Thelma
Magnolia Pictures | Release Date: June 21, 2024 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
77
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 42 Critic Reviews
Positive:
37
Mixed:
5
Negative:
0

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
100
Washington PostTy BurrJun 20, 2024
Thelma is about the indomitable human urge to keep going and the hard-won wisdom to know when to heed time’s warnings. It’s a movie that rages against the dying of the light — at 30 mph. Read full review
100
The A.V. ClubCindy WhiteJun 20, 2024
How often does a film come along that you can comfortably recommend to literally everyone in your life? Not often enough. For that reason alone, Thelma deserves to be celebrated. Read full review
100
Original-CinLiz BraunJun 18, 2024
Thelma is really entertaining. The cast (which includes Malcolm McDowell) is very strong. The performance from Squibb, a 70-year vet of the industry and Oscar-nominated for her work in Nebraska, is fantastic, and Roundtree is likewise magnetic. Read full review
100
Boston GlobeOdie HendersonJun 18, 2024
This is one of the year’s best films, and the most fun you’ll have at the theater this summer. Read full review
90
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Sarah-Tai BlackJun 21, 2024
A tender comedy at heart, Thelma is a delightful romp that focuses on the different textures of the human experience and the poignant (and sometimes very silly) moments that come with it. Read full review
90
TheWrapKristen LopezJan 19, 2024
Thelma is a totally pure delight that gives June Squibb a much-deserved leading role. Her and Roundtree are fabulously paired and Margolin’s script is breezy and sharp in equal measure. You’ll want to see this with your best friend, your parents, and, yes, your grandma. Read full review
88
RogerEbert.comBrandon David WilsonJun 20, 2024
Needless to say, the whole film rests on June Squibb's shoulders. She brings to the part 78 years of acting experience, which is a joy to watch. Read full review
88
ObserverRex ReedJun 20, 2024
This is a feel-good comedy bordering on farce, but [Squibb] makes every scene and every line so natural that when you laugh, you’re reacting to genuine humor, not calculatedly constructed punch lines. Read full review
88
The Associated PressLindsey BahrJun 20, 2024
It is charming, genuinely funny and a breeze to watch. Read full review
88
The Seattle TimesMoira MacdonaldJun 20, 2024
Filled with sweetly funny moments, “Thelma” is a perfect showcase for the delightfully wry Squibb, whose character constantly reminds us that you’re never too old to try something new, whether it’s takeout sushi or low-speed chasing after criminals. Read full review
88
New York PostJohnny OleksinskiJan 29, 2024
Any plot greasing is quickly forgivable because of how damn delightful it is to be riding in the back of Squibb’s scooter. That this is the actress’ first leading role in a decades-long career is the greatest crime of all. Read full review
83
ConsequenceLiz Shannon MillerJan 29, 2024
There are several sequences where the comedy of Thelma really sings, but if the film was just a parody, it would maybe be a funny yet rough watch. Fortunately, its depth of feeling for its elderly characters elevates it to a strange hybrid that works remarkably well, with Squibb’s performance in particular bringing it all together. Read full review
83
Entertainment WeeklyDevan CogganJan 20, 2024
Not every gag lands, but Thelma is the rare spoof that’s both laugh-out-loud funny and disarmingly sweet. Read full review
83
The PlaylistGregory EllwoodJan 19, 2024
Margolin’s directorial debut is often super entertaining with just enough style and patience to avoid the trappings of a broad, studio endeavor. It also has a ton to say about senior autonomy, aging, ageism (two very different things), and the bonds between family members, young and old. Read full review
80
The Irish TimesTara BradyJul 17, 2024
Writer-director Josh Margolin, making his feature debut, based the eponymous character on his grandmother. The script, accordingly, is never patronising. Read full review
80
EmpireLaura VenningJul 16, 2024
Surprisingly exciting and laugh-out-loud funny, Thelma is a warm-hearted joyride. If anything, it’ll make you really want to pick up the phone and call your own grandma. Read full review
80
Total FilmKate StablesJul 11, 2024
First-time writer/director Josh Margolin sharpens the film into a smart senior thriller, giving us tense geriatric POVs of the challenges that ensue (Thelma is seriously old, not the agile seventy-something of The G, another recent granny-get-your-gun outing). Read full review
80
Los Angeles TimesKatie WalshJun 20, 2024
While the setting may be humble, Margolin captures the unlikely beauty of the Valley, and injects thrilling suspense into this yarn, one that transforms quotidian dramas — like making an unprotected left turn, or closing pop-up ads on a webpage — into nail-biting action sequences. Read full review
80
Arizona RepublicBill GoodykoontzJun 18, 2024
It’s a heartfelt film, and Squib, finally leading a film at 94, makes it that much better. Read full review
80
Screen RantMae AbdulbakiFeb 2, 2024
There aren’t many films that can capture a character’s feisty spirit while still contending with the struggles and feelings of growing older. To that end, Thelma is a breath of fresh air, a crowd-pleasing film that knows exactly what it is and what it’s trying to accomplish. It does so with style and grace. Read full review
80
The GuardianAdrian HortonJan 25, 2024
Squibb is as understatedly funny and commanding as you’d expect. Both actor and character remain, despite all societal and personal forces to the contrary, absolutely vital even as the circumstances and potential of life shrink. What a joy to witness it. Read full review
80
New York Magazine (Vulture)Bilge EbiriJan 22, 2024
Its observations about the disconnect between its elderly protagonist and the society around her are surprisingly relatable. Read full review
80
Screen DailyFionnuala HalliganJan 19, 2024
Making his debut, writer-director Josh Margolin combines acuity and playfulness in a funny action-drama whose spirit animal is Mission: Impossible. Read full review
80
SlashfilmBen PearsonJan 19, 2024
Thelma's plight is handled with respect, and by putting us in her perspective, Margolin allows us to empathize and see the world through her eyes. Read full review
75
Chicago TribuneMichael PhillipsJun 20, 2024
Now 94, Squibb takes care of business every minute in the enjoyable contrivance Thelma, which succeeds, sometimes in spite of itself, for reasons revealed in the first minute of writer-director Josh Margolin’s comedy. Read full review
75
Chicago Sun-TimesRichard RoeperJun 20, 2024
This is a pure comfort-viewing experience, filled with authentic characters who talk the way real people talk, even when the situations stretch credulity. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleCarla MeyerJun 17, 2024
Thelma always emphasizes seniors’ capabilities, not their limits. Read full review
75
Movie NationRoger MooreJun 14, 2024
The most adorable “action” pic of the summer is a senior citizen’s caper comedy that’s novel enough and clever enough that the fact that it also has something to say is merely the cherry on top of the cinematic sundae. Read full review
75
Slant MagazineJustin ClarkFeb 5, 2024
It’s the balance of comedy and existential drama that truly elevates Thelma. Read full review
75
The Film StageJake Kring-SchreifelsJan 20, 2024
A loveable, low-stakes joyride. Read full review
75
Paste MagazineJacob OllerJan 19, 2024
Like its absentminded hero, the film can sometimes get sidetracked right when things are getting good, wandering down schmaltzy or twee narrative paths. But when it lets Thelma (and Squibb) do her thing, the comedy is perfectly cute and a stellar showcase for what an actor’s late career can offer. Read full review
70
Little White LiesHannah StrongJul 15, 2024
There’s no doubting June Squibb’s charisma, and it’s refreshing to see her in a lead role at the grand age of 94. Read full review
70
Rolling StoneDavid FearJun 18, 2024
You won’t see the title character engage in Krav Maga with a gang of thugs or sprint across rooftops in Marrakesh (we’re assuming they’re saving that for the sequel). But you will witness Squibb step into the spotlight of leading what is technically an action movie and totally own it. Read full review
70
ColliderRoss BonaimeJan 31, 2024
Thelma could’ve been a one-note joke, but Margolin’s script makes being elderly a strength and not a weakness. Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterDavid RooneyJan 19, 2024
The film reflects on issues of aging and autonomy with a mostly light touch, its protagonist making a strong case for the enduring spirit of elderly folks too often infantilized by both society and their loved ones. Read full review
67
Austin ChronicleRichard WhittakerJun 20, 2024
Squibb’s charm, her gutsiness, and her sharp, subtle humor fill the movie with warmth and veracity. Read full review
67
IndieWireAlison ForemanJan 19, 2024
Writer/director Josh Margolin squeezes surprisingly funny freshness from the musty themes of aging, death, and lost autonomy in his poignantly written Thelma. Read full review
60
The GuardianPeter BradshawJul 15, 2024
Squibb is however really good: no other casting is conceivable, and it is good to see her get the lead turn she deserves. Read full review
60
Time OutPhil de SemlyenJul 10, 2024
Thelma is neither as funny nor as Marmite-y as Little Miss Sunshine, a kindred spirit in the quirky indie realm, but its light shines in myriad little character beats. Read full review
60
IGNA.A. Dowd Jun 27, 2024
It’s nice to see June Squibb land a starring role for once, but her quest for revenge in this Sundance crowdpleaser is more cutesy than charming. Read full review
60
The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisJun 20, 2024
Margolin’s empathy for Thelma (he based the story on a scam perpetrated on his own grandmother) lends the film a sweetness and occasional poignancy that help mitigate much of the foolishness. Read full review
60
VarietyPeter DebrugeJan 19, 2024
Thelma may bill itself as an unconventional action movie, but it’s more of a sitcom, really. Read full review
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