Thelma and Louise

Thelma and Louise's journey begins as a whimsical weekend escape from a lonely, claustrophobic marriage and a dead-end waitressing job, but after only a breath of freedom, Thelma (Geena Davis - both ladies were Oscar nominated) falls victim to the masochistic type she sought to escape, and Louise (Susan Sarandon)'s rescue gets the action underway in fully fledged road movie fashion.

Faithful to the buddy-buddy school of character development the two protagonists grow together in friendship and loyalty; the boundaries they cross are not only literal in the interstate car chase but ontological as they find self esteem and the ability to retaliate against the chauvinists who rule the road.

As a feminist film its message remains somewhat confused. The pair begin life in lacy dress and silk scarves but they soon throw their lipstick to the wind donning jeans and T-shirts (Louise's bears a skull and the message "Brush my life away"). Also they are unable to win on their own terms; in adopting male manners and methods they stoop to the level of the men they despise; but we are made to feel, rightly or wrongly, that they are justified at every turn, even the Chief of Police (Harvey Keitel) ironically their greatest threat, becomes compassionate to their plight.

If the film ended a few frames later in its closing shot, its message might have been very different. Instead the tale of two women who refuse to have their wings clipped and who instead learn to fly, is ultimately uplifting.

Review by Cordelia Stephens
Taken from EUFS Programme 1994-95