Movie Review: Thelma & Louise (1991)

Thelma & Louise (1991) directed by Ridley Scott

Thelma (Geena Davis) is a mousy housewife with an overbearing husband named Darryl (Christopher McDonald) who keeps her at home on a short leash. She's made plans with her friend Louise (Susan Sarandon) to go on a weekend vacation in the mountains. Louise works at a diner as a waitress and has loyal, undemanding live-in boyfriend Jimmy (Michael Madsen). Thelma is on the verge of asking Darryl for permission to go when he storms off to work. She decides to leave him a note with a beer and a microwave dinner. Thelma and Louise head out in Louise's convertible. Louise has packed the bare minimum of stuff; Thelma has packed way too much, including the gun Darryl gave her for self-defense that she has never used. There might be bears or some other creatures in the mountains, right? On their way, they stop off at a road house for a drink since Thelma has never gotten to do that. Louise just wants to push on to the cabin but agrees. One of the regulars, Harlan (Timothy Carhart), flirts with the ladies. Thelma is charmed; Louise is repulsed. After a too few many drinks, Harlan convinces Thelma to go outside. He tries to rape her in the parking lot; Louise shows up with the gun and tells him to stop. The ladies back away and Harlan keeps taunting them. Louise shoots Harlan in the heart; the drunken pair flee in the convertible. At first, Thelma wants to go to the police to explain what happened. Louise is sure the authorities will put the blame on Thelma for encouraging Harlan. Louise isn't sure what to do. They keep driving till they can figure out a plan. Meanwhile, the police start investigating, led by Hal (Harvey Keitel), who is giving the ladies the benefit of the doubt. The story becomes an extended road trip and car chase.

The movie examines how their circumstances and bad decisions make the situation increasingly bad. Louise is a person with a lot of life experience, giving her a cynicism that works against her. Thelma is very sheltered and wants to have a fun time, making her go overboard in situations where she should be more cautious. Their travels provide a lot of opportunities that could go well or poorly for them. They become outlaw folk heroes somewhere in the gray moral area between Robin Hood and Jesse James. The performances and writing are so good that a viewer easily understands and sympathizes with the ladies' plight while seeing what they do as wrong. 

The very end is a famous image that has become iconic in movies, much like King Kong swatting at biplanes or Scarlett O'Hara shaking her fist and claiming "I'll never go hungry again." The movie is well-crafted visually, with a realistic style that gives weight to a very weighty situation. 

Recommended.

The movie is discussed on A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast #290.