“Don’t hang onto him,” John Lithgow’s Jim tells his daughter, Hannah, played by Olivia Colman, about her dying pet dog. “It’s the kindest thing you can do.” It’s the kind of line in Jimpa, from writer-director Sophie Hyde (Good Luck to You, Leo Grande) that we know will have larger implications later on, as Hyde explores her own relationship with her father through her latest film. Without a doubt, Jimpa is Hyde’s earnest, honest tribute to her complicated relationship with her father, but while the emotions throughout are sincere, Jimpa feels like it can’t quite make these emotions as impactful as they need to be.
In Jimpa, Hannah is also a filmmaker making a movie after her father. When she pitches the idea to others, she says it’s a “drama without conflict.” While this idea is laughed at by others, this is certainly an approach that can be done well, yet Hyde’s film doesn’t know the best way to make that drama still effective without conflict.
What Is ‘Jimpa’ About?

Hannah and her husband (Daniel Henshall) take their nonbinary teenager, Frances (played by Hyde’s own child, Aud Mason-Hyde) to visit Frances’ grandfather Jim in Amsterdam. Not liking the name “grandpa,” Jim has always affectionately been known as “Jimpa” instead. When Hannah was a kid, Jim came out as gay to his wife and family, and left to find himself, doing his best to create a safe space for others like him, and finding his own community in the process.
Frances is struggling with being nonbinary in Adelaide, so they ask if it would be possible to live with Jimpa for a bit, in order to find themselves in the world. But Hannah has lived with Jim’s unpredictability for too long and worries that Frances will only get their heart broken in time. As the family spends time with Jim, Frances starts to become more of themself upon meeting some new friends, while Hannah tries to bring up her upcoming film project about her father with her father, as Jim is also considering another major life change.
From the very beginning, Jimpa is as well-intentioned as can be, as we watch Frances’ supportive parents trying to do the best for their daughter, and even defending their use of they/them pronouns when Jim playfully mocks them. There’s a warmth to this family and their story, even as we see the secrets and white lies that have been told to protect each other. There’s love, but it’s always tinged with a sense of uncertainty, considering how Jim left his family.
‘Jimpa’ Often Makes Its Point, Then Keeps Belaboring the Point

Image by Jovelle Tamayo via Sundance Institute

Yet one of Jimpa’s biggest flaws is the way Hyde will drag out moments and ideas, belaboring the point rather than making the point and getting out. For example, Frances’ story understandably focuses on self-identification, and struggling to figure out what they want and who they want to become. It’s an important discussion to have, and it’s easy to see how Jimpa could be an integral work for those in Frances’ position. But Hyde digs in, including several scenes where Frances discusses their pronouns and sexual preferences, which are undercut by Jim’s criticism of how queerness is seen nowadays by the younger generation.
Hyde sets up many such similar scenes, where characters sit around discussing the larger themes of the movies, and it doesn’t have the impact it should. It is almost reminiscent of Hyde’s work in Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, which almost entirely revolved around Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack having long dialogues with each other while together in a hotel room. It worked for that film because of the film’s form and function, but here, the progression of these characters through scenes like this aren’t as relevant to this larger story when we can witness moments that hit on these ideas naturally as they explore the world around them. Again, Hyde is touching on things like how LGBTQIA+ issues have evolved over the decades, and how self-identification is essential in communities—all discussions worth having—but Jimpa either overdoes it by hitting the same points over and over again or does too much telling and not showing.
‘Jimpa’ Excels When Focusing on the Impact Jim Has Had on Those Around Him

Image by Federico Napoli

Jimpa especially works when it focuses on the familial dynamics at the heart of the story, be it Frances attempting to find their own way away from their parents, or the worry that Hannah has that Jim will disappoint yet again. Colman is naturally good here, even if her story is mostly relegated to responding to the stories of others. But it’s Lithgow’s Jim that is truly exciting to watch. Unlike so many other characters in the film, Jim knows who he is and leans into his identity in full force. It’s a wonderfully free and captivating performance by Lithgow, and it’s hard to take your eyes off Lithgow in any given scene.

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As Jim has worked within the gay community for decades, he has a long, important history with those he keeps around him. One of Hyde’s most beautiful touches in the film is silent flashbacks that give us glimpses of Jim and his history with these people. In showcasing these moments, we see the impact that one person can have on those around them, whether it’s in helping a person find who they are or recommending someone for a job. It’s a simple touch, but it’s a great example of how Jimpa can be far more effective by trusting the audience, rather than just blatantly giving us the information we need.
But considering how much this film wears its heart on its sleeve, it’s a bit disappointing that it never quite hits the emotional highs it is going for. Especially in the third act, when these dynamics are shaken in various ways, Jimpa is too sterile for its own good, and we never quite feel the weight of what is happening on screen. If Jimpa spent more time with quiet character moments that give us a fully realized version of these characters, rather than hitting us over the head with its themes, maybe these final moments of the film would have the emotional depth that it wants these sequences to have.
It’s hard to fault a film like Jimpa for being such a full-on love letter to Hyde’s own father, and it’s clear the film is coming from a deeply emotional place of care, love, and understanding. The only problem is those emotions don’t come out as effectively as they should, and it makes one wish we had spent more time with these characters than with the film’s themes. Jimpa is a heartfelt tribute that unfortunately doesn’t resonate as much as it should.
Jimpa had its world premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.

Jimpa

Jimpa has its heart in the right place, and while Olivia Colman and John Lithgow are good, the emotional moments don’t have the impact they need.

Release Date

January 23, 2025

Runtime

123 Minutes

Director

Sophie Hyde

Writers

Sophie Hyde, Matthew Cormack

Producers

Sue Maslin, Bryan Mason, Marleen Slot, Troy Lum, Ester Harding

Pros & Cons

John Lithgow is at his unrestrained best as the free-spirited Jim.
Jimpa hits on important notes of self-identity and the importance of inclusion.

But it also belabors some of these points to an exhausting degree at times.
The emotional moments don’t have the impact it desires.

Release Date

January 23, 2025

Runtime

123 Minutes

Director

Sophie Hyde

Writers

Sophie Hyde, Matthew Cormack

Producers

Sue Maslin, Bryan Mason, Marleen Slot, Troy Lum, Ester Harding