Thelma & Louise (1991)

Highly Overrated But Still Good

Fresh and Exciting

Clever, believable, and super fun to watch. It totally has replay value.

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

This is a great road movie starring Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon which did more for feminism subtly than what real feminsist haven't been able to achieve somehow. Directed by Ridley Scott- once again proving his mettle in any genre- Thelma And Louise is a journey by two best friends and starring cameos the most famous of them being Brad Pitt. A film which is a riot as well as lots of fun.

One of the ultimate, "good girls gone bad by circumstance," films in cinematic history, Thelma & Louise, was a ground-breaking movie showcasing the story of two women who embarked on a crime spree, not out of want, but of the pure necessity for survival. In 1991, it was relatively rare to see females in a position of pure power and wielding weapons (that includes both sex AND guns). Finally, a big box office film showed that when pushed headlong into moral, ethical and life or death situations, women can be just as ruthless, strong and resourceful as men. These chicks didn't need to be rescued, coddled or defended. It is a, "stand your ground" movie that really hit viewers, especially females, in the gut. Today, we have a surplus of woman-empowered films, but 25 years ago they were far more rare. Sure, I finally saw this flick at the dollar theater years after it's initial release, but it was no less spectacular. At certain moments, even I, as a somewhat cynical and strong chick myself, got goosebumps in reaction to some scenes, like the one near the end of the film where the two feisty felines finally emasculate the disgusting, slovenly and perverted truck driver that plagued the two for most of the movie and then proceed to blow his rig to the moon (although gas tanks don't explode just because a well- placed bullet hits them; it's actually the fumes from the gas that ignite, not the liquid itself). Just awesome. And to add insult to injury, Thelma steals the trucker's filthy hat as he screams in defeat, "you bit**es from hell!". Hilarious and well deserved payback. Thelma & Louise is a brilliantly acted, wonderfully written and fabulously directed movie that is officially in my personal, "Top ten chick flicks of all time" list. Except...the soundtrack tries to suck the life out of almost every scene with a soundtrack. Good grief, those tunes really stink. It's not that I hate country music, it's that the creators of this film somehow managed to find the absolute worst songs in music history. Horrid. Sometimes I hit the mute button to spare my sensitive ears; I prefer trash metal/hard rock. Regardless, I think every female over the age of 17 should see this movie at least once in their lives. Hopefully, one day they will show it to their granddaughters.

Another movie in a long line of Hollowood movies which promotes violence as a legitimate response to other violent acts. This movie tells women that it is OK to kill people for lesser things such as shouting profanity, being a man and them being a woman. I found it to be anti-men and anti-women, but more supportive of crime. Killing people does not empower you. It weakens you and killing in the name of movie profit is a terrible reason to support a movie. To make enough lines for this terrible movie I must keep writing about greed greed greed. Then again how could I write any more terrible things about this movie because I think it is crap.

Thelma & Louise is a take on the road-trip movie genre with one interesting difference, both of the protagonists are women. When you consider all of the films in this style, from 'Bonnie and Clyde' to 'Rain Man', this is the first time that we have followed the journey of two ordinary, working-class women. It puts a nice twist on a type of film that is usually full of twists itself. Adding to that is Ridley Scott, known for making technical marvels, trying his hand at something much more human and sensitive. The story follows our title characters as they break the shackles of their ordinary, dull lives and hit the road for a weekend of fun. Thelma is upbeat but naïve and controlled by her overbearing husband Daryl, whereas Louise is much tougher and resourceful despite her relationship with a musician going nowhere fast. Both girls have large contrasts but they seem to fit together despite that. They're characters are well-formed and emotive, endearing because they feel like real people who are simply trying to break away from their repressive lives. Importantly their characters transform as they experience more and more. They have to rely on each other and they begin to take each other's characteristics as a result. Of course things are never that straight-forward and the women are soon on the run when they kill a would-be rapist. Pursued by the police, they decide to keep on moving forward whether that includes breaking the law or disrupting their romantic relationships. Callie Khouri's script already has two interesting leads, but the acting can't be underestimated. Both Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon inhabit these roles with all the passion and wit that you would be hoping for. They work together flawlessly which helps make their friendship seem all the more plausible. Sarandon especially stands tall given how she manages to capture the weariness and yearning of Louise whilst giving her relationship to the more innocent Thelma an almost motherly edge.Along the way the girls meet a handsome drifter played by Brad Pitt (in an enjoyable early performance) who soothes Thelma's sexual desires, but then robs them of all their money. Harvey Keitel is as solid as ever playing the detective how has sympathy for their plight. He doesn't want their situation to become increasingly worse. The issues with the film come with the male characters. Though Keitel's cop does come across as genuinely concerned his colleagues don't share his sentiment. Pitt's drifter basically lies and tricks them. Thelma's husband is overly bitter and aggressive towards her for little reason. Even Michael Madsen as Louise's boyfriend seems prone to lashing out rather than calmly resolving the issues. These male characters all seem to be edgy and hostile in some way. It's not to say they're badly played or totally unrealistic, but they all appear to against the women when there is little reason or logic for them to be.Scott is a visual master and he brings his A-Game here. For a filmmaker so used to neon colours and atmospheric murkiness, it's satisfying to see him visualise the dusty trails and open roads of Southern America. The opening credits scene is simply overlooking a long road leading to a canyon. Yet it's sheer scope and its vibrant blue sky makes it the perfect introduction. There's plenty of dusky Blues music to fit the scenery and it usually sits nicely alongside Hans Zimmer's score.Sadly I really have issues with the films ending. The idea itself is fine and it is a conclusion that we don't often see and I like how everything isn't wrapped in a neat little bow. Yet the film has hit its end point and screen just fades to white after just a few seconds. It is far too abrupt. After having spent so long with these characters, growing to care about them and seeing their journey change their lives in so many ways, it almost feels like we've been duped by such a hasty final shot. It doesn't completely derail the precision of the film, but it does help stop it from reaching the true heights it was so close to.Putting its ending and its portrayal of its male characters aside, I think Thelma & Louise is a very enjoyable film that tackles subjects that aren't usually handled well and takes itself seriously. The title characters become memorable, in part due to a well written script and some wonderful acting from both actresses. It is mostly a film about friendship and freedom, something these two very different characters have in common. They escape the numbing grind of their everyday lives for something that lets them feel free, even if they break the law doing so. It's difficult not to at least appreciate a film that tells a story like this and even though it doesn't quite soar, there's still a great deal to admire about it.