Sundance 2024: June Squibb is at Her Best in Revenge Tale ‘Thelma’

Sundance 2024: June Squibb is at Her Best in Revenge Tale ‘Thelma’

by Alex Billington
January 18, 2024

If there was ever a perfect role tailor made for the tremendously talented actress June Squibb, this would be it. Most have come to know her in the last few years following her unforgettable appearance in Alexander Payne’s Nebraska in 2013. But her acting career goes back decades. Remarkably, this is her first ever lead role in any film, and it’s worth the wait. This film is all that I was hoping it might be – a Sundance crowd-pleaser that anyone should be able to enjoy. Thelma is a hilarious, heartfelt, easy-to-watch flick about an elderly woman getting revenge on scammers. It’s as simple as that! Though, of course, there is much more going on in it, exploring with great humility everything that comes with growing old, growing frail, and the loneliness that strikes when everyone you knew has passed away. There isn’t a moment of this film that isn’t enjoyable and wholesome, bolstered by June Squibb at her very best in another unforgettable performance.

Thelma is both written and directed by filmmaker Josh Margolin, making his feature directorial debut with this. It’s basically Mission Impossible if it it starred June Squibb instead of Tom Cruise and her mission was to hunt down and eradicate the scammers who stole her money. Inspired by Margolin’s own real-life grandma, it’s a jovial little story about a grandma getting back at those mean people who are trying to take advantage of the elderly. These kind of elderly scams are becoming increasingly common in real life, so of course it’s inspiration for Hollywood scripts – Jason Statham’s action movie The Beekeeper is also literally about a former CIA special ops assassin dude who goes out to get brutal revenge when scammers steal the money from a friend of his. That movie is as cheesy as they come, while this movie (Thelma) is much more authentic and amusing. It will be hard for anyone to ever top this cinematic version of the scammer revenge story, especially with the discovery of who the scammer is. Much like the film Emily the Criminal, there’s an important relevance to making films about scams, specifically about the people that get wrapped up in them.

The film has a fanciful, whimsical, amusing independent film vibe that reminds me of other festival favorites that deal with petty crime like Emily the Criminal and The Old Man and the Gun. The sweetest part about it, though, is the film’s portrayal of such a warm, wholesome connection between Thelma and her grandson, played with just the right amount of charm by Fred Hechinger. I loved seeing their relationship portrayed so sincerely on screen. I miss my grandmas, too! They were the best. (And my grandpa as well, love them so much.) Thelma’s daughter, played by Parker Posey, doesn’t get that involved which is actually an honest depiction of how adults are at this point dealing with their elderly parents. Her grandson is the one that has the strongest connection with her. There’s also a delightful appearance by the great Richard Roundtree, in what seems to be his final role (sadly he passed away in October 2023). He is one of Thelma’s friends that accompanies her, unwittingly, on her revenge tour around town and the two make such great pals. I wish I could watch a fun buddy comedy action series following their misadventures – ala The Naked Gun: Thelma.

What I find most fascinating about this film is its potential to have a different impact on viewers of different ages. I viewed it primarily from the perspective of the grandson, that’s who I connect with the most at my age. However, I expect that everyone will connect uniquely with many of the characters, and have distinct feelings about Thelma’s story and what happens. Those who are getting older may find it a bit unnerving as a glimpse at what’s to come in just a few years. Margolin doesn’t hold back in portraying the fragility of the elderly, with one rather unsettling scene that may seem out of place. Though I would argue it’s an important part of the film, staying true to the character, but also staying true to how it honestly deals with being 93-years-old and all that comes with it. Most of all, this really is June Squibb completely owning this role and showing us she absolutely can carry an entire film, even in her 90s. She deserves all of our admiration and appreciation. Our sweet, old revenge hero, getting back at the world while never losing her grandma charm.

Alex’s Sundance 2024 Rating: 8.5 out of 10
Follow Alex on Twitter – @firstshowing / Or Letterboxd – @firstshowing

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