Grandma

Grandma is Lily Tomlin’s movie.  There are other actors, such as Sam Elliott, Julia Garner, and Marcia Gay Harden, and they all give nuanced, wonderful performances.  But the story is that of Lily Tomlin’s character, Elle.  Elle is a 70-something grandmother, recently widowed by the death of her long term love. She is a writer and poet, who is down to her last few dollars when her granddaughter, Sage, comes to her for help.  Sage is pregnant and needs money for an abortion, so off they go in search of funds, either collecting from friends who owe Elle money, collecting from Sage’s sometimish boyfriend, selling valuable (?) belongings, or borrowing money from an ex.  Whatever it takes.  Tomlin hits all the right notes.  Notes of grief for her loss, love for her granddaughter, her ever present wit and sharp tongue.  I don’t know if Tomlin will win an Oscar for her low key, pitch perfect performance, but she’s certainly in the running, and I expect she’ll win a few other awards along the way.