by Tabatha Golat –
When I stepped into the theatre to watch this month’s film recommendation, Thelma, I was pleasantly surprised by the sea of white and silver-grey hair. It’s rare to see a film starring a 93-year-old woman that so perfectly portrays the reality of aging, and the audience reflected that demographic. Watching a film alongside octogenarians, about the experiences of their peers, was an absolute delight. Thelma is a beautifully directed comedy for the ages. Whether you are a grandchild, a parent dealing with an aging loved one, or of a certain age yourself, this film will undoubtedly resonate.
Written, directed and edited by Josh Margolin in his feature film debut, Thelma tells the story of 93-year-old Thelma (June Squibb), a headstrong grandmother who gets scammed over the phone out of $10,000 and goes on a mission to get her money back, stealing a scooter and gun in the process. The film opens with a simple scene between Thelma and her grandson Daniel (Fred Hechinger), which sets the stage for their relationship. Daniel cares deeply for his aging grandmother and worries about her safety living alone, while Thelma is fiercely independent and cherishes her autonomy. When Thelma receives a frantic phone call she believes is from Daniel, she’s informed by his “lawyer” that she must send $10,000 cash in the mail or Daniel will be kept in jail. Thelma attempts to contact her busy family, but they’re either working or sleeping, so she gathers the money and sends it via post. When she realizes it was a scam, she’s embarrassed and determined to reclaim her money. Meanwhile, Daniel and his overbearing parents (Parker Posey and Clark Gregg) debate whether Thelma needs assisted living support.
Thelma tricks Daniel into taking her to visit her friend Ben (Richard Roundtree) with plans to borrow his scooter and locate her money. When Ben refuses to loan his scooter, she tries to steal it in a slow-paced Mission Impossible-style showdown. Ben eventually relents and joins Thelma on her adventure. The two of them cruise down the sidewalks on a mission for retribution. The film offers a hilarious and heartwarming take on autonomy, aging and familial relationships. Thelma triumphs – both the film and the character.
At the time of writing, Thelma is available in select theatres (Star Cinema in Sidney, The Vic Theatre in Victoria) and is a great watch for all! For a list of more heartwarming family films, check out the recommendations below:
1) Beginners, Apple TV
2) Dan In Real Life, Amazon
3) The Way Way Back, Amazon
4) Away We Go, Apple TV
