Synopsis: Deceived by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson, a 90-year-old woman sets out on a quest to reclaim what was taken from her.

Thelma is an absolute blast from start to finish and I’m so glad I had to chance to give it a watch. When I saw this film in the 2024 Sundance Film Festival program I instantly knew that I needed to see it and that I would absolutely love it. A film that has one of the most charming casts in the game, a very interesting premise and a story that is simple enough and charming enough for everyone to love. These types of movies always work with me and that made this one of my most anticipated of Sundance 2024. 

The performances are so good here. Charming, full of life and never missing a step. June Squibb is doing career-best work here which is saying something considering her resume includes an Academy Award nomination for Nebraska and some animated work in films like Soul and Toy Story 4. She brings a sense of authenticity, life and comedy that carries a project like this. June, along with Richard Roundtree, created a dynamic duo that won me over from the very beginning. The rest of the cast are phenomenal and they brought a sense of authenticity that I would feel with my family. 

The story is simple, yet lends itself to the emotional moments as it deals with age, independence and family. It unravels an unfortunate reality of phone scammers better than The Beekeeper ever could. A brilliantly structured espionage thriller that would make Tom Cruise proud. The pacing is great, the build-up is worth it and the conclusion will leave a smile on your face. It has the perfect balance of charm, comedy and emotion that leaves you on your toes and continues to surprise you until the credits roll. 

FINAL: Thelma is an absolute hoot. Funny, heartwarming and emotional all at once. June Squibb has never been better and the story, while simple, is packed full of life. A look at aging and trying to hold on to your independence. It takes an absurd story and adds so much heart that will make it one of the biggest crowd-pleasers of the year. The entire cast is working on all cylinders in this film, bringing a sense of charm that I haven’t seen in quite some time. There is nothing to hate about this film. I see a lot of people absolutely loving this. One of my favorites of the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.

Point Breakdown:

15 for Writing: 13

15 for Performances: 13

10 for Entertainment: 8

10 for Direction: 8

10 for Emotions: 9

5 for Cinematography: 4

5 for Score: 3

5 for Pacing: 5

15 for Technical: 13

5 for Rewatchability: 4

5 for Automatic: 5

Thelma: 85/100

Jack Lautaret is a film critic, host of the Jack Lautaret YouTube channel and writer for Music City Drive-In. He is a member of the Online Film and Television Association. Twitter: @JackLautaret