In her decades-long career, charming June Squibb has guested on Glee and Shameless, been nominated for an Oscar for her performance in 2013’s black-and-white Nebraska, and even voiced characters in animated projects including Toy Story 4 and Soul. One thing Squibb has never done until now: led her own feature. Thelma gives the aged actress a veritable showcase of her quirky talents, serving as a love letter to Squibb as a performer. Similar to 2020’s underrated Udo Kier dramedy Swan Song, Thelma places its focal point around the unsung lead, slipping in and out of meaningful moments centered by comedic underpinnings.
Ninety-three-year-old Thelma (Squibb) remains so technology-stunted that she does not even know how to “scroll,” let alone whatever an inbox is. Aided by her aimless grandson, Danny (Fred Hechinger, The White Lotus, Netflix’s Fear Street Trilogy), Thelma learns how to play computer games and watch online videos. It is all very adorable—Thelma may be burdened by an intensive daily drug regimen, but she still embraces her current situation with a good attitude. An early scene where Thelma removes her hearing aides one by one as sound mutes puts emphasis on her weakening, vulnerable nature.
The impetus of the plot revolves around Thelma’s gullibility, or at least being taken advantage of as an elder. A scammer calls claiming to be her grandson, now in jail. In order to free him, she will need to send funds by mail. The only catch: the caller, obviously, is not actually Danny. Thelma unknowingly gives away everything. By the time she hears back from her worried daughter (Parker Posey, Scream 3, Best in Show), it is already too late.
Now, Thelma makes it her life’s goal to track down the scammers, to take it all back and then some! Squibb has a blast in this type of role, embracing her age in ways that few actors seem capable of. This includes a heart-wrenching scene focused on amnesia. Even if she has to go behind her family’s back, Thelma will take down the awful people who stole all she had. Using Danny to kickstart her journey, Thelma recruits an old friend (Robert Roundtree, Heroes, Se7en) from a nursing home. Whether zooming down the hallways in a scooter-chase or a hilariously badass confrontation with Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange, Rob Zombie’s Halloween), Squibb enlivens every sequence of Thelma with her zippy, frequently laugh-out-loud performance.
Writer/director Josh Margolin brilliantly juxtaposes the aimlessness of Thelma’s existence against that of her grandson Danny. Both characters lack a direction at their particular intersections in life, feeling almost lost. Thelma’s friends have mostly passed on; those that remain are almost entirely incapacitated. On the other hand, Danny feels “stuck,” freshly separated from his girlfriend, and without many job prospects. Thelma uniquely explores that parallel, universal feeling of emptiness embodied at any age. For the young and the young at heart, June Squibb’s Thelma will leave audiences with a hopeful viewpoint.
Thelma debuted at 2024’s Sundance Film Festival.
I would love to see this movie. How do I see it. I’m currently the primary care taker of my 82 year old mom and a dear friend who is 87 years old . We are all very intrigued by the movie. Please LMK how to see it on my television or laptop.
You can buy a virtual ticket on the Sundance website!