Thelma doesn’t need Louise.

Not when she’s got Ben.

June Squibb stars as the title character in “Thelma” as a grandmother who seeks retribution when her bank account is bilked of $10,000.

A phone caller posing as her grandson pleads with her to send $10,000 to an attorney, another voice on the phone, who will defend the grandson, said to be in jail for a traffic fatality.

Thelma sends the money from the nearest location of the United States Postal Service.

Thelma, 93, a lonely widow who listens to voicemails of her dead husband, is a kindly lady who enjoys watching Tom Cruise “Mission Impossible” movies as she works on her needlepoint and dotes on her grandson.

When Thelma is victimized in a phishing phone scam, her daughter (Parker Posey), son-in-law (Clark Gregg) and grandson, Daniel (Fred Hechinger), are mortified.

Thelma takes the law into her own hands, enlisting the aid of a friend, Ben (Richard Roundtree), from an assisted-living facility, and commandeering his two-seat electric-powered scooter to track down the scammers.

“Thelma” is a comedy caper film with an imaginative screenplay and wonderful performances. “Thelma” is hilarious. I laughed. And I cried.

Though this is clearly comedy, “Thelma” is as relevant as the elder scams you read about in newspaper police reports and hear about at community forums.

At the center of “Thelma” is, of course, Thelma in a wonderful, sensitive and powerful performance by June Squibb (“Inside Out 2,” 2024, as the voice of Nostalgia; “About Schmidt,” 2002; Oscar nominee, supporting actress, “Nebraska,” 2014). Squibb will be 96 on Nov. 6.

The casting of Richard Roundtree (who starred as African-American private eye, Shaft, in “Shaft,” 1971) as Ben is genius. Roundtree portrays Ben with an affable awareness, sweetness and strength. The film is a posthumous release for Roundtree (July 9, 1942 - Oct. 24, 2023).

The casting of Malcolm McDowell (“Clockwork Orange,” 1971) as Harvey is equally Ah!mayZing! It’s a “Blue Velvet” Dennis Hopper moment. Seeing McDowell’s performance in ”Thelma” is worth the price of admission.

The combination of Richard Roundtree’s film biography as Shaft, Thelma’s fascination with Tom Cruise as “Mission Impossible” action hero, and the uber-scary Malcolm McDowell in the action film heist plot of “Thelma” provides the movie a propulsive undergirding that is brilliant.

Daniel is a break-out role for Fred Hechinger (“News of the World,” 2020; “Eighth Grade,” 2018; TV’’s “The White Lotus,” 2021). He projects an unassuming dignity and goofy charm in a role that by societal (and his own) standards is that of an underachiever.

Josh Margolin, in his feature film directorial debut, wrote the screenplay.

The screenplay has one of best uses of the smart phone as a plot device. Cinema celebrates and exploits technology, going back to the silent film era of Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin (and the inception of the moving picture).

The movie, “The Story of Alexander Graham” (1939) provided a vernacular for the telephone, the “Don Ameche,” for the actor who played the title role.

The cinematography by David Bolen is off-hand, loose and effective.

Composer Nick Chuba energetically and amusingly mimics the “Mission Impossible” theme song by Lalo Schifrin.

“Thelma,” which debuted at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, has won feature film awards at the Provincetown International Film Festival, Cleveland International Film Festival and Calgary Underground Film Festival.

Look for several Oscar nominations for “Thelma,” including for actress for June Squibb.

“Thelma” will especially be enjoyed by those who’ve had caring relationships with grandparents and elderly relatives and friends. “Thelma” is a must-see.

“Thelma,” MPAA Rated PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. Parents are urged to be cautious. Some material may be inappropriate for pre-teenagers.) for strong language; Genre: Action, Comedy, Drama; Run time: 1 hour, 38 minutes. Distributed by Magnolia Pictures.

Credit Readers Anonymous: “Thelma” is said to have been inspired by the film’s writer-director Josh Margolin’s 103-year-old grandmother, Thelma, who was almost duped by phone scammers. The apartment in the movie is that of Margolin’s grandmother. “Thelma” is June Squibb’s first starring role.

At The Movies: “Thelma” was seen in the standard format at AMC Center Valley 16.

Elder fraud information: At a DeSales University symposium, “Safeguarding Seniors,” held June 25 for “World Elder Abuse Awareness Day,” it was reported that con artists fleece older Americans out of $37 billion annually.

If you are a victim or know someone who is a victim of elder fraud, contact the Philadelphia office of the FBI: 215-418-4000, or the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center: ic3.gov

Theatrical Movie Domestic Weekend Box Office, July 5-7: “Despicable Me 4,” the Illumination Animation sequel co-directed by Parkland High School graduate Chris Renaud, opened at No. 1 with $75 million in 4,428 theaters for the July 4 weekend and $122.6 million since July 3 opening.

2. “Inside Out 2” dropped one place from its three-week straight run at No. 1 to No. 2 with a still strong $30 million in 3,760 theaters, $533.8 million, four weeks. 3. “A Quiet Place: Day One” dropped one place, $21 million in 3,688 theaters, $94.3 million, two weeks. 4. “MaXXXine,” opening, $6.7 million in 2,450 theaters. 5. “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” dropped one place, $6.5 million in 2,644 theaters, $177.3 million, five weeks. 6. “Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1” dropped three places, $5.4 million in 3,334 theaters, $22.1 million, two weeks. 7. “Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot,” opening, $3.2 million in 2,200 theaters, $6.8 million since July 4 opening. 8. “Kalki 2898 AD” dropped three places, $1.8 million in 625 theaters, $7.3 million, two weeks. 9. “The Bikeriders” dropped three places, $1.3 million in 1,562 theaters, $19.3 million, three weeks. 10. “Kinds of Kindness’ dropped one place, $860,000 in 920 theaters, $3.8 million, three weeks. 12. “Thelma” stayed in place, $790,000 in 620 theaters, $6.8 million, three weeks.

Movie box office information from Box Office Mojo as of July 7 is subject to change.

Theatrical Movie Domestic Weekend Box Office, June 28-30: “Inside Out 2” continued at No. 1 three weeks in a row, $57.5 million in 4,440 theaters, $469.4 million, three weeks, with “A Quiet Place: Day One,” a close No. 2, opening, with $52.2 million in 3,707 theaters, as Kevin Costner’s opus, “Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1,” opened at No. 3 with only $11 million in 3,334 theaters.

4. “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” dropped two places, $10.3 million in 3,312 theaters, $165.2 million, four weeks. 5. “Kalki 2898 AD,” an Action, Adventure, Drama from India, opening, $5.4 million in 1,049 theaters. 6. “The Bikeriders” dropped three places, $3.3 million in 2,692 theaters, two weeks, $16.2 million. 7. “The Garfield Movie” dropped two places, $2 million in 1,762 theaters, $89.6 million, six weeks. 8. “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” dropped four places, $1.7 million in 1,650 theaters, $168.1 million, eight weeks. 9. “Kinds of Kindness” moved up four places, $1.5 million in 490 theaters, $2 million, two weeks. 10. “Jatt & Juliet 3,” a romantic comedy from India, opening, $1.5 million in 143 theaters.

Movie box office information from Box Office Mojo as of June 30 is subject to change.

Unreel, July 12:

“Fly Me to the Moon,” PG-13: Greg Berlanti directs Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, Woody Harrelson Ray Romano in the Romance, Comedy. A moon landing is staged.

“The Convert,” No MPAA rating. Lee Tamahori directs Guy Pearce in the Action, Drama. A preacher is caught in the middle of a war between Maori tribes at a British settlement in the 1830s.

“Lumina,” R: Gino McKoy directs Eric Roberts, Emily Hall, in the Horror, Science-Fiction Thriller. A group of friends try to find a girl who has disappeared in the desert.

“Longlegs,” R: Oz Perkins directs Nicolas Cage, Blair Underwood and Maika Monroe and Alice Witt in the Crime, Horror, Thriller. An FBI agent tracks a serial killer.

Movie box office information from Box Office Mojo as of June 30 is subject to change.

Four Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes