Summary

Thelma is a delightful, charming, and funny film about a 93-year-old woman who takes matters into her own hands after being scammed. The film explores themes of independence, control, and the refusal to accept help in a relatable and heartwarming way. June Squibb delivers an excellent performance, capturing the feisty spirit of the character and elevating the fun and lighthearted nature of the film.

There aren’t enough movies about older people, their inner lives and the late-stage journeys they go on, but Thelma is a prime example of why there should be more of them. Starring the inimitable June Squibb as the title character, the film, written and directed by Josh Margolin, is delightful, charming, and quite funny. When 93-year-old Thelma is scammed out of her money, she decides to do something about it, and the result is a road trip-esque film with lots of heart and meaning to spare.

Thelma Prioritizes Its Characters To Deliver A Fun Adventure
Thelma is a 2024 comedy film written and directed by Josh Margolin. Thelma Post finds herself duped out of money and more when a scam caller pretends to be her grandson. Unwilling to sit back and let herself be a victim, she sets off into the city to find the perpetrator and take back what is hers. ProsThelma balances a heartfelt personal journey with great comedy The film is charming and well-paced June Squibb is perfect as Thelma

Margolin’s film is irresistible. From the very first scene, which showcases Thelma attempting to learn a thing or two about computers from her 20-something grandson (Fred Hechinger), the film captures our attention and keeps it. Squibb’s Thelma is tough but also stubborn about maintaining her independence, despite her daughter (Parker Posey) and son-in-law (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. actor Clark Gregg) wanting to move her to assisted living, so she won’t be alone. Her journey is one that is relatable, especially in its exploration of exerting control for someone’s own good.

Thelma’s story mirrors her grandson’s, who’s feeling stuck, useless and aimless, with his parents constantly admonishing him for doing (or not doing) something that is expected of him. Of course, he’s only at the start of his life while Thelma is nearing the end of hers, but their disparate stories tie together quite nicely, and it’s only strengthened by his and Thelma’s sweet, tender relationship, especially as they’re both in contention with Posey and Gregg’s characters at various points. Thelma examines her refusal to accept help, and the idea her life isn’t necessarily over just because she’s older in age.

Thelma is a breath of fresh air, a crowd-pleasing film that knows exactly what it is and what it’s trying to accomplish.

The film leans into its sense of humor — Thelma herself is fiery and sometimes unintentionally funny. Her relationship with her longtime friend (the late, great Richard Roundtree) is especially snarky yet lovely and deeply honest; it’s why she avoids him so much despite him joining her on her adventure. They make a fabulous pair and provide the film with some of its best, most enjoyable moments. The end will leave you cheering them on, and there are several clever uses of hearing aids.

June Squibb Leads Thelma With Spirit & Heart

Squibb is truly excellent here. She’s frustrated and weary, capable and sassy, but never sulky. The actress imbues Thelma with determination above all, and her performance grounds the story as we’re taken on her escapade. Squibb brings a lot of life to the film, capturing the delicate line between asking for help and losing one’s independence. She’s got so much gumption and Thelma is all the better for it.

Her portrayal elevates an already fun, lighthearted film that can be thrilling in its sense of adventure. No one’s jumping out of a plane or doing some wild stunt, but watching Thelma and Roundtree’s Halpern attempt to find the scammer and escape Thelma’s family is no less exciting. The script doesn’t linger on things longer than it should, and it makes its point without overexplaining. It’s heartfelt and goes at a breezy pace, and everyone in the cast is clearly enjoying themselves.

There aren’t many films that can capture a character’s feisty spirit while still contending with the struggles and feelings of growing older. To that end, Thelma is a breath of fresh air, a crowd-pleasing film that knows exactly what it is and what it’s trying to accomplish. It does so with style and grace. Squibb is also firing on all cylinders and the role is perfect for the award-winning actress, showcasing various sides to her in a comedic, grounded film that wears its heart on its sleeve and allows us to have as much a good time as its characters.

Thelma premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.

Thelma (2024) Release Date January 18, 2024 Director Josh Margolin Cast June Squibb , Fred Hechinger , Richard Roundtree , Parker Posey , Clark Gregg , Malcolm McDowell Runtime 97 Minutes Writers Josh Margolin Studio(s) Zurich Avenue , Invention Studios , Bandwagon