Skip to main content

Review: Thelma (2024)

Director Josh Margolin’s Thelma (2024) is a delightful and heartfelt take on self-discovery that proves it’s never too late to reclaim independence. At the heart of the film is the incomparable June Squibb, who delivers a performance filled with warmth, humor, and authenticity. As the titular Thelma, an elderly woman determined to track down the scammer who swindled her, Squibb infuses the role with a perfect mix of vulnerability and steely determination. Her portrayal never veers into caricature, making Thelma’s journey feel real and deeply relatable.

What makes Thelma particularly refreshing is its perspective. While many films about self-empowerment focus on younger protagonists, this story reminds audiences that reinvention and courage are lifelong endeavors. The film balances lighthearted adventure with genuine emotional weight, offering both laughs and poignant moments.

The ensemble cast adds tremendous depth to the film. Parker Posey is a standout as Thelma’s concerned but somewhat exasperated daughter, while Fred Hechinger brings warmth as her devoted grandson. Richard Roundtree, in one of his final roles, lends quiet dignity to his performance, and Clark Gregg provides excellent comedic timing. Together, they create a rich and believable world around Squibb’s endearing protagonist.

That’s not to say Thelma is without its faults. Some narrative beats feel familiar, and at times, the pacing drags. The script occasionally leans too heavily on sentimentality, but Squibb and her co-stars elevate the material, keeping the story engaging and heartfelt.

Ultimately, Thelma is an enjoyable and charming film that celebrates resilience, autonomy, and the joy of embracing life at any age. With a stellar cast and a refreshingly unique perspective, it’s a rewarding watch—especially for those who appreciate character-driven storytelling with humor and heart.

Wren Valentino

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: Murder, My Sweet (1944)

When Edward Dmytryk’s Murder, My Sweet hit theaters in 1944, it wasn’t just another entry in the burgeoning genre of film noir—it was a seismic shift. Based on Raymond Chandler’s novel Farewell, My Lovely , the film brought Philip Marlowe’s grim wit and moral ambiguity to the screen with sharp clarity. While many remember the film for transforming musical comedy star Dick Powell into a hardened gumshoe, the movie endures because of its airtight style, moody atmosphere, and a trio of top-tier talents: Claire Trevor, Roy Webb, and Harry J. Wild. Claire Trevor delivers a stunning, layered performance as Helen Grayle, a character as elusive as she is alluring. Trevor doesn’t simply play the femme fatale—she owns the archetype, imbuing Helen with both brittle elegance and deeply buried desperation. Every glance and inflection carries hidden meaning, and her shifting demeanor keeps the audience—and Marlowe—perpetually off-balance. Trevor manages to be magnetic and menacing in equal measure,...
Post a Comment
Read more

Film Review: Planet of the Vampires (1965)

Few films wear their budget as boldly—and as stylishly—as Mario Bava’s Planet of the Vampires . Released in 1965, this eerie Italian science fiction-horror hybrid is a moody, hypnotic blend of gothic dread and space-age paranoia. Despite its modest financial constraints, Planet of the Vampires casts a long, influential shadow over the genre, inspiring everything from Ridley Scott’s Alien to early episodes of Star Trek . It is a B-movie in budget only—its imagination, atmosphere, and visual ambition elevate it into something far more memorable. The plot follows two spacecraft that respond to a mysterious distress signal on a remote, fog-enshrouded planet. After crash-landing, the surviving crew encounters strange phenomena, including the reanimation of their own dead comrades. What begins as a routine exploration turns into a nightmarish fight for survival, as the crew discovers they’re not alone—and that something ancient and malevolent is lurking just beneath the surface. Bava, be...
Post a Comment
Read more

Review: The Last Showgirl (2024)

A Poetic Ode to Dreams, Regret, and Reinvention Gia Coppola’s The Last Showgirl is a breathtaking, deeply felt meditation on time, memory, and resilience, set against the neon glow and lingering shadows of Las Vegas. At once an elegy for a fading era and a celebration of reinvention, this film is not just a triumph—it’s a revelation. Pamela Anderson delivers a career-best performance as a former showgirl grappling with the passage of time and the ever-changing landscape of the Strip. Her performance is nuanced and radiant, filled with aching vulnerability and fierce determination. Anderson’s portrayal transcends nostalgia, giving us a woman who is both haunted by the past and courageously forging a future. The film’s emotional core reaches its most devastating moment when Jamie Lee Curtis, in a performance of stunning poignancy, takes center stage. As Annette, a once-revered Vegas veteran, Curtis breaks every heart in the audience with an impromptu solo dance to Bonnie Tyler’s Total E...
Post a Comment
Read more