Josh Margolin’s “Thelma” toys with the idea of feminine fierce and power in the context of a senior getting back to a scammer who stole her money savings.
Having the elderly become the action hero doing the heavy lifting is nothing new, but the greatest strength of this film is how the nuance works. As the titular heroine, June Squibb, 94, isn’t sprinting around like Tom Cruise but her commitment to feeling like she can make it all entertaining.
Margolin treats the adventures of Thelma as an action-road trip comedy ala Bad Boys but with slow scooters and seniors taking charge.
The film allowed itself to marinade Thelma’s helplessness as a senior living alone and would do everything for her family’s safety. When she becomes the target of a crime, the transformation from a fearful lady to someone deciding to do things on her own terms is genuine and quite powerful.
This alone makes a great case of how “Thelma” effectively uses the action as a vehicle for its narrative instead of being a parody. You can always come here to see how they set up an explosion or the confrontation with Malcolm McDowell as the surprise villain, but its lasting appeal comes from how likable of a character Thelma is throughout. In my book, she joins the all-timer action club. No joke.
Comments
Post a Comment