The story of Thelma and Louise is one you may or may not know. Directed by the amazing and talented Ridley Scott of Alien, Blade Runner, Gladiator fame with a screenplay by Callie Khorli was a big change of pace for the director. What he brings to the screen through Callie’s words is pure cinema genius. Why does a movie with two leading females (a huge risk at the time, and still I feel today) driving across America through the baron desert due to an event which will change their lives forever work? I’ll tell you why.
The movie is about an uptight headstrong waitress Louise played by the amazing (and I feel her best performance ever) Susan Sarandon. Louise is allowed to use her manager’s cabin in the woods for the weekend due to his divorce. She is best friends with Thelma, played by Geena Davis (who I feel is one of the most underrated actresses and this movie proves my point). Thelma is a housewife, who married her high school boyfriend who rules her life. She is not allowed to go anywhere, do anything or enjoy her life without her husband’s permission played by the perfectly cast Christopher McDonald as her sleazy overbearing husband. Louise invites her best friend Thelma to go away with her for the weekend. But there is another reason Louise wants to get away. Her relationship with her boyfriend Jimmy played by the brutish but sensitive Michael Madsen is on the skids and she needs to escape. One catch. Thelma needs to ask her husband. What happens next is the start of the crazy, fun, dramatic, thrilling ride that the viewer will experience and how far would they go for their friendship. Thelma decides the hell with it; I’m going to enjoy the life I’m supposed to live. She packs everything, including a gun, which her husband bought her to protect herself due to him working late all the time as a car salesman. (It is never quiet clear, but you may interpret this that her husband is having an affair. I sure did as Thelma asks the question, “You would think people would want to do other things on a Friday night then buy a car?”) Thelma then decides to not tell her husband and this is when the fun starts.
There are so many classic scenes from this part onward and classic lines, including when Thelma gives Louise the gun and she asks Thelma, “why the hell you bring that for” to which Thelma replies, “bears, psycho killers” It is clever comments like this that you feel that Louise has always been the strong one of their friendship and Thelma has always been the kooky housewife. The journey then starts with the ladies heading to the cabin in Louise’s T-Bird Convertible. We witness Thelma breaking free of her restraints as she waves goodbye to her neighbourhood and is excited as a ten year old. The ladies travel along the open roads of America when Thelma asks the question, “when are we going to have some fun,” begging Louise to pull over and go to a bar where she can let her hair down. This is where the movie changes focus once again. As I said you can’t not label Thelma and Louise into a comedy or if anyone calls it a chick flick I will slap them. From here you can feel that change is about to happen to these ladies.
From here the ladies start to let loose, drinking and smoking enjoying the nightlife of the country themed bar. Then what comes lurking out of dark corners of the bar. A man by the name of Harlen. Harlen waltzes up to the impressionable Thelma and asks her for a dance. He sets his sight on this lady as he can see she is starting to get intoxicated and looking for a good time. Louise however can smell a rat a mile away and brushes him off knowing he is no good. However, when she leaves for the bathroom Thelma goes and enjoys herself with Harlen. We witness them enjoying themselves on the dance floor and swinging back drinks, but then all of a sudden the mood changes and Thelma starts to fall ill. Harlen then tells her he will take her outside for some air. Louise returns from the bar wondering where her friend is and asks the waitress where she has gone. Ridley Scott quickly changes the focus back to Thelma who is stumbling around trying to get back to Louise from the parking lot. However, Harlen has other ideas. He picks her up and forces a kiss on her. Thelma rejects his offer, and with force Harlen quickly slaps her face. Thelma is shocked, (from here on I warn you that it does take a very in your face moment that I still have trouble even watching this part, as I love these characters so much. I have even found myself fast forwarding until it is over). But since I am reviewing I can’t miss the most important part. Quickly Harlen flips her over and proceeds to rape her. The scene is only 10 seconds long but Ridley Scott makes you feel the pain of this scared women, until he quickly changes the direction of the whole movie. A stern gun is pointed on Harlen’s face by Louise who insists he stop what he is doing and let her go. (Now do you see why I mentioned the gun so much in the first part of my review?) He quickly laughs it off and says we were only having some fun. Thelma quickly runs to her friend and the women quickly back away, where Louise says in my opinion one of the most memorable lines in cinema, “When you see a woman crying like that, she ain’t havin any fun.” Harlen quickly replies “Suck my d%*k” And with a mighty roar of the gun blast, Louise quickly shoots him dead. Sarandon’s face shows the anger and disgust as she stands over him (my favourite part of the movie) and makes us stand up and cheer for this woman who has saved her friend. I am not implying go kill for your friend, but Sarandon has past issues which is written all over her face why she has done this. As she stands over the body, she quickly tells him, “you watch you mouth buddy.” Its lines like these that make you want to be Louise’s friend. Thelma quickly runs to get the car and yells for Louise where they roar out of the carpark and quickly are on the run for their lives. (Did someone say chick flick, you better start eating your words now)
From here the movie switches focus to a thriller (told you you can’t put this movie into one genre). What are they going to do? Should they go to the police like Thelma wants to? Or should they just drive to Mexico and start a new life? Now it wouldn’t be much of a movie if they just go to the police so this is where their camping trip takes backseat and they are on the run now driving through the vast desert of America to Mexico.
Enter Hal played with such masculinity but soft emotion by Harvey Keitel. Before this movie, I have always thought of Harvey as a one sided actor. Always Mr tough guy, but here he gives the best performance of his career I feel (remember this is my opinion prove me wrong people). Hal becomes the inspector to deal with the case. He starts to have a soft spot for them, but it is amazing how the actor and director make this character care so much for these ladies when they do not even spend anytime on screen together except for the last 5 minutes of film. But I am jumping ahead sorry; I just really love Hal in this movie.
Okay back to the ladies. In a time when ATM’s did not exist (remember this movie was made in 1991) the ladies need to think about money and how to survive if they are to make it to Mexico. This is where we get to see the true definition of each of these leading ladies. Thelma is scared, doesn’t know what to do, can not think, wants to go to the police, and is frazzled by the whole ordeal. Louise on the other hand, knows that she is in a word f*&ked, and has to stay strong for her and her friend. She can not let her guard down as she is the rock which is going to keep these two alive. Quickly Jimmy starts to come back into the picture. Louise calls him to ask for money which she has in her account and to transfer it to her in Oklahoma, but can not tell him what it is for. However, we start to see the real Louise break. As her voice weakens and she nearly starts crying, but quickly pulls it together, Jimmy agrees and the ladies are on their way. As I mentioned, these two lead actors are so perfectly cast and dive into their roles that you see what truly great actors should be especially half way through the movie. But back to that later.
Ridley Scott takes us back to the FBI where they are now on the hunt for the two ladies. He wants to help them, but also is being harassed to bring these two fugitives in.
Scott quickly brings us back to the ladies who are now at a service station where Thelma calls her husband. Her husband is rude and obnoxious on the phone and treats her like he is her father and not her husband. Thelma quickly gets fed up with this and realises this is the turning point in her life, with the simple words, “Daryl… Go F*(k yourself” It is here we start to see that there is more to Thelma then we may have thought. (Didn’t I say at the start that the roles start to change?) Anyway, back to the ladies where Thelma is in the store buying small bottles of liquor. The man asks is she would just like a larger bottle where Thelma replies, “No that’s alright.” Its funny small scenes like this I want people to take notice of in movies. They are clever and to me the ones I remember. Why? Cause they can change the tone of the movie in a second. It went back to a comedy for a few seconds. You ever notice that in a movie where it has been intense the director has a scene like this to be a bit lighter? Gives the audience a bit of time to laugh and move away from the dramatic tale. I find things like this amusing in film.
Here we also meet the young JD played for his major breakthrough by Brad Pitt. Who would have thought a man who is in the movie for all up 15minutes would become such a big star? I mean I like a few of his movies, but its JD which I always remember him for. It was his lucky break to be part of a movie that is a now a classic. Anyway, JD explains that he is a student looking for a ride to Oklahoma and cause Thelma is an in awe of his sexiness wants him to come along for the adventure. Louise on the other hand, flat out refuses explaining that it wouldn’t be such a great idea right now. But have we seen the last of JD? More on him later.
With the FBI now one the girl’s case, Hal wants to know everything about the girls. He breaks into Louise’s home looking at photos of her childhood, her life, her clean living environment, then goes around to Thelma’s home where he meets her husband, and like us the viewer probably understands why she wanted to break loose. Hal is soft spoken, listens to everything and jokes around with his fellow FBI agents. Its traits like this we start to warm up to Hal and feel that maybe he is a man that will not screw these girls over.
As the director moves back to the ladies, they quickly stop at an intersection as a train goes by. Louise asks Thelma to look for a way to get to Mexico on the map without going through Texas. Thelma states that there is no way to go except through Texas. Here is why Louise did what she did to Harlen. She never says it, but lets Thelma know that Texas is not the place you want to be killing a man. What happened in Texas? Why is Louise so agro about this? If you think about it, you can fill in the blanks. It is a major scene which Ridley Scott knows the importance of and with Sarandon’s delivery of the lines we can presume that the same thing happened to her what was happening to Thelma back in the parking lot. Once again, he shifts the focus from a thriller to a drama, perfectly executed by the director and the top notch cast.
With their journey now getting them closer to Oklahoma, who should they see on their travels but JD? Thelma bats her puppy dog eyes at Louise and Louise gives in picking up JD for a ride to Oklahoma. Here Thelma and JD talk about her husband and explains why she turned out the way she did. She explains to JD that Louise doesn’t like him calling him a pig, where Louise pipes up saying, “I know he’s a pig” Classic lines again. While in this scene we start to laugh, but are quickly pulled back to why they are on the run when Louise spots two police cars on the other side of the highway coming in their direction. She quickly speeds off the highway and drives through the back roads quickly not to be spotted. We can feel that Louise is always on her game even in moments like this where they start to forget why they are on the run.
They group quickly come to Oklahoma where Louise follows the instruction that Jimmy told her (did I forget to mention that, Jimmy asked her to go to a Hotel due to it being a Saturday and was going to do a wire transfer to get Louise her money sorry) and asks for a money order at the front desk. When hearing her voice all of a sudden behind a paper appears Jimmy. Louise is shocked and also you can see vulnerable to this man. They quickly speak and go back to the car, where Jimmy surprises Thelma and JD playing in the back. JD is asked to leave and the girls retreat to their hotel room.
Louise hands Thelma a wade full of cash in an envelope and trusts her with its safety. We see for the first time in the line delivered and Sarandon’s face that this is the moment where they know there is no turning back and with this money lays their freedom and new life in Mexico. Thelma understands and holds the money close. Louise leaves to visit Jimmy in another room so they can speak about what has happened.
Suddenly the next scene sees a knock on the door and who should appear but JD wet from the pouring rain outside asking Thelma to come inside. Being Thelma she says its fine, forgetting that we do not know why JD is who he says he is.
Louise on the other hand is in Jimmy’s room where he is waiting with a single red rose. He wants to know what is happening. They speak and start to fight, when Jimmy quickly gets angry and starts throwing the table across the room. Louise quickly wants to leave but Jimmy stands in her way. She explains to him that she will not put up with his s&*t and will quickly leave if he starts it again. From this scene we start to understand the relationship these two had and why Louise decided to call it quits. Jimmy asks her to sit down which she flat out refuses, (remember Louise is very head strong which I love about her) when Jimmy quickly pulls a box from his pocket, to which Louise opens to find a ring. She quickly thinks about it and we move back to Thelma.
JD and Thelma are playing slaps with each other when he mentions that she has too much metal on her fingers and needs to lighten her load. Thelma starts to ask him questions, when we find out the JD is actually on parole for robbing convenience stores (can you just tell what is going to happen) JD shows Thelma how he does it (now pay attention this may come back in some way in the movie) The film flashes back to Louise’s room where is speaking to Jimmy about why their relationship didn’t work and explains why she is on the run. We then come back to Thelma where one of the sexist scenes takes place, (I’m not going to ruin it but it involves Thelma and enjoying a man other than her husband) We quickly move back to Louise’s room where she is smoking a cigarette looking at Jimmy and we can presume wondering what she has done.
The next scene shows Jimmy and Louise in a diner enjoying breakfast talking about their relationship and that she still loves him, but cant go back with him. I love Jimmy, even though he is a tough angry but sensitive character I have to hand it to Madsen to make Jimmy a loveable character who is one man in this movie who is their to help and not harm the ladies. He soon leaves and we see a side of Louise fragile and upset, before Thelma comes in with the funniest scene I feel is the whole movie. She walks in looking like she is on drugs, walking funny, hair messy and with a big smile in her face. She explains that JD came back and they had a great night of passion. Louise quickly replies, “Oh honey I’m so happy for you, you finally got laid” (see the classic lines are so clever in this movie).The viewer can laugh at this, but then once again we are worried as Louise asks, “Where’s JD now? Thelma replies, “I left him in the room.” Remember, JD is a thief so what has happened? He has stolen all their money. The money they were going to use to start their new life. It is here the roles are reversed which is the change of the whole movie. Louise completely loses it. She has been this strong woman all her life and finally she breaks. She starts crying and telling Thelma everything is not going to be ok. Thelma on the other hand, starts to feel empowered and strong and ready to take on the world. She is becoming Louise and Louise is starting to become Thelma. I credit the writer and the actors who pull this off perfectly. No longer can we call Thelma the housewife who is a bit airy fairy and Louise the headstrong woman. Thelma grabs Louise and tells her lets keep going.
We watch as there is no life in Louise’s eyes. We can tell she knows it is all over. As Thelma stops at a convenience store on the highway Louise is frail and does not want to go on. All of a sudden Thelma shrieks, “Drive Louise, Drive” Thelma has robbed the store in a hilarious moment. This was the lady who was afraid of her husband who now has the guts to rob a store so that they can keep going with their plans. This is Davis’ moment to shine. From here, she embodies her character to perfection and lets the audience know that Thelma is not a push over, (Didn’t I tell you the scene with JD in the room would somehow come back later in the movie?)
We quickly are then moved back to Hal who has now picked up JD. They notice the money on him and see the footage of Thelma robbing the bank. The girls had a chance to come in and say their piece but now Thelma is wanted for arm robbery. Keitel is amazing in this one scene. The man wants to be tough as he is with JD, but knows that the system sucks that these ladies will be taken in now, due to their new circumstances. He is trying to help them out as he believes them. Hal is such an amazing character and Keitel I feel is underrated as an actor, but pulls this off to perfection. (You may notice I have a strong spot for Hal, I love the character, I never think of anyone else when I see Harvey in movies now).
Louise is inclined to call Thelma’s house where the FBI have taken up residence. She knows they are there, and for the first time Louise and Hal speak. He explains to them what he can do, to which Louise flat out refuses. Hal then tells them they will then have to be taken in, and informs them they know they are on their way to Mexico. The one thing the girls had has now been discovered due to JD spilling it in the interrogating room.
The girls are on the run for the last half of the movie, which then turns into the action part. Thelma turns into the action heroin we have been longing for her to become. From the start, we have wanted her to break her restraints and let go. The girls are quickly pulled over in the baron desert by the police officers due to speeding. They know if they get pulled over they are done for. Louise quickly gets out and is handcuffed by the officer. But the officer then feels the metal of the gun against his temple and Thelma rescues her friend. They grab the officer’s gun and Thelma instructs her friend to shoot the radio which she obliges. Instead though (here comes another classic line) she shoots the radio, which Thelma quips “The Police Radio Louise” Classic. They tell the officer to get back in the boot and they lock him up. Once again, Thelma is driving the strong force to get them to Mexico. Louise looks on in shock at her and realises this may work now.
And here lies the near completion of the movie. Now I warn you if you have never seen this movie, stop reading now. If you have read on, the end is the best. The girls are quickly driving to Mexico when they are spotted by a police car. They are quickly chased down in the baron desert. Now Ridley Scott is a great action director (see Gladiator, Blade Runner, Aliens if you don’t believe me) and executes this scene with enough testosterone that any road movie lover will enjoy. The girls do not give up and give the police a run for their money. My heart still stops I swear every time this happens as they come so close to getting caught. However, they don’t and keep going. All of a sudden they are off track and slam the brakes on in the car as they nearly go over a cliff. Where have they ended up? The Grand Canyon. As they keep driving we see a police helicopter flying in the canyon and quickly come up out of it. The police are right on their tail with about 15-20 police cars. Hal is in one of them and knows that it is all too much just to bring these ladies in.
This is where the movie turns into a cinematic masterpiece and we learn what true friendship is. The women have a terrified look on their faces, but quickly look at each other and decided that they have come this far, to keep driving. And that means driving into the Grand Canyon. It is cinema at its best and one of the most memorable scenes I feel in a movie. The dynamic duo is not going to be imprisoned for something that was not right in the first place. We see this in their eyes and witness the friendship and the love these two characters have. It is not soppy, and the actors execute the emotion perfectly. If it were too men who I had witnessed for two hours their journey I would feel the same way. Davis and Sarandon are pure genius in this scene where they lock hands and quickly drive off into the canyon. I still gasp when the car goes over the edge and every time I watch it I still don’t want them to do it. I know though that the impact of the film would be completely different though. Ridley Scott executes this perfectly, as the car goes down, we do not witness it hit the bottom, but are then transported back with scenes of the two friends doing what they do best. Having fun and enjoying their friendship. Sarandon campaigned hard for this ending with Scott as the studios fought hard for the original ending which saw the girls go down the canyon with a helicopter chasing after them. Thank you to this director and actor as I feel the ending is a perfect completion to this wondering absorbing movie about friendship.
In summary, I love this movie. I loved it last week, I loved it two years ago, I loved it 5 years ago. It is a triumph movie, which everyone needs to see at least once in their life. Ridley Scott’s direction is perfect. Even though they are driving in this vast landscape he keeps the focus with the girls and with the FBI down their backs starts to make us feel this vast desert is quickly closing in on them. Ridley Scott took a chance and it payed off. To me, this is his best movie he has done. I know he has made some amazing movies, but to me a character driven piece is a real challenge for a director, then to stand behind big action sets and hope that people don’t realise the lack of character development in the movie. Okay I’m not going to say I don’t like big dumb action movies because I will probably review a fair few of them, but this movie is just the best. The acting is amazing. I don’t think I will ever think anyone could have handled the challenge of Thelma and Louise like Davis and Sarandon. When I hear names like Melanie Griffith, Angelica Houston, Glenn Close and Sigourney Weaver as contenders once for the part, I am glad they went with these two ladies. Callie Khorli’s screenplay is spot on. Her writing gives these two actors a chance to show off their range by flipping what we know about their characters half way through and going hold on weren’t they supposed to be like this at the beginning? We grew with them and felt how they were feeling. We cared about them, and understood their motivation to do what they did. All in all Thelma and Louise is 10/10 for me. I can watch it and watch it again, and never not pick up on something new I didn’t notice before. Yes I know I may have forgotten some great moments of the movie (the truck blowing up scene is one of my favs) but I want you to experience this movie for yourself. You will not regret it. What you got to lose. Two hours. You probably spend more time in traffic then you would watching this movie. Trust me you will not stop thinking about it. I sure haven’t. Every time I see it in my collection I think about it all day. Great story, acting so real you forget that they are acting, directing so well done you want to experience more of his work and writing so good, you think wow, I wish I could write like that. Take a chance, grab a copy of Thelma and Louise and strap yourself in for one of the best movies this reviewer will always remember.
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