Squibb, No Squibs

We hadn't heard a bad word about Thelma (2024). Besides, Beekeeper but the old lady does the vengeance sounded like it couldn't miss.

Ninety-three year old theater veteran June Squibb plays Thelma, an independent grandmother living alone in LA. She lives on her own, but her slacker grandson, Fred Hechinger, visits to help out, especially with her computer. One day, she gets a panicked phone call, seemingly from Hechinger, saying he got into an accident and needs money. She is talked into sending $15,000 in cash to an LA address. 

When it turns out that Hechinger is fine, him, Squibb's daughter Parker Posie and her husband Clark Gregg get together with Squibb and advise her to forget it, and worry about whether she needs to be in care.

But she doesn't take their advice, and sets out to track down her money. She doesn't drive, so she starts out walking. She tries calling some friends, but they all are dead. She has lost track of everyone. But she does remember her dead husband's friend Richard Roundtree. He lives in an assisted living facility, and is very happy there - the lunchroom does a nice fruit tray, and he is acting as Daddy Warbucks in their presentation of Annie. He is also very proud of his mobility scooter. 

Which Squibb steals. With him on the back, they are soon tootling through the sleazier side of LA.

When they finds the scammers, it turns out to be Malcolm McDowell and grandson. Her vengeance on them is actually not so terrible. She does hold a gun on them and threaten to cut off McDowell's oxygen assist. She also tells him he's a terrible liar and could never be an actor. And she leaves him $500 just to be nice. 

She also needs her grandson's help to get the money back, because it's in a computer banking system. And so she admits she needs help from others, including Roundtree. And everyone goes to see his Daddy Warbucks.

The movie is directed and written by Josh Margolin in his first feature. He based it on his own grandmother, Thelma, who almost was scammed the same way. The movie has some well observed and played bits about the life of the very senior, especially with Squibb and Roundtree being the central characters. It was also Roundtree's final film, and he died before it was released.

But I'm afraid we were only mildly amused. It had plenty of laughs, but it was far less off the wall than Beekeeper, for ex. Of course, that's not what they were going for, and it would be pretty silly if they did. But, hey, like Tom Cruise, Squibb did all her own stunts for this.