Thelma – Budget Unknown – 1 hour and 37 minutes
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Thelma spends quality time with her grandson, Daniel. She worries because he broke up with his girlfriend and can’t find motivation. Daniel’s concern for Thelma intensifies because she lives alone and refuses to wear her monitor. He gives her lessons about checking email before leaving. Then, Daniel pleads with Thelma to wear her monitor so he knows when she falls.
Thelma goes through her day when she gets a phone call from an unknown number. It’s Daniel saying he is in jail for hitting a pregnant woman with his car. Also, an officer will call her soon with instructions. As Daniel begs for help, the officer beeps in on the other line. Thelma switches over. The officer says Thelma needs to send $10,000 to an address via mail. Thelma hangs up and runs through the house, looking for hidden cash. She attempts to call Daniel, but the call doesn’t go through, solidifying her fears. She calls her daughter, Gail, but Gail’s phone is on silent while she works with patients. Next, Thelma tries to connect to her son-in-law, Alan, but he doesn’t pick up either. Thelma runs to the mailbox and drops the money inside.
Gail sees she has several missed calls from Thelma and calls her back. Gail panics over Daniel’s arrest and calls Alan. After several tries, Daniel finally picks up. He’s not in jail but asleep. The call was a scam. Gail, Alan, Daniel, and Thelma go to the police, but the police can’t do anything. Since Thelma dropped it in the mailbox, they can’t track it. And she doesn’t remember the address. Feeling defeated, Thelma and her family return to Thelma’s home. Thelma sits in her living room and overhears her family discussing her erratic behavior. Gail and Alan believe Thelma should move to an assisted living facility. Thelma takes out her hearing aid and cries. Later, Thelma wakes up and decides to get her money back. Thelma will prove she can live alone. She will need a scooter, gun, and friend.
Thelma is a grandma on a mission, a Mission: Impossible. As the audience watches Thelma hijack a scooter, stake out a post office box, and start an explosion, you believe she’s doing it for money. However, it’s to keep her independence. She quickly tells her life story after visiting her friends. One friend, Ben, is in assistant living and thriving. However, Thelma assumes he gave up after his wife died. And Thelma sees the downside of living alone when she and Ben visit another friend with a dirty house, lapses in memory, and bugs. Thelma insists on retrieving the money alone, but it becomes selfishness. Ben calls Thelma out on her behavior but won’t give up on her. He advocates for his facility and everything it offers. He demonstrates what he learned when Thelma reaches rock bottom. Your heart will ache during Thelma’s lows, but you will have a hearty laugh during her highs. Thelma is an honest and charming portrait of age and family. This film is for comedy and action fans with tenderness. You won’t desire to buy it but it’s worth seeing on the big screen. And don’t leave before the mid-credit scene.
I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars
If I fall, I’m toast. That’s why I don’t fall – Thelma
There is no good death – Alan
No, you’re not – Gail
You couldn’t. I have a titanium hip – Ben
Let’s come back to that – Daniel
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Categories: Clark Gregg, Fred Hechinger, In The Theater, June Squibb, Malcolm McDowell, movie, Parker Posey, review, Richard Roundtree, Thelma
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