Josh Margolin’s “Thelma” is the Hard-Driving Action Film We Never Knew We Needed

As action movies go, we Americans like ours high octane, with pyrotechnics-a-plenty and full of young Hollywood stars to get the blood pumping and juices flowing. This winter at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, writer/director Josh Margolin unveiled an action thriller that breaks all those rules yet gets us to a satisfying finish, all the same. Entitled Thelma, the movie is a loving celebration of Margolin’s spirited grandmother, the film’s namesake. It stars 70-year acting veteran June Squbb in her very first leading role. Margolin was inspired by a recent scam attempt his grandmother nearly fell for where perpetrators used audio deepfake technology to convince her that he was in jail and needed a large sum of cash to bail him out. Fortunately for Margolin and his family, the real-life Thelma escaped the ruse. Fortunately for us, Margolin’s leading character didn’t. And therein lies the basis for the improv comedy veteran’s debut feature film. 

At the age of 93, Thelma is as much your average nonagenarian as she isn’t. A widow for the last two years, she lives alone and navigates the increasingly complex world of independent living with the help of her adoring, if hapless, grandson Danny (played charmingly by Fred Hechinger). Twenty-something Danny helps Thelma circumvent the pitfalls of online banking, email account usage and basic computer upkeep, while struggling to keep things together for himself. Having been a bit demoralized since his girlfriend (Cora Pena) asked for a break, Danny’s chronically unemployed, has zero direction and even less self-confidence. But he loves his grandmother dearly and has assumed the role of “guardian,” not only for her safety, but also her prized independence. 

So it’s a real gut punch for Danny (and his family) when Thelma falls for a deep fake call pretending to be Danny in jail, desperate and needing $10,000 for bail. Thelma takes a hit, herself, (beyond the large sum of money she’s lost) in the inevitable questions that will likely arise about her ability to maintain independence and control over her daily life. Gail, Danny’s mom (Parker Posey), is uptight and ever watchful for signs of decline in her aging mom. She and Danny’s father, Alan (Clark Gregg), regularly piggyback off of one another’s not-so-subtle hints that Thelma is losing grip and may warrant the support of an assisted living situation. Tensions mount after the scam comes to light, but the family is satisfied to move on with lessons learned and notice served that perhaps more attention needs to be paid to Thelma’s safety. 

But Thelma is having none of it. Taking inspiration from Tom Cruise, she resolves to get her money back (along with her pride) and put questions about her capabilities to rest (at least for now). With the P.O. box number the scammers gave her to mail the money to tightly in hand, Thelma heads to the assisted living facility where her late husband’s friend Ben lives to borrow his electric scooter. Ben is given a graceful turn by film veteran Richard Roundtree and serves as adorable counterpart to Thelma’s doggedness and determination. Plied by Ben to reveal the reason for her unusual request, Thelma shares the whole story only to be met with predictable alarm.

Undeterred, she spies an opportunity to make off with the scooter, and Ben ultimately hops aboard out of concern for her safety. Despite his misgivings about the step or two they’ve lost over the years, Ben is along for the ride come what may.

Along the way, Margolis delicately underscores the inevitable vulnerability our two action heroes bring with them without lampooning their elderly state in any real way. Thelma brings Ben along to visit a chronically forgetful friend, Mona (Bunny Levine), whom she knows to keep a gun (just to scare the scammers when she confronts them, she insists). They make off with the weapon, Mona oblivious to the poach, and on they go in a chase against time to get back before dark when the family’s concern would likely be at fever pitch. 

During this scene tension builds judiciously without losing the film’s delightful playfulness owing in large part to Nick Chuba’s score, highly evocative of the classic Lalo Schifrin Mission: Impossible theme. Adding to the tension is sound designer Nathan Ruyle’s splendid use of sound techniques that keep us on the edge of our seat.

Roundtree’s Ben is an immensely kind and caring, if reluctant, partner in crime, presenting a masterful farewell performance for the storied actor who passed away shortly after finishing the film. His careful concern for Thelma after she falls amid the “chase” is endearing, and another way Margolin couches acknowledgement of the real vulnerabilities his elderly characters face. Anything less could have turned this chase into a farce. Luckily, Thelma is relatively unharmed, and the pair forge ahead to case the P.O. box and confront the culprits behind the scam.

Margolin loses his delicate balance between wit and peril when our heroes finally confront their culprits, a pair of small-time crooks that pose substantial treat to Thelma and Ben. Challenging a desperate shopkeeper (Malcom McDowell) and his young accomplice (Aiden Frisk), is still too great a risk for two elderly people without certain harm when you add a weapon to the mix. Yet the two handily outmaneuver their culprits and put Thelma’s newfound online banking skills to the test to recover the 10,000 at the point of a gun.

Ultimately, however, suspending logic is par for the course with any action film, so we can give Margolin’s Thelma and Ben the leeway they need to come out smelling like a rose like so many other action heroes do. And the fun we have along the way is more than enough to justify a dash of absurdity.

Thelma gives us a genuine look at the grit and determination it takes to be an action hero even if you don’t exactly fit the mold. And Squibb is a delight in showing us that perhaps sometimes we need to question the mold itself or risk losing some valuable and impactful opportunities from remarkable people along the way.

UPDATE: Thelma has been picked up by Magnolia Pictures and is scheduled for release in the US market in June 2024