Thelma (2024): parents' guide
Best for ages 13 and up. Rated PG-13 for strong language.
A sweet, funny action-comedy about aging that suits young teens watching with a parent. When Thelma, a woman in her 90s, is tricked by a phone scammer, she sets off on a borrowed mobility scooter to get her money back. There is no sex and little real violence, though she fires a gun at a computer, a trash can explodes and she takes a hard fall that bruises her eye. The main issue is language: three or four f-words, a few s-words and frequent milder swearing. Those f-words are why we suggest 13.
What's in it
Violence
MildThelma fires a stolen pistol into a computer, a gun goes off when dropped, a tossed cigarette sets off an oxygen tank, a scooter is wrecked and a scammer slaps a phone from her hand. No one is badly hurt.
Language
ModerateGuides counted three or four f-words and one to three s-words, about four to six uses of bitch, several of ass and damn, and repeated misuses of God's or Jesus' names.
Sex and nudity
NoneNone. There is no romance, kissing or nudity; the only related moment is a woman wearing a clingy camisole.
Drinking, drugs and smoking
ModerateHer grandson's heavy drinking worries the family, including a night he was too drunk to answer an emergency call. A man smokes cigarettes while using oxygen, Thelma takes many prescription medications, and vaping is mentioned.
Scary or intense scenes
MildMild peril from an elderly woman's risky stunts and falls and a confrontation with a threatening scammer. The scam itself may worry kids with older grandparents.
Worth talking about
Thelma's family loves her but keeps treating her as helpless. Ask your teen how to help older relatives stay safe from scams while still respecting their independence.
On our lists
Similar picks around 13+
Checked October 13th, 2026 against Common Sense Media, Plugged In, the MPA, movieguide.org. The age is our judgment, not an official rating, and every family draws its lines differently: read the notes, not just the number. Spotted something we missed? Tell us. How we rate.