Lily Tomlin gives the best performance of her career in 'Grandma'
"Grandma" is certainly rude and in-your-face, but that's not its only function. It's not trying to be "Bad Grandpa" - it's a small-scale human drama that just so happens to have a biting sense of humor.
The film opens with Elle (Lily Tomlin, in a career best performance) brutally breaking up with her much younger girlfriend Olivia (Judy Greer, spouse of the summer). We immediately get the sense that Elle is quite a handful, but under that icy exterior is a lonely, pained woman, as evidenced by the next scene in which she bawls, alone, in her shower.
Her granddaughter Sage (Julia Garner) unexpectedly shows up at her doorstep, pregnant and in need of $600 for an abortion. If Elle were a "normal" grandma, she would simply hand over the money, but she's just as broke as her Sage, and thus begins their epic journey to pull together the cash begins.
The film then becomes a guided tour of Elle's life as she reconnects with several people from her past in an attempt to collect the money for Sage's abortion. She rekindles relationships with ex-lovers and old friends, conjuring up old bad blood in the process, and with each new interaction, another layer is peeled from Elle's cynical mystique.
There's one segment in particular featuring the incomparable Sam Elliot that is so masterfully handled it stands out as one of the best scenes of the year. Elliot is only on-screen for a few minutes, but he turns in such a stellar work that it'd be criminal if he didn't receive recognition from The Academy.
If William Hurt pulled off an Oscar nomination with his less than 9-minute part in "A History of Violence," Elliot should be a lock. In mere minutes, Elliot gives an emotional, transcendant performance that grounds the film and gives us new perspective on its protagonist.
"Grandma" is a rare film that features just as many laughs as it does powerful, emotionally charged moments. Every performance from the leads down to the most minor supporting characters is terrific, and Tomlin leads the charge with gusto. Sometimes the smallest films leave the biggest impressions.
Watch the trailer below.