Thelma Review: Delightful Comedic Action Movie

Streaming Movie Review - Hulu - Comedy/Action

The best parody movies are the ones that still manage to be good movies in their own right. One of last year's breakout hits, Josh Margolin’s Thelma, does that incredibly well. Yes, it is a spoof of a Mission: Impossible type movie, but it is a genuinely good action movie all on its own, and it’s streaming now on Hulu.

Thelma (June Squibb) is a 90-plus-year-old grandmother living on her own. Her aimless Gen Z grandson, Daniel (Fred Hechinger), comes over regularly to care for her regularly, so when she gets a call that Daniel was in an accident and he needs money to bail him out of jail, she immediately sends the money to the address that is provided. Her daughter Gail (Parker Posey) and son-in-law Alan (Clark Gregg) assure her that Daniel is fine, but it is too late. Thelma decides that she wants her money back, so she convinces her friend Ben (Richard Roundtree) to join her in bringing down the scammers who took her money.

June Squibb and Fred Hechinger in THELMA, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

Thelma is undoubtedly one of the most entertaining movies of last year. It is clearly intended to be a goof on an action film, but it does those sequences so well that it is a legitimately well-done action movie. There is a car chase sequence using scooters that rivals any chase sequences I saw last year, and the computer “hacking” scene is equal parts tense and hilarious. And somehow, amid all of the thrills and humor, there is a heartfelt story about aging and friendship.

The performances in this film are stellar across the board. This is Roundtree’s final time on screen, and his years of playing Shaft make him the perfect choice to play Thelma’s sidekick. Hechinger is wonderful, playing Daniel as a caring grandson who really just isn’t sure how to be an adult due in part to his overbearing parents, played brilliantly by Posey and Gregg. And, of course, 95-year-old June Squibb is utterly brilliant in the titular role. She is feisty and empathetic, completely belying her age in this phenomenal performance.

The primary story in Thelma is about our main character retrieving her stolen money. More importantly, it’s about finding community as you age and how that begins to look different as more of your peers pass away or are unable to communicate as effectively. Seeing the interplay of friends her age and her young grandson is truly beautiful.

Richard Roundtree and June Squibb in THELMA, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

Last year was an impressive year for older actors in Hollywood. Harrison Ford had an incredible turn on the television show Shrinking, and Ted Danson did on A Man on the Inside. Catherine O’Hara was fantastic in her reprisal of Delia Deetz in Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice. Aging is a natural part of life, and seeing actors in their 70s, 80s, and 90s on screen allows us to remember that one’s value isn’t limited to their youth. Thelma reminds us that you can still walk away from an explosion when you’re 95, even if the reason you didn’t turn around is because you didn’t hear it.

This review originally appeared in The Dominion Post on January 4, 2025.