“Thelma” Review: 94-Year Old June Squibb Is Ready for Revenge in an Empowering Romp
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'Thelma' is in theaters now
Magnolia Pictures
Richard Roundtree and June Squibb in 'Thelma'“Old age ain’t no place for sissies,” Bette Davis was known to say.
Good thing 93-year-old Thelma (an indefatigable June Squibb) is no softie. In a moment of confusion, the senior falls prey to an anonymous phone scammer and forks over $10,000 thinking her grandson Danny (The White Lotus’s Fred Hechinger) is in trouble.
When Thelma learns she’s been duped, the widow takes inspiration from a certain Tom Cruise action franchise and circumvents police and her own overprotective family (Parker Posey and Clark Gregg, hamming it up as Danny’s high-strung parents) to find the culprit at all costs.
Her ensuing adventure, involving a purloined motorized scooter, a reconnaissance expedition and a modest explosion, is more Mission: Improbable than Mission: Impossible.
Yes, the premise is completely far-fetched, but who cares? Seeing the twinkle in Squibb’s eye as her character concocts a plan to right the wrong will register with anyone who’s ever been underestimated or counted out.
David Bolen
June Squibb and Fred Hechinger in 'Thelma'Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
It’s a wonder why Hollywood took so long to put the charismatic Squibb, who’s 94 in real life, in a leading role on film. (It’s a first for the actress, who was nominated for an Oscar for her supporting turn in 2013’s Nebraska.)
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She’s funny and affecting in equal measure, and her scenes with Richard Roundtree, who plays Thelma’s subdued friend Ben, are all the more poignant since he died last year at age 81. Thelma is the Shaft star’s final film role.
“We’re old. Diminished,” Ben tells Thelma, trying to convince her to ask for help. Diminished? Not in the slightest.
Thelma is in theaters now.
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