Thelma the Unicorn is an animated musical comedy based on the Aaron Blabey book of the same name. Set in a world where animals live and work among people in society, Thelma is a little farm pony who dreams of being a singer with her band, “The Rusty Buckets.” Unfortunately, she isn’t even given a chance to sing at her big audition. With the help of a carrot, paint, and a whole mess of glitter, Thelma gets mistaken for a unicorn. With that, she finally gets a chance at stardom.
Thelma the Unicorn (2024)
Thelma is a small-time pony who dreams of becoming a glamorous music star. In a pink and glitter-filled moment of fate, Thelma is transformed into a unicorn and instantly rises to global stardom. However, this new life of fame comes at a cost.
- Release Date
- May 17, 2024
- Runtime
- 1h 33m
Naturally, many of the characters, including Brittany Howard’s Thelma, get to perform various songs throughout the story, from music videos to concerts, as well as the occasional dream sequence. Some of the songs are meant to be inspiring and tug at the heartstrings. Some are meant to intentionally be bad, though that doesn’t make them less fun to watch. In the end, one doesn’t need to be a unicorn to make their musical dreams come true.
10 “Here Comes the Cud”
“Here Comes the Cud” is a song from Danny Stallion, who is voiced by Fred Armisen. Danny takes a while to get the song started, mostly just clearing his throat and talking about the equipment for the first few lines. Most of the lyrics are just Danny listing a bunch of different party foods, from pizza to a pickled onion. The chorus then revolves around regurgitation.
The Yacht Took up Most of the Budget
The song is supposed to be poorly executed with flash and little substance. Danny’s even autotuned the few times he actually sings. Poking fun at songs that go viral for all the wrong reasons, the video is ironically set upon a luxurious yacht.
Thelma, who appears throughout the video, gets a brief solo. While clearly taking the project seriously, her voice can only do so much with the poorly written lyrics, leaving her friends watching at home mostly confused. Of course, none of this prevents the song from becoming a number one hit beloved by fans.
9 “Blubber Trouble”
“Blubber Trouble” is a song performed by Baraka May, as the character Nikki Narwhal, whose speaking voice is provided by Ally Dixon in the film. Nikki claims it’s the “number one” song in the world, only to be corrected that it’s actually the 12th and that her fame is dwindling.
Even Narwhals Can Be Divas
The song serves as a parody of a pop music number, complete with a brief rap number. Filled with nautical puns, Nikki emphasizes herself as the “unicorn of the sea,” highlighting her rivalry with Thelma in the story, as well as hinting at a common connection between them: Nikki is also pretending to be something she isn’t.
In the film, Thelma watches the song’s music video on television, in which Nikki is seen swimming with muscular male back-up dancers helping her to perform a water ballet.
8 “Are You Gonna Go My Way”
“Are You Gonna Go My Way” is a Lenny Kravitz song that appears briefly during the opening of the film. Thelma imagines singing it as part of “The Rusty Buckets'” audition for the upcoming SparklePalooza contest. Thelma sings four stanzas before she introduces her bandmates.
Everything Starts With a Dream
Thelma dreams of throwing herself into a mosh pit, being carried away by cheering fans. However, she soon lands in a bale of hay, revealing the whole thing had just been a daydream. Returning to reality, it soon becomes time for Thelma to start her farm chores.
Unfortunately, Thelma’s actual SparklePalooza audition doesn’t go so well. Thelma is immediately rejected for not having the right look, before she even gets to sing. Thelma then falls off the stage as she tries to stick up for herself, ending the whole thing in humiliation.
7 “Hurricane”
Peggy Purvis, a retired record dealer, decides to make The Rusty Buckets her comeback attraction. While Thelma and her friends are in the recording booth, they perform the song “Hurricane.” The number is a loud, country-influenced piece, with Thelma asking if everyone starts out the same, with some going on into greatness, then why can’t she among that chosen few.
Dreams Take Work to Come True
Emphasizing her determination, Thelma is continuously planning and working on her music, even while her friends are sleeping or taking a break. However, they all come together as the song reaches its close, with Reggie using everything, from the wall to other characters as drums.
6 “Big”
Thelma performs “Big” in concert, having embraced her new “unicorn” mantle. Fans cheer her on while wearing fake horns of their own. Thelma sings about how easy it is to feel small in this big world. However, she is determined to take her chance to finally become “big” in this world.
Thelma Gets Her Big Solo
Vic throws in all the bells and whistles to get the crowd excited during the big performance, even using fireworks that were intended for Nikki. However, it’s also thanks to Vic that Peggy and Thelma’s friends and bandmates weren’t able to show up to the concert on time, causing Thelma to perform solo. Her shocked friends are left locked outside, watching the performance on a laptop.
Vic reveals that he has now started to see Thelma as his next big “diamond,” which is highlighted by her blowing up on social media on a phone. All the while, Nikki is left rejected and humiliated.
5 “Only Unicorn”
“Only Unicorn” represents Thelma realizing fame and fortune might not be all it’s cracked up to be, as she rollerblades with Vic and Danny as part of a “Cud Life” promotional party. Singing about how she feels like the only unicorn on her “rainbow,” Thelma admits she feels like it might be time to “indigo.”
One Is the Loneliest Number…
The song reflects a low point for Thelma, as she silently watches her old friends walk past and gets eggs hurled at her by protesters led by Nikki’s assistant, Megan. Although Thelma’s fans come to her defense, she ultimately finds herself hiding away in a lonely hotel room. It’s there where she comes across her old journal, complete with music notes and a photo of her with her friends as “The Rusty Buckets.”
The scene cuts to Otis looking at the same photo, before “The Rusty Buckets” tries auditioning replacements for Thelma. The sad song still manages to sneak in a silly moment towards the end, when a screaming goat tries and fails to take Thelma’s place.
4 “Three C’s to Success”
Vic Diamond, a conniving and antagonistic talent agent played by Jemaine Clement, schemes to have Thelma as his client, going so far as to separate her from her friends. He gets his own song, “Three C’s to Success,” which he even plays on a record. He explains what it takes to make it in the industry. The first step is “Change,” which means Thelma is headed for a makeover, from her mane to her smile.
Some Artistic License Is Taken With the Letters
The second step is “Cologne,” or perfume, claiming the right fragrance will make Thelma the “belle of the ball.” Factory workers whip up a customized perfume straight out of Thelma’s own mucus, which is dubbed “Unicornia #5.” After all, no one can deny Thelma’s a star when everyone wants to smell like her.
Vic briefly shares how he was unpopular and lonely when he was younger, driving his ambition to be “somebody.” He then reveals the third “C” is “partnership,” in spite of the spelling. Vic compels Thelma to start up a relationship with a horse who has become an internet sensation, Danny Stallion.
3 “Goldmine”
“Goldmine” functions as Thelma the Unicorn’s final song. After one last joke, in which paint and feather make Otis the donkey look like a Pegasus, the song starts up during the credits. It plays against a slideshow of each of the characters in all sorts of colors, revealing which actor voiced which character.
“It’s Time to Shine”
Thelma starts out singing about her start as a “country girl” with dreams. She then tells the “listener” that they are a “goldmine” filled with potential. In essence, the song can also be interpreted as Thelma telling herself to believe in her own dreams, too. The underlying message is that, even when the world tells someone they are not enough, they can still make their dreams come true.
2 “Fire Inside”
“Fire Inside” plays out as Thelma’s debut song when she first dons her unicorn disguise, as a crowd of people and animals gather around to hear her sing, bobbing their heads along with the music.
A Unicorn Has to Start Somewhere
The song starts off calm and subdued, emphasizing something is just about to start. However, once Thelma reaches the chorus, both her singing and the accompanying music become a lot louder and more powerful. The wind itself starts blowing strongly around Thelma, as if nature itself wants to lend a hand to her performance. This all emphasizes Thelma’s new willingness to share the “fire inside.”
Not only is a news team on the scene to help record Thelma’s debut, the people in the audience are filming the performance on their phones, helping it spread like wildfire.
1 “Just As You Are”
“Just As You Are” is Thelma’s big number where she finally performs as herself, with her friends performing alongside her. While initially shocked, Thelma’s fans start showing their support, lighting up unicorn-themed lights in her honor. Soon, even the people who previously threw eggs at her join in.
“Everything You Needed Was Right Inside”
The scene has an effect on all the characters. Danny removes his golden necklace, symbolizing that he realizes the importance of substance over style. This is also the moment that reveals one of the film’s biggest twists: Nikki was wearing a false horn the whole time, meaning she wasn’t really a narwhal, something that even her assistant Megan wasn’t aware of. Ultimately, the number reflect the journey that Thelma, and all the characters, have gone through.
