Thelma & Louise (1991)
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Thelma & Louise Movie Review
Thelma & Louise is a 1991 adventure road trip drama film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis. It is a very memorable, iconic road movie.
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“You’ve always been crazy.
This is just the first chance you’ve ever
had to really express yourself“
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Two best friends set out on an adventure, but it soon turns around to a terrifying escape from being hunted by the police, as these two girls escape for the crimes they committed. Ridley Scott is famous for his science fiction movies and historical epics, but whenever he focused on anything that did not fit within those two genres, his track record was spotty at best.
Thelma and Louise is probably his best movie that isn’t a SF story or a historical spectacle. This is where Scott fired on all cylinders and delivered a polished, superbly directed and wonderfully made drama that is still effective to this day. It is the type of woman’s picture that is feminist, but done in a subtle and timeless manner. Most modern movies today should take note of this film’s nuanced and realistic treatment of women and their plight as it never becomes didactic.
The film works in multiple genres. It is a feminist drama that also functions within the realm of a road trip narrative interspersed with some romantic comedy sensibilities. It is also very much an adventure tale too and this is where the film was most effective to me personally as the road trip that the girls take themselves onto was both memorable and very enjoyable.
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The film is iconic for that famous ending where the two drive off into the sunset while the police is after them. It was such an iconic, breathtaking and unforgettable sequence that would eventually be parodied in ‘The Simpsons’ in one of that show’s finest episodes. It was a perfectly bittersweet way to conclude this story.
The male characters in this film serve their purpose and are mostly quite memorable. The highlights are Harvey Keitel and Brad Pitt, the former being quite important for the overall story and the latter being perfectly cast as the heartthrob in what was one of his first roles.
Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis are both incredible here and rarely have they been better than they were in their signature titular roles. Both complement each other perfectly and their dynamic is fantastic. Their chemistry was outstanding and their relationship can be understood either as homoerotic or as a deeply personal friendship. Either way, the two really sparked together.
Louise was the more proactive and protective of the two while Thelma was the sweeter one. Sarandon was very powerful and commanding in her presence while Davis was tender, charming and highly sympathetic.
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Thelma and Louise is also a technically polished feature with stunning cinematography that perfectly captured its Texan and New Mexican landscapes, which only further led to its undeniable success as a road trip flick. The score is beautiful too while the movie is very well edited and paced. It’s an engaging watch with great dialogue, but it does have its episodic sections that range in quality or memorability. It does feel conventional on the surface, but the execution is so fantastic that ultimately the movie trumped that familiarity easily.
Thelma and Louise is probably the best movie Ridley Scott has ever made that isn’t a SF story or a historical epic. It’s a feminist drama that also functions as a wonderful road trip adventure tale. Gorgeously shot and scored and superbly directed, this is a technically polished, moving film that was powered by an iconic bittersweet ending and two outstanding performances from Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon in their most signature roles.
My Rating – 4.5
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