Film Review – Thelma (2024)

The face is familiar, the name perhaps not so much. Nebraska to Sheldon’s beloved Meemaw in Big Bang Theory, ventures into new territory this week in Sundance hit, Thelma. At the tender age of 94 she’s in her first leading role – and playing a crime buster. Good things, they say, are worth waiting for.

Recently widowed and living in a condo, Thelma Post (Squibb) is determined to hold on to her independence. Stairs can be tricky, walks are kept very local and, with her daughter Gail (Parker Posey) and son-in-law Alan (Clark Gregg) keeping an overly-close eye on her for signs of decline, she’s thankful for a close relationship with grandson Danny (Fred Hechinger), the only one in the family who treats her like a full person. Her affection for him is ruthlessly exploited when she receives a phone call, seemingly from Danny in desperate need of $10,000, but she only realizes she’s the victim of a scam after she’s handed over the money. The police are no help, her family just see it as another instance of vulnerability, but Thelma has a point to prove. She wants her money back.

First-time director/writer Josh Margolin has based the story on his own grandmother – also called Thelma, but ten years older than Squibb – who we meet at the very end of the film. Almost the victim of a similar scam herself, you can’t help but suspect that she might have reacted in much the same way as her cinematic counterpart, had they got their hands on her money. As played by Squibb, she’s determined to the point of stubborn, resourceful and, despite needing Danny’s help to use a computer, is very much at home with her mobile phone. It’s an integral part of the film’s big running gag, a witty and genuinely funny riff on Mission Impossible, complete with more down to earth versions of the necessary gadgetry, a soundtrack reminiscent of the franchise and some slightly slower stunts.

There is a more serious side to the narrative, showing some of the compromises Thelma has to make in the face of age. The weekly pill tray, handwritten s and her need for a mobility scooter to take her further than round the corner. She’s not giving in, just finding a different way of doing things and it’s all handled with a light, affectionate touch, which makes both the character and film even more endearing. That scooter is also the basis for a road trip that partners her with Richard Rowntree in his last feature film, a double act with a gentle warmth all of its own, as well as a touch of wistful pathos.

Margolin’s balancing act doesn’t always work: there are times when the humour plods, but they are few. There’s no sentiment and the tone never comes anywhere near mocking or dismissive: instead he’s given us an affectionate, winning film which, for some, will bring on the prickle of tears. It almost goes without saying that the film belongs to Squibb, to the extent that you wonder where her Thelma ends and the real one begins. The final moments give you something of an idea, making them the perfect conclusion to a joyfully unmissable experience.

★★★★

In UK cinemas from 19 July / June Squibb, Richard Rowntree, Fred Hechinger, Parker Posey, Malcolm McDowell, Clark Gregg / Dir: Josh Margolin / Universal Studios / 12A