The G: Gripping Social Thriller Says You're Never Too Old to Fight Back

By Thom Ernst

Rating: B+

The G is a raw, gripping thriller that latches onto its most powerful asset: Dale Dickey’s extraordinary performance.

A veteran character actor with a career spanning decades in film and television, Dickey commands the screen with an intensity rarely afforded to leads of her age. As Ann—referred to by her family simply as "The G"—Dickey crafts a character as complex as she is resilient.

Dale Dickey in The G

Ann’s face, etched with the struggles of a hard-lived life, becomes a canvas for shame, guilt, and a fierce determination to endure. Every line on her face, every tired yet unflinching gaze, tells a story of survival.
Ann is no saint. She’s a wife, mother, and grandmother whose better days—which weren’t all that great in the first place—are long behind her. She’s hardened by years of bad decisions, alienated family, and the unshakable weight of regret.

Now, with her once strong and protective husband Chip (played with poignant subtlety by Greg Elward) weakened by age and illness, Ann finds herself targeted by a ruthless agency exploiting legal loopholes to strip her of her home, finances, and dignity. When the agency goes too far, Ann, battered but unbroken, rises as an unlikely vigilante, proving there is no age barrier to rebellion.

The relationship between Ann and her granddaughter Emma (Romane Denis) is the emotional heart of the film. Emma, the only family member who truly sees and admires Ann, shares her grandmother’s instinct for defiance. Their bond is a bright thread of hope in an otherwise bleak narrative, and their shared spirit of resistance makes the film’s central conflict even more compelling.

Director Karl R. Hearne turns this story of quiet fury into a simmering slow burn. Unlike films that merely bide their time for a climactic payoff, The G keeps viewers hooked with every moment of tension, every glance and pause loaded with meaning. There are echoes of Hal Hartley’s early work here, with its small-town textures and understated wit. The film also nods to the likes of John Cassavette’s Gloria in its depiction of a woman reclaiming her agency, though it takes a grittier, more grounded approach.

While Dickey’s nuanced performance anchors the film, the supporting cast, particularly the villains, veer into caricature. Their exaggerated idiosyncrasies—like an odd fixation on hard-boiled eggs—distract from the otherwise grounded tone. These shortcomings, however, do little to diminish the film’s overall impact.
At its core, The G is a showcase for Dickey, elevating her from reliable character actor to a forceful lead. Her performance is a masterclass in restraint, revealing vulnerability and longing beneath Ann’s tough exterior. This is a woman who has lost nearly everything yet still clings to the hope—however faint—that she can set things right.

Though the film doesn’t entirely escape comparisons to similar stories, it stands out for its raw emotional honesty and willingness to confront uncomfortable truths about aging, family, and redemption. The G isn’t just about fighting back; it’s about the quiet dignity of survival, even in the face of insurmountable odds. And for that, it’s worth a trip to the movie theatre.

The G. Directed by Karl R. Herarne. Stars Dale Dickey, Romane Denis and Roc Lafortune. The G is currently playing at selected theatres.