Thelma, 93, perfectly independent despite poor hearing, has lived alone in her house since the death of her partner two years earlier. It is true that Danny, his grandson, is very devoted to him. But one day, clever fraudsters manage to extort money from him. Well-meaning but hardly a good listener, his daughter and son-in-law see it as a sign of cognitive decline. However, rather than letting her behavior be dictated to her, Thelma decides to track down the scammers and recover her money. In this comedy simply titled ThelmaJune Squibb, who is the age of her character, is amazing.
Written and directed by Josh Margolin, Thelma was unveiled at Sundance earlier this year, to an ecstatic reception. It’s justified. Also a producer, June Squibb, who started on stage in the 1950s before being “discovered” late in the cinema in About Schmidt (Mr Schmidt) by Alexander Payne, elevates the film to essential status.
On paper, this independent production raised fears of a “ gimmick », with her “supermama” who punishes the bad guys. In reality, it’s something entirely different.
Josh Margolin takes just enough time to properly portray the protagonist in her environment. The disruptive element, this telephone fraud, occurs quickly, but everything that follows proves credible, because Margolin, as he did at the beginning, makes sure to include a myriad of small authentic details in order to increase the impression of plausibility.
A verisimilitude which, by the way, is never the enemy of humor, on the contrary. Margolin, for example, multiplies the diversions of classic geriatric tools, such as fall alarm bracelets or hearing aids, for purposes that are not only comic, but truly narrative.
The lines are often hilarious, even the most banal ones, like when Thelma responds, “That sounds very interesting,” each time she wants to close a discussion on a subject that clearly bores her (the star’s facial expressions speak for themselves).
Wonderful moments
Inspired by the intrepid Tom Cruise in Impossible mission, Thelma sets off on an adventure, determined and more formidable than she seems: action and suspense, there is (on the scale of “seniors”, that is). This, in the company of an old friend played — wonderfully — by cult actor Richard Roundtree (Shaft), died shortly after filming.
June Squibb and he share wonderful moments, both funny and tender. Because Thelma willingly uses laughter to make people think. Serious subjects affecting the reality of seniors, from loss of autonomy to loneliness to financial predation, are not treated casually.
It prevents, Thelma is as sunny as it is irresistible. A completely invigorating film, which does not fail to surprise, given its 93-year-old heroine.