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Have you ever wondered a Mission: Impossible film What would it be like if it centered on a 93-year-old grandmother? If so, you’re in luck! Thelma Here to answer this strange query for you. The answer is: frankly exhilarating.

Following in the footsteps of action comedies such as sports parodies Shaolin Football The student robbery flick Bad genius, Thelma It handles its low stakes with tongue-in-cheek intensity. The action sequences – such as chasing a moving scooter around a retirement home – are less unnerving and more rib-tickling. Remarkably, the joke is never on the old people at the heart of the film.

Thelma Inspired by a true story – sort of.

John Squibb and Fred Hechinger in "Thelma."

June Squibb and Fred Hechinger play grandmother and grandson in “Thelma.”
Credit: David Bolin

Written and directed by Josh Margolin, Thelma Stars Academy Award nominee June Squibb (nebraska) as a precocious widower who is “a little wobbly” but “very determined… a tough cookie.” So, for some Scammers He tricked her out of thousands by pretending to be her beloved grandson Daniel (Fear StreetFred Hechinger is desperate for bail money, and Thelma isn’t going to sit back and take it.

Daughter of Thelma Gale (Parker Posey) and his brother-in-law Alan (Clark Gregg) are relieved that no one was hurt, and the police simply shrug their shoulders when Thelma reports the scam. Daniel deals with his own problems, such as a breakup and his parents’ suffocating attention. So, Thelma recruits her reluctant boyfriend Ben (The slotRichard Roundtree In his final film performance) to help her track down the scammers and get her money back!

Incredibly, Margolin drew from personal inspiration to craft this tale. In real life, his beloved grandmother is a sharp lady who was scammed over the phone Scammers Exploiting her love for her family. Disturbed that some strange people might take advantage of Thelma, Marjolein imagines a scenario in Hollywood where she can have her happy ending—and the con man is merely his confection. While the resulting film takes many liberties with the truth, Marjolaine’s love for his grandmother shines through in how it portrays its older heroine.

June Squibb and Richard Roundtree are a dynamic duo.

Too often, older people are portrayed in movies as tragic, dotted, or definitely past their prime. Thelma He rejects this age trope (see also: Swan song And Grumpy old men), portrays the novel’s eponymous heroine as a vibrant woman who values ​​her independence, and hates the discomfort caused by her MedicAlert Bracelet, a good action movie by Tom Cruise is appreciated. “All her friends are dead,” but she advises her doting grandson Daniel to be like Tom Cruise and “always stand on your feet.”

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Through an informal but comedic introduction to this intergenerational hangout, Margolin gives us a good sense of who Thelma is on an ordinary day. But once she receives that twisted call, we see a new and exciting side of her as she travels across Los Angeles searching for scammers – mobility issues! Utilizing the classic good cop/bad cop dynamic, Thelma breaks the rules while her old friend Ben (Roundtree) is a bookish man, happily spending his days in a retirement community. That is until Thelma pushes him into action.

Squibb and Roundtree share such a warm chemistry that it’s as if they’ve known each other for decades. She’s the feisty grandma so familiar that I admit I cried missing my own. (Monica was quite Thelma.) He’s a man who’s earned his retirement, but age hasn’t robbed him of either sass or kindness. Together, they deliver comedic, low-stakes action scenes, like the showdown with the iconic Malcolm McDowell, that are as surprising and exciting as they are funny. Amid this senior action, there are great lines, like Thelma’s insistence that she can figure out how to use a stolen gun: “How hard can it be? Stupid people use it all the time!”

Thelma It is a story of the underdogs coming out on top.

Parker Posey, Fred Hechinger, and Clark Gregg V "Thelma."

Parker Posey, Fred Hechinger and Clark Gregg in “Thelma.”
Credit: David Bolin

Like the classic Shel Silverstein poem The little boy and the old man, Thelma It presents the plight of the elderly and the young as parallel. At the beginning of the film, both Thelma and 24-year-old Daniel are belittled by Gail and Alan, whose pampering – though well-intentioned – can feel condescending. They both feel unsure of what the next chapter might offer. But he is inspired by Tom Cruise and his determination to do what he wants Mission: Impossible Thrillingly, Thelma and Daniel find that they can become their own heroes.

Hechinger’s crooked smile held a malice that matched the Squibb’s stern glare perfectly. They are kindred spirits on a reckless adventure. Margolin’s film elegantly and warmly reminds us that age is just a number, as evidenced by how these two see each other across generational barriers. It’s heartwarming, seeing these characters reinvent themselves while supporting each other is good for the soul.

in the end, Thelma He laughs at the absurdity of aging, not the elderly. While there are jokes about aging and the infirmities that come with aging, Thelma and her friends are not the subject of their interest. We all are. There’s a comforting relationship in knowing the obstacles they face, which never turn somber; The film’s tone is fluid, and the color palette is soft and inviting. These heroes may fall, but like Tom Cruise, they will rise again, and perhaps inspire us as they rise. Backed by some fun action tropes, including twists, chases, gunplay, and even an explosion, Thelma It’s more than just charming fun. It’s a real thrill.

Thelma Opens nationwide on June 21.

Updated: June 20, 2024, 5:45 PM EST “Thelma” out of the 2024 Sundance Film Festival was reviewed in this article published in January 2024. The review has been updated to include information about its theatrical release.

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