THELMA
TWO AND A HALF STARS Thelma has been scammed, and now she's out for revenge.
COMEDY US English #THELMA
Starring June Squibb, Fred Hechinger
THELMA is much less the nonagenarian action film it bills itself as than a warm hug from, and to, an elderly relative. There’s nothing wrong with that of course, but don’t be expecting a guns blazing episode of The Golden Girls. While writer-director Josh Margolin’s film, inspired by his 103 (and counting) year old grandma, does cosy up to the idea of revenge, THELMA is a much cosier outing than, say, BAD GRANDMAS.
93 year old Thelma (NEBRASKA’s scene-stealing, 93 year old June Squibb) is very close to her doting and somewhat dopey grandson Daniel (Fred Hechinger). She keeps an eye on him and he helps with the unfamiliar - computers and email mostly. When she gets a panicked call from him asking to transfer $10,000 to his account, naturally she does. But of course it’s not Daniel, it’s a scam and the embarrassment prompts Thelma, with a wink to Mission: Impossible, to steal an electric scooter and get her money back.
Cute idea which only requires a little suspension of disbelief. After all, Thelma makes it clear that she doesn’t need help from Daniel or her prickly daughter (Parker Posey) to sort out the bad guys. She’s already had breast cancer, a valve replacement, a hip replacement and a brain tumour: she knows danger but she also knows it’s game over if she falls.
Margolin doesn’t stretch reality very far for this quite cheery tale about a headstrong woman who takes matters into her own hands. There are some minor hijinks along the way and a showdown with the scam artist (Malcolm McDowell), although he becomes an object of pity by the time she’s sorted him out. Mostly though, THELMA is a valentine to older women in general and Margolin's own grandma in particular.
And that’s part of the problem. He shows such affection and has achieved such a light tone that THEMLA skips across the surface of old age without really attempting to address any of the issues. Notable is how, once scammed, Thelma’s family don't rally around to have The Conversation about ‘what to do with Grandma?’. If the story is happening in the real world, it needs to address real world issues and by avoiding them we get more Grace & Frankie, less NEBRASKA and that feels like a missed opportunity.
All the same, THELMA is an engaging film that certainly has its moments thanks largely to Squibb who brings a charm and integrity rarely seen in stories like this. If only Margolin had been as brave as his subject, the deep love and respect shown for Thelma (from either side of the camera) would have brought more weight, more meaning and much warmer hug.
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