Have you ever wondered what a Mission Impossible movie will look like when Tom Cruise reaches ninety-three? Wonder no more, the movie Thelma answers that very question albeit with a female lead actor.
When Thelma Post (June Squibb) receives a phone call from her grandson explaining that he’s in jail, she is understandably upset. He reassures her that all she has to do is mail $10,000 cash to a specific address. In a panic Thelma delivers the cash.
Later with family around, including her grandson, Thelma realizes she’s been scammed. While the family tells her nothing can be done, Thelma doesn’t accept this. In the morning she sets out on a quest to get her money back.
Along the way Thelma enlists the help of an old friend Ben (Richard Roundtree who sadly passed away before the final movie came out). What follows is a hilarious and at times poignant exploration into ageing as the pair adventure across L.A.
As the audience laughed out loud I pondered:
- The movie is full of clever nods to Mission Impossible as the pair find themselves going through various obstacle courses and a less-than-high-speed chase;
- The movie includes a nod to James Bond gadgetry in the form of Thelma’s high end hearing aids that sync to her phone;
- It was a delight to watch the talented June Squibb in her first lead role at 93 years young. Proof you’re never too old to reach your dreams;
- Full credit to casting for not aging a younger actor;
- An added bonus was seeing Malcolm McDowell on the screen;
- Director Josh Margolin evidently based Thelma on his own mother. As such the movie gave a truthful insight into how we treat our elderly and how much we underestimate what people are capable of. Here’s hoping we’ll see more strong roles for older actors in the future.
For more information go to Luna Cinema. Starts September 5th.
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