I watched Thelma with my grandma and Aunt Dee while I was visiting on August 7th 2024.


I really enjoyed this movie. Incredible performance from Ben and Thelma and a great commentary/comedy on aging. I particularly enjoyed the Mission Impossible - esque themeing of the movie. For example, using hearing aids to communicate and the scooter to transport across Town.


Watching this with my grandmother was hilarious because it hit the nail on the head about our relationship. For example, her getting me to help her with the computer, or the way that Thelma talks about her friends "she's gone now, got a bit of dementia, she'll talk your ear off for hours" - these are all things I witnessed grandma do over the week I spent with her, so it really hit home for me.


Talking about being a burden on you family as a consequence of aging is something that is not discussed enough in our society, and this theme was a key part of Thelma's overall character arc. It is a painful thing to acknowledge, but also a necessary part of life.


I loved that she got the money back in the end. The scene of her going through the light shop and confronting Harvey was well executed. Pulling the gun and shooting it to show she was serious was also hilarious, as was giving Harvey $500 of the $10,000 when she deposited the money back. I also loved how she shot the computer so Harvey couldn't scam anyone else.


The grandson was an insufferable loser, but it was important that the film had a frustrating/unlikable character, which is what he represented.


I appreciated the scene of the family talking about ousting Thelma into assisted living, and how that made Thelma feel. I think when we have these conversations about our parents or older loved ones, it can be easy to forget the humanity in making a decision like that, and how difficult it can be to give up your independence as an older person.


The overall character arc of Thelma accepting her age and needing to ask for help, and letting go of her independence was quite touching. Ben's scooter getting taken out and him coming back to help her after she fell was another good arc for Ben.


Overall, this is an 8.5, almost a 9 for me. It tried several ideas I haven't yet seen in cinema (namely quirky and funny "aging" jokes - I.e. the hearing aids as a comms device) and the emotional payoff of the movie was unforgettable. I hesitate to give it a 9, namely because the grandson was so insufferable and cringe when he didn't need to be. His character was supposed to inject humor into the movie, but instead he was just super cringe.