Netflix has added the critically acclaimed action comedy Thelma to its library, a film that has been praised by some critics as superior to the Mission: Impossible franchise. The movie, released in 2024, follows a 93-year-old grandmother who, after being scammed by a phone fraudster impersonating her grandson, embarks on a perilous journey across Los Angeles with an elderly friend and his motorized scooter to recover her money.
The story is inspired by a real-life incident involving director Josh Margolin's own grandmother, also named Thelma, who was targeted by a similar scam but was saved before any money was lost. Margolin expanded the concept into a full action screenplay, incorporating genre tropes. The film stars June Squibb, who at age 94 took on her first leading role, alongside Fred Hechinger, Parker Posey, Clark Gregg, Malcolm McDowell, and the late Richard Roundtree in his final performance.
Critics have heaped praise on Thelma, which holds a 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. One review called it 'even better than Mission: Impossible', while another stated that 'Mission: Impossible wishes it were Thelma'. Fans have described it as 'a low-key masterpiece' and 'an absolute 10 out of 10'. The film is now available to stream on Netflix as of May 21.
