Lily Tomlin delivers one of her best performances in “Grandma,” as Elle Reid, a 70-something academic, and a poet of some note decades earlier, who has lost the love of her life, Violet, after 38 years together.

Although she’d always known she was a lesbian, when Elle was in her twenties she married Karl (Sam Elliott), but left him in the middle of the night after just two short months.

Elle has a daughter, Judy (Marcia Gay Hardin), from whom she has been estranged for some time, but who is not Karl’s child.

One morning, not long after Elle and her first new love, Olivia, break up, Elle’s teenaged granddaughter Sage (Julia Garner) shows up at her door.

Over tea, Sage reveals she is there because she needs money, $630 to be exact, by 5:45 that afternoon. For an abortion.

Unfortunately for Sage, Elle has just recently paid off all of her debt, including Violet's medical bills, and it took all of her funds to do it. She even used pieces of her cut up credit cards for a homemade wind chime.

Elle accepts her granddaughter's decision, forewarning: “This is something you will think about for the rest of your life, at some point.”

Elle reminds Sage that her unwanted pregnancy isn't just her problem; there is a father.

“I assume there was a penis involved,” Elle says.

Sage tells her grandma that the father, Cam, said he would get the money, but when she called him that morning to pick it up, he told her he didn’t have it.

Elle decides its time for them to take the cover off of the 1955 Royal Lancer (Violet's car, in real life, Tomlin's) and take a little ride to Cam's house.

To say things don't go well would be a vast understatement. At one point Cam threatens to “eff grandma up,” while raising a hockey stick, if she doesn't get out of his house. Well, someone does get a bit effed up, but it isn't Grandma. Plus, they get $50 for the fund — and his bag of weed (also in his sock drawer).

Back in the car Sage tells her grandmother that her mom, Judy, says Elle has anger issues and a problem dealing with people.

“No, I have an A-hole problem and when people ‘eff’ with me, then I get angry,” replies Elle, adding, “especially when it's my granddaughter they're ‘effing’ with.”

“Mom says you’re philanthropic,” Sage says.

“Philanthropic?” Elle asks.

“No, no, misanthropic,” corrects Sage.

“That is an understatement,” Elle replies with a grin.

And so begins the road trip on which Elle and Sage visit people, largely from Elle's past, in search of money.

Elle comes up with various schemes like selling her first editions of classics, including Betty Friedan's “The Feminine Mystique,” Germaine Greer's “The Female Eunuch” and Simone de beauvoir's “The Second Sex”; calling on a friend at a tattoo parlor who owes her $400; and, in true desperation, paying a visit to her one-time husband.

Elle expects her collection is worth thousands. She recalls a friend who once wanted to buy them at a party. Elle will sell them to her cheap, getting just what is needed for the moment. Grandma's bubble gets blown when Sage reports a first edition Friedan is going for under $54.

The scenes at former hub Karl's house are tension and emotion filled due to what is said — and what isn't said.

Karl keeps asking Elle why she's really there. To apologize?

Leaving empty handed, Elle having played her last card, the road trip ends at “Judge” Judy's office.

As soon as they arrive, Elle begins to fidget. Sage observes her grandmother looks a little scared.

Says Elle, “I've been afraid of your mother since she was five years old.”

Paul Weitz wrote and directed “Grandma,” a story that deals with the complexities in relationships, in making choices and in living with those choices. And he does so quite effectively with humanity, honesty and an “effing” great cast.

“Grandma,” plays at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2 through Sunday, Oct. 4, with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday. The film, just 82 minutes long, is preceded by a classic cartoon offering.

The Harbor Theatre is located at 185 Townsend Avenue in Boothbay Harbor. For more information, call 207-633-0438 or visit www.harbortheatre.net.