'Thelma' Movie Review - June Squibb Shines in First Leading Role Premiering at Sundance Film Festival
‘Thelma’ is a comedy (semi-action) movie recently premiered during the 40th Sundance Film Festival. It’s a movie that combines a little danger and an element of surprise that (unfortunately) is a tad bit too relatable in our climate. The film hilariously puts June Squibb and Richard Roundtree in the forefront of the action, and we couldn’t think of a better duo to complete this hilarious film.
Photo Courtesy of Sundance Institute
Most people today have either fallen victim to a scam or know someone who has. ‘Thelma’ is a story inspired by real-life events of a sweet grandmother who will do anything for her grandson. Played by June Squibb (her first leading role in her career), Thelma Post is 94 years young with a drive inspired by Tom Cruise in ‘Mission: Impossible’. It just so happens that the phone scammer picked the wrong one! With tenacity and grit, Thelma is determined to prove the point that age is just a number and pass along a few nice messages along the way. Created by filmmaker Josh Margolin, ‘Thelma’ is his debut feature and hits a home run.
Photo Courtesy of Sundance Institute
“It’s a comedy about anxiety and impending loss, which I think the past few years have brought into sharp focus,” Margolin shared with Sundance Film Festival. “ Whether that’s the loss of a person or even just a sense of our lives before something as paradigm-shifting as a global pandemic, it’s become clear how quickly everything we take for granted can disappear. I wanted to explore those feelings and ideas in a tone that’s hopeful and life-affirming.”
The film follows challenge after challenge with Thelma determined to find the culprit and put an end to the scamming once and for all and by any means possible, even if it means trekking across the dangerous streets of Los Angeles – in an electric scooter!
Clark Gregg, Fred Hechinger, June Squibb, Josh Margolin and Coral Peña at the World Premiere of Thelma by Josh Margolin, an official selection of the Premieres Program at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. © 2024 Sundance Institute | photo by Suzanne Cordeiro.
It’s a feel-good movie that is all too familiar; perhaps that is why we’re eager to see it! With a star-studded cast like the hilarious June Squibb and legendary Richard Roundtree, ‘Thelma’ is a film that will make you want to hug the matriarch of your family a little tighter. It’s a delightful, heartwarming film that embodies strength, courage, and independence – all in the name of family.
*Main photo: June Squibb and Fred Hechinger at the World Premiere of Thelma by Josh Margolin, an official selection of the Premieres Program at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. © 2024 Sundance Institute | photo by Suzanne Cordeiro.
