Jimpa Review: Olivia Colman & John Lithgow’s New Movie Made Me Cry Thanks To Its Tender Authenticity

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Sixteen-year-old Frances is navigating the complexities of growing up and discovering their nonbinary identity. In the film Jimpa, Frances, portrayed by Aud Mason-Hyde, travels with their parents, Hannah (Olivia Colman) and Harry (Daniel Henshall), to Amsterdam to visit Hannah’s father, Jim (John Lithgow), and is forced to confront these personal explorations head-on.

Years ago, Jim (shown in memories as a younger man played by Bryn Chapman Parish) moved away from Hannah, her sister, and their mother in Adelaide. He wanted to live freely as a gay man in a more accepting city. Hannah claims this didn’t bother her, but her strong dislike of conflict suggests she’s still dealing with a lot of unresolved feelings.

Jimpa Wears Its Heart On Its Sleeve

The Film’s Earnestness Is Endearing

I’ve always admired how Hannah deals with things, but this was tough to watch. When Frances suddenly announced wanting to spend a year in Amsterdam with their grandfather, it really threw Hannah. It brought up a lot of old feelings about her own father leaving, and she spent the whole movie wrestling with whether she could really rely on Jimpa to be there for Frances. It was a difficult conversation she kept putting off, but ultimately, she had to face it head-on.

I just love the character of Jimpa! He’s this fascinating professor and activist who really lives life to the fullest – he’s a bit of a hedonist, honestly. He’s incredibly affectionate towards Frances, always calling them his ‘grand-thing,’ though he does slip up with pronouns sometimes. His house is a total reflection of him – overflowing with books, papers, and all sorts of things, because he’s always welcoming a stream of lovers, friends, and students. It’s wonderfully chaotic!

Watching the film, I was struck by how different Jimpa’s life was from Hannah and Harry’s – and it felt intentional. Jimpa playfully teases them about being a ‘normal’ couple, which I read as his way of trying to connect with Frances. It really highlighted the contrast between his free-spirited, single life and their traditional family setup, and that clash of values seemed to be something the film kept coming back to, exploring all sorts of different perspectives.

At its core, Jimpa explores the perspectives of LGBTQ+ individuals across different generations. Jim has only ever known a life of struggle – fighting for equal rights, raising awareness about AIDS, and simply being able to live openly. He copes with this pressure through casual encounters, exploring open relationships, indulging in wine, and throwing himself into his work.

As a movie lover, I’m really connecting with Frances’ journey. They’re figuring things out as a non-binary person, still learning how everything fits together in today’s queer landscape. And Jim? He’s a bit lost too, honestly. He’s trying to understand Frances’ perspective on gender and sexuality, but it’s clear his own experiences were so focused on a different fight that this wider, more expansive understanding of queerness feels overwhelming for him. It’s not about a lack of willingness, just that things have changed so much.

Aud Mason-Hyde Is The Breakout Star Of Jimpa

Olivia Colman & John Lithgow Also Give Heart-Wrenching Performances

Mason-Hyde truly shines in this film, and their interactions with Colman and Lithgow bring out even more nuance in those actors’ already strong performances. Hannah and Jim are so focused on figuring out Frances that they fail to notice they already understand her in many ways.

Hannah finds herself caught between her parents, Frances and Jim, who see things very differently due to their age gap. She tends to focus on understanding both sides to avoid dealing with the pain of her father leaving, which is a central theme in Colman’s story. She’s also making a film about her parents’ relationship, and the film largely revolves around her father’s abandonment of the family.

During conversations with those working with her, Hannah maintains that her father’s leaving didn’t cause any family conflict or emotional distress for her as a teenager. However, her colleagues are puzzled by this claim, and a central theme of Jimpa is Hannah gradually acknowledging that her father’s departure likely affected her more deeply than she lets on.

As much as I enjoyed Jimpa, I think it tries to tackle a little too much, and sometimes veers into being overly sweet for my taste. But honestly, it was so nice to see a queer family portrayed with this kind of care. You can really feel that director Hyde drew from her own experiences, and that genuine tenderness shines through, even with a few flaws. It’s funny, honest about the diverse ways queer people live today, and ultimately, Jimpa just feels incredibly real – that kind of authenticity is hard to come by in movies.

Jimpa premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival on January 23.

Note: This review was originally published on January 24, 2025.

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2026-02-03 17:19