'Thelma' review: June Squibb unleashes her inner Eastwood

In January, Jason Statham starred in the action thriller “The Beekeeper” as a former special ops assassin seeking revenge on a group of people who target the elderly through phone scams. But in Josh Margolin's directorial debut, “Thelma,” it's the elderly themselves who fight phone scammers. Ninety-three-year-old Grandma Thelma (June Squibb) doesn't need stinky Jason Statham. All she needs from her is to be carried by her.

Set over the course of one day, “Thelma” is a love letter to tough grandmas and Tom Cruise, and a celebration of California's San Fernando Valley, from Encino to Van Nuys. And while “Thelma” is notable for being the first leading film role for Squibb, who is now 94 and has been acting for more than six decades, the film is also a calling card for writer, director and editor Margolin . , who demonstrates her skill with cinematic style and suspense in this high-stakes comedy-drama.

Margolin does a lot with a little in “Thelma,” which is inspired by her own relationship with her grandmother, also named Thelma. While the setting may be humble, Margolin captures the improbable beauty of the Valley and injects thrilling suspense into this story, a story that transforms everyday dramas (like turning an unprotected left or closing pop-up ads on a web page) into sequences. biting action.

His replacement in “Thelma” is Daniel (Fred Hechinger), a sensitive 24-year-old boy whose best friend is his grandmother Thelma. They spend time in her comfortable home, tormented by the absence of her recently deceased husband. Together they watch “Mission: Impossible” movies, Daniel helps Thelma with her computer and worries about her safety. When Thelma receives a frantic call with the news that Daniel has been in an accident and needs to send $10,000 in cash, she doesn't hesitate to book the Encino post office to drop the money in the mailbox.

It is when he discovers that he has been the victim of a scam that the plot is set in motion. With Daniel safe and sound, the police aren't much help, and his family (Parker Posey as his daughter, Clark Gregg as his son-in-law) throws up their hands in defeat. But Thelma is not willing to accept this idly. However, she will face it sitting down, behind the wheel of a two-seater scooter that she “borrows” from an old friend, Ben (Richard Roundtree, in her final role), whom she visits in a nursing home. The two embark on an odyssey to recover Thelma's cash, while Thelma's family worries about her whereabouts.

Their journey takes them to unlikely places, specifically an antique lamp shop run by a menacing Malcolm McDowell, as well as unexpected discoveries about accepting that it's okay to ask for help, but that independence is a rare and complicated gift for them. who are later in life. It's refreshing to see a movie in which a 90-year-old can have new revelations and learning experiences, while retaining the ability to surprise themselves and others.

Squibb is a charming presence, deftly handling the humor and heart of the story, and also showing real courage, while the late, great Roundtree offers a warm and reassuring presence. Posey and Gregg provide comedic elements as Daniel's frazzled parents, while Hechinger is charmingly stressed about losing his grandmother and trying to figure out what he's going to do with his life.

The cast is fantastic, but it's the filmmaking style that makes “Thelma” a proper cinematic experience on the big screen. Nick Chuba's percussive score brings a jazzy groove that's “Ocean's 11” through “Mission: Impossible,” and David Bolen's cinematography is richly saturated with color and creative, practical lighting. Margolin's inspired direction elevates “Thelma,” imbuing every moment with a thoughtful look at craftsmanship.

“Aging Action Star” is a cute premise, but Margolin makes the most of it without infantilizing her heroine or resorting to lowest common denominator humor. Instead, he delivers a film that suggests there's always a chance to experience something new in life, from the smallest observations to the most dramatic confrontations.

The most important lesson of all? Underestimate a determined older woman at your peril.

Katie Walsh is a film critic for the Tribune News Service.