Reel Corner - August 2024

August 2024 Issue
Reel Corner by Donne Paine

Summertime at the Movies
Get ready for a sensational summer surprise with Thelma!

Meet Thelma in this sensational summer surprise that takes on a scam artist with the most unsuspecting of all leading ladies. You will enjoy this fun foray into taking down a villain everyone hates.

Thelma
June Squibb, Fred Hechinger, Parker Posey
Written and Directed Josh Margolin

Thelma, writer/director Josh Margolin’s debut feature, is an unlikely mix of genres and styles. It is a touching comedy-drama about family issues and the challenges of old age—a tribute to Josh’s grandmother loosely based on actual events in her life. 

The title character, Thelma, has roped in Daniel, her grandson, (Fred Hechinger) to help her navigate computers, the Internet and email. The catch is Thelma is 93 years old. While stereotypically clueless in technology, Thelma is clever and amusing, making pithy observations about the Internet and life in general, all while advising Daniel about his rather turbulent personal life.

The story begins when Thelma receives a scam phone call, which duplicates her grandson’s voice, saying he has been in an accident and needs $10,000 immediately. Alarmed, Thelma forwards the money as instructed, later discovering she’s been duped. When the police declare the case both too difficult and common to address, Thelma takes matters into her own hands, which is the beginning of an unlikely and unpredictable adventure.

Veteran character actress, June Squibb, who plays Thelma, is the highlight of the film. Acting in film and television since 1985, she debuted in Woody Allen’s Alice in her 60s. At age 84, June was nominated for an Oscar for her role in Nebraska.

With perfect comedic timing that adds life to even minor scenes, June, now at age 94, is taking her very first lead role. Consistently entertaining and armed with an excellent script and a quirky character with a personality beyond what we typically see as “conventional old lady”, June absolutely slays this role.

As Thelma sets out to recover her money, the story takes on the trappings of an action film. Thelma’s age-based obstacles replace the standard action hero’s more advanced challenges in a constantly funny and inventive way. An inspired action-movie musical score and big-budget film techniques follow Thelma as she obtains an electric mobility scooter by questionable means.

Her worried daughter and son-in-law (Parker Posey and Clark Gregg) track her through Los Angeles, while she teams up with her friend, Ben, (Richard Roundtree) —both determined to track down the scammers.

Thelma and Ben’s joint mission levels up to high espionage with great comedic creativity, again using sounds, conventions and formats of a serious action film. The funny part comes in replacing cool familiar secret agent stuff with elderly equipment, such as a scooter, assistive phone apps, hearing aids, and an oxygen tank. Think James Bond as a nonagenarian.

The enjoyable summer flick respectfully deals with issues of old age from the authentic perspective of the older characters themselves, which leads to a sobering, satisfactory conclusion. Who knew geriatrics could evoke such giggles? Thelma provides a surprisingly fruitful source of comedy in this highly original adventure. See you at the cinema!

Sources: www.imdb.com, www.yahoo.com, www.faroutmagazine.com

Donne Paine, film enthusiast, once lived around the corner from the Orson Wells Theater in Cambridge, Massachu-setts, where her strong interest in films, especially independent ones, began. Supporter of the arts, especially films, she has traveled to local and national film festivals including Sundance, Toronto and Tribeca. There is nothing like seeing a film on the big screen. She encourages film goers to support Hilton Head local theaters, Park Plaza Theater and Northridge. To support her habit of frequent movie going, Donne is a vaccine medicine nurse consultant and also the author of 4 Interview Pillars available on Amazon. See you at the movies!