma removes her medic-alert bracelet as soon as her family members are out of the picture.

Although minor, the weakest part of the unexpected action film is the very linear premise. There are no major twists or turns, and the highest point of the story feels a little anticlimactic. This should be taken with a grain of salt though because these don’t take away from the overall enjoyment of the story.

Performance wise, June Squibb brings in yet another humane turn that is both funny and commanding as you’d expect. In his final role, Richard Roundtree, who passed away in October 2023, leaves behind his incredible acting career with a character that is a warm, confident, and wise. The two share a very fun chemistry. Fred Hechinger brings in yet another charismatic and endearing that continues to prove he has a bright future ahead.

Parker Posey and Clark Gregg too seem to be having fun as well, though they’re saddled with fairly one dimensional roles. In smaller roles, Malcolm McDowell, Nicole Byer, Quinn Beswick, Coral Peña, Aidan Fiske and Bunny Levine are effective. On the whole, ‘Thelma’ is a delightful, winsome lighthearted caper that stands out as one of the most entertaining and heartfelt films in recent years.