Thelma turns a scam victim's determination into an affectionate action comedy. Josh Margolin treats his older characters with respect, making the humor part of their adventure rather than a reason to mock them.
Ninety-three-year-old Thelma loses money through a telephone scam and decides to get it back herself. With her friend Ben, she develops a mission that borrows its inspiration from familiar action heroes, though their pace and resources are quite different.
June Squibb carries the film with dry humor and a strong presence. Her exchanges with Richard Roundtree provide emotional depth as well as laughs. The partnership makes the mission engaging beyond its unusual setup.
The action references are affectionate rather than dismissive. Slower movement can still create intensity, giving the film a distinctive rhythm. The images support those sequences without inflating them into a loud spectacle, while Nick Chuba's music fits the changing moods.
For me, the strongest achievement is the balance between comedy and self-determination. The film recognizes the difficulties of aging without reducing Thelma to those difficulties. It is a warm, fresh mixture of action and drama, showing an older heroine as someone capable of making choices and pursuing an adventure on her own terms.