Movie Review: 'Thelma' Starring June Squibb

Thelma (2024)

Directed by Josh Margolin

Written by Josh Margolin

Starring June Squibb, Richard Roundtree, Fred Hechinger, Parker Posey, Clark Gregg

Release Date June 21st

Published June 25th, 2024

Thelma stars June Squibb as our title character, a loving, supportive grandmother living alone in a Los Angeles suburb. Thelma lost her beloved husband of more than 60 years just two years prior to the start of this story. It's the first time in her life that she has lived alone and she's started to enjoy the independence, even at the age of 93. Her main lifeline is her grandson, Daniel (Fred Hechinger), who visits regularly and takes her places she needs to go. He's also teaching her to use the internet, though she has little use for that.

The plot of Thelma kicks in when Thelma receives a call from Daniel. He's been in an accident and needs her help. The call is cut off and a man claiming to be a Police Officer tells Thelma that to get Daniel out of jail and cared for safely, she must mail $10,000 dollars to a P.O Box in Van Nuys. When she can't get in touch with Daniel, she assumes that the call was real, it did sound like Daniel on the phone, so Thelma gathers up the money hidden around her home and mails it off, all while talking to her daughter, Gail (Parker Posey), and her son-in-law, Alan (Clark Gregg) who are so overcome with worry that they don't even ask about the money.

Sadly, after Gail has mailed the money, Daniel finally wakes up and answers his phone. He's been home this whole time, asleep, and missed half a dozen calls from the various members of his frantic family. Thelma has been scammed out of her money and now, her family is wondering if she's capable of living on her own. In an effort to prove her independence, Thelma hatches a plan. She will travel to Van Nuys, find the P.O Box, stake it out to find the person who owns it, follow them, and get her money back. All of which will serve to prove she can still take care of herself.

But first, she needs a ride. It can't be Daniel. He's one of the people she must convince that she can take care of herself. Thus, after finding out that many of her friends have passed away, Thelma turns to Ben (Richard Roundtree), a long time family friend now living in a nursing home. Ben doesn't have a car but he does have a fancy scooter capable of getting her across town. Whether Ben wants to go or not, Thelma is taking that scooter, she's going to Van Nuys, and she's getting her money back one way or another.

When I first heard about Thelma I assumed it was going to be one of those movies that exploits the elderly for laughs at their expense. There are plenty of examples of movies that assume audiences will laugh because an elderly person is doing something that only a younger person should be doing. There are plenty of bad movies that show elderly people doing young people things and that is the only joke, their old. It's hacky and irksome, and I was worried that Thelma was going to travel that road. Thankfully, Writer-director Josh Margolin is slightly above that idea of humor.

The film's script does still trade on some notions of its funny because old, but the film has a few more clever ideas up its sleeve. One of those ideas is filming mundane scenes as if they are part of a fast paced thriller. One scene finds Thelma wanting a gun to take with her. Not having a gun, she and Ben visit an old friend who still has her husband's old six shooter. This woman also lives alone but never leaves the house. With quick cuts and a propulsive film score, Margolin places June Squibb in an action scene that is simply her getting up some stairs, climbing on a bed, getting a box and getting back down the stairs with the gun, all while Ben distracts their friend who doesn't need much distraction, she doesn't have many visitors and seems to enjoy the company.

This motif is used at least three times in Thelma and each time made me laugh and smile. That's due to the terrific editing and pacing of the scenes but also due to these actions being performed by the endlessly charming June Squibb. An MVP of elderly actors, Squibb has been a standout when working with director Alexander Payne on About Schmidt and Nebraska where her funny, rambunctious and uncompromising performance earned her a much deserved Academy Award nomination. She brings that same energy and will to Thelma but with a slightly more gentle edge than the more sour and practical performance in Nebraska. It works remarkably as Squibb is just wonderful. You can't help but root for her. We never laugh at Thelma as Squibb plays her, only with her.

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