'Jimpa' Is a Small Movie About Big Issues — Is It Worth Watching?
Its star John Lithgow's next project, 'Harry Potter,' is stealing focus from director Sophie Hyde's meditation on family
February 20, 2026
Jimpa, in theaters now, is an unusually heartfelt film about the family dynamics at play between a woman (Olivia Colman) preparing a revealing film about her unorthodox childhood and her non-binary teenager (Aud Mason-Hyde) on a trip to visit her gay-firebrand father (John Lithgow) in Amsterdam.
Based on director and co-writer Sophie Hyde’s childhood — her dad came out as gay while married to her mom — the film explores the stark generational differences when it comes to approaching sexual orientation and gender expression, but personalizes these topics, always avoiding coming off as a polemic.
In some ways, it feels like a refreshing, earnest return to ‘70s issues-oriented dramas.
