Thelma
A movie review by Alex First
A larger-than-life, quirky comedy, Thelma was inspired by writer and director Josh Margolin’s 103-year-old grandmother, who he says refuses to die.
In the first starring film role of her career, 94-year-old American actress June Squibb (Nebraska) plays strong-willed Thelma, 93, whose husband passed two years earlier.
She lives alone in a neat and tidy home in Los Angeles, doted on by her anxious 24-year-old grandson Daniel (Fred Hechinger), who is forever checking in on her.
He is yet to find his true calling in life and is taking a break from his on-again, off-again girlfriend Allie (Coral Pena).
Thelma has survived her fair share of medical challenges, including breast cancer and a brain tumour, but remains upbeat.
When we first meet her, Daniel is teaching her how to use the internet.
Next thing you know, she is subjected to a phone scam, at the hands of someone who purports to be a deeply distressed Daniel.
She falls for it and ends up mailing and losing $10,000 to the scammers.
The police can’t do anything and the family is just grateful she wasn’t hurt.
When Thelma overhears her highly-strung daughter (Parker Posey) and son-in-law (Clark Gregg) discussing her mental health, she takes matters into her own hands.
With the reluctant help of an old friend, Ben (Richard Roundtree), whose wife died five years ago and who lives in a retirement home, she plots to get back her money.
So it is that she and Ben take off on his red, two-seater electric mobility scooter to track down and confront the scammers.
As you can imagine, Daniel, her daughter Gail, and son-in-law Alan are beside themselves, not knowing where Thelma is or what she is up to.
You can call Thelma an action comedy involving a nonagenarian and you wouldn’t be wrong. Squibb does many of her own stunts.
There is vulnerability and resilience in her role, with a glint in her eyes.
With the focus very much on Squibb, she is impressive.
Notwithstanding the manufactured quality of the movie (you can see early on that it is played for laughs), the characters are well-drawn.
Parker Posey deliberately goes over the top in her representation of the daughter, while Clark Gregg isn’t far behind her.
There is a warmth and charm about Fred Hechinger as the layabout Daniel, with a heart of gold who is still trying to find himself.
If anything, Ben is the most even-handed and together. Richard Rountree has an air of invincibility about him.
With an unmistakable fairy tale quality to it, Thelma should particularly find favour among the third generation.
Rated M, it scores a 7 out of 10. 98mins
