They say aging isn’t for the faint of heart.

93-year-old Thelma Post (June Squibb) knows that all too well. Her days are spent trying to placate her anxious and overbearing daughter and son-and-law (Parker Posey and Clark Gregg), assuring them of her ability to stay independent and live in her own house. Her grandson Danny (Fred Hechinger) worries about her as well, but he’s also a kindred spirit. At 24 and struggling to find a job or purpose, he too feels the weight of his parent’s concerns that he’s unable to do anything for himself. 

When Thelma is tricked by a phone scammer out of $10,000, she’s embarrassed, and her family worries she might be losing it. But Thelma, inspired by movies like Mission Impossible, hatches a scheme to go get the money back. 

Turns out being an action hero isn’t for the faint of heart, either.

I’ll just go out and say it: this is my favorite film of 2024 so far. No reason to beat around the bush. Thelma is an absolute delight from start to finish, and I think you should see it. 

June Squibb carries the film effortlessly. It is wonderful (and infuriating) that she gets this kind of a lead role for the first time in her 90s. Thelma is multidimensional: funny without being the joke, stubborn without being a caricature, grandmotherly while still feeling distinct. We rarely get to see wrinkles on the big screen, let alone have a main character who is elderly (and is allowed to look her age), and even less so who are protagonists, active agents in a story that embraces the complexities of aging while also telling a story beyond just that fact. 

Thelma is also an ode to intergenerational friendships, as Danny and Thelma’s bond is the emotional core of the film. They graciously learn from each other and push each other in ways that are so much more interesting than the stereotypical “old people need help with technology and young people need common sense!” (although there is certainly a bit of that). They both feel trapped and overly-coddled. They both are navigating an increasingly hostile world. Could this movie singlehandedly repair the rift that “Ok, Boomer” has created between the Greatest Generation and Gen Z? (Probably not, but one can dream!) I was very impressed with Fred Hechinger’s performance, as he is able to play out Danny’s character arc without ever drawing attention away from Squibb, and plays off of all of the adult actors beautifully. 

The other great dynamic of the film (although Posey and Gregg are definitely a close runner-up) is between Thelma and Ben (Richard Roundtree), an old friend that Thelma’s not even particularly fond of, until she needs to steal his motorscooter for her quest. He ends up accompanying her, and they develop a witty-yet-tender rapport. This was Roundtree’s last performance, following his death last year, and it’s a role he performs with fitting nobility and gravitas. 

Beyond the performances and story, the other best thing about Thelma is how the movie plays with action movie cliches in ways that I don’t want to spoil, but I’ll say that they are all very clever, and it is rewarding whether you enjoy that genre and catch all the jokes or not. These moments never turn the movie into a parody or spoof, they just add some nice texture and pizzazz. 

Thelma is funny, a tight 90-minutes, has a phenomenal ensemble, and offers thoughtful reflections on aging and family. You won’t want to miss it. 

-Madeleine D.