Sweet Thelma has done nothing wrong, but when a scammer takes her money by pretending to be her grandson over the phone, now she must make things right, even if it means going against her family wishes. In a sense, it’s Mission Impossible Grandma style.
In her first leading role, June Squibb plays the feisty Thelma in what is sure to be one of her best roles yet. Squibb certainly has a sense of charm and comedic timing that will have you laughing and cheering on this little old lady. She has a unique way of portraying her frustration with technology as quite a few people in that generation struggle.
There’s also a bit of a sweetness to this film as we see a grandson truly invested in his grandmother’s life. It’s a uniqueness, that we don’t see too much anymore, and Fred Hechinger, who plays grandson Danny does a great job of portraying that rawness and sensitivity that is refreshing to see on the big screen. All in all the chemistry between both him and Squibb is seamless as any grandson should have with his grandma.
Also the film stars Richard Roundtree in his last on screen performances since passing away in 2023 It’s a performance to remember as his charm, compassion and of course comedic timing compliments that of Squibbs. He for sure went out with a bang as his final on screen performance.
All in all, Thelma is a movie that will have audiences rethinking how we treat our older family members. It reminds us that age truly is just a number and if one has the wlll power to get the mission done, well mission is accepted. The film came out in theaters, June 21st and is currently playing in limited theaters near you.