Thelma & Louise is a film that will touch you heart and mind in a much unexpected way. Directed by Ridley Scott, 1991, Susan Sarandon (Louise), and Geena Davis (Thelma) show us the true meaning for female friendship and female bonding that even they had no idea of until the end. Just two working class girl-friends from a small town in Arkansas looking too get away for the weekend, hit the road and become the targets of a multi-state manhunt.
Louise waits tables in a coffee shop. She is involved with a musician who is never going to be ready to settle down, no matter how much she tries to convince herself. Thelma is a housewife. She is married to a man that is a district sales manager of a rug company. This all self-important husband is sexist, sees his wife as a lower order of life, and only tolerates her as long as she does her household duties. So afraid of her husband, Thelma leaves him a note, instead of telling him, about going away for the weekend with her friend Louise.
The two hit the road in a 1956 T-Bird with the top down, shades on, wind in their hair, celebrating their weekend of freedom and carefree spirit. Not too many miles from home they end up at saloon. Thelma becomes a little wild after a few too many margaritas, gets a little flirtatious with some cowboy, which leads to an attempted rape in the parking lot. Louise comes to her rescue, which leads to a violent event that ends with the man’s death. Here is where the story truly begins. Both women so convinced that no one will believe their story – their only solution is to run. They hit the road, only now this time is it for real! Events that follow, snowballing from one situation too another, lead them to realize that turning back is not an option. Their journey helps us to understand what was going on in their hearts and mind. It shows why they need to do what they to do – With no regrets. The end of the movie displays the power these two women finally had over their own destiny.
Depending on how you may define “feminist” will determine whether or not you would classify this film in that category. For any woman that has felt trapped, or been in an unhappy, unfulfilling relationship, this film will hit home. The story invokes those deep rooted emotions. It does a wonderful job of showing how powerless women can be made to feel. But more importantly, this film took those emotions and showed how powerful, internally, women really are. I highly recommend this movie!!
Annette Parson
Additional Resources:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103074/
http://cinepad.com/reviews/thelma.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thelma_&_Louise
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/thelma_and_louise/
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