Thelma (12A)

Thelma Post is a 93-year-old widow, who lives alone in the home she shared, until recently, with her late husband. Grandson Danny dotes on her and swats away suggestions from his parents that the time has come to relocate Thelma to an assisted living facility. Their fears deepen after Thelma is duped out of 10,000 US dollars by a pair of callous phone scammers, Thelma draws inspiration from Tom Cruise to embark on her own mission: impossible to track down the scammers.

LondonNet Film Review

Thelma (12A) Film Review from LondonNet

I desperately miss my grandparents, who seemed indestructible from my rose-tinted vantage point as a child, and often get misty-eyed reminiscing about the comfort they brought to my early years. First-time writer-director Josh Margolin embraces the same feelings in a warm-hearted caper inspired by his relationship with his grandmother Thelma (103 years old and still fabulous judging by delightful home video footage snuck into the end credits)…

At the film’s beating heart is the touching bond between a feisty 93-year-old widow (June Squibb) and her aimless 24-year-old grandson (Fred Hechinger), who clearly cherishes every moment spent together. “I didn’t expect to get so old,” she observes. “I’m glad you did,” he tenderly responds. Their relationship provides Margolin’s picture with a flurry of emotional wallops that left me crying uncontrollably through repeated, hearty chuckles.

On screen, the title character marvels at Tom Cruise’s daredevil heroics in Mission: Impossible – Fallout on her TV and 94-year-old Oscar-nominated actress Squibb performs many of her own stunts with twinkly-eyed gusto. She is a boundless delight and catalyses a sparkling double-act with Shaft actor Richard Roundtree, who died in 2023. Thelma is his final screen performance. Margolin deftly navigates tricky subject matter concerning age and assisted living with a veneer of sweet humour to make the bitter pills easier to swallow.

Thelma Post (Squibb) lives alone in the home she shared, until recently, with her late husband. Grandson Danny (Hechinger) dotes on her and implores her to wear a medical alert bracelet connected to his mobile ’phone. “If I fall, I’m toast,” Thelma tells him. “That’s why I don’t fall.” Danny introduces his grandmother to the internet and attempts to swat away suggestions from his parents (Parker Posey, Clark Gregg) that the time has come to relocate Thelma to an assisted living facility.

Their fears deepen after Thelma is duped out of 10,000 US dollars by a pair of callous phone scammers (Malcolm McDowell, Aidan Fiske) pretending to be Danny. Unwilling to surrender her independence, Thelma embarks on her own mission: impossible to track down the scammers with the help of good friend Ben (Roundtree). A bright red, two-person electric scooter is the dynamic duo’s chariot for the impromptu, hare-brained enterprise. For protection, Thelma borrows a handgun but confides to Ben that she has never fired a weapon. “How hard can it be?” she quips. “Idiots use them all the time!”

Thelma is an effortlessly endearing comedy focused on richly detailed characters, who would usually be consigned to the background by virtue of their advanced years. Squibb is utterly irresistible and perfectly captures her unlikely action hero’s steely resolve and vulnerability. Margolin elevates each beautifully scripted scene: Thelma’s first solo attempt at online banking is staged as a pulse-quickening heist worthy of Ocean’s Eleven. Thelma stole my heart.

– Jo Planter