Thelma & Louise

May 8, 2005 - Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon have the title roles in this 1991 girls-on-the-road adventure flick. Harvey Keitel, Brad Pitt and Michael Madsen co-star. Ridley Scott directs.

Davis plays Thelma, a housewife stuck under the thumb of her controlling, asshole husband. Sarandon is Louise, a single but involved woman who slings hash at the local diner. They have big plans for the weekend: fishing at a cabin in the woods.

So, they set off in Louise's green 1966 Thunderbird convertible. But, before they can get very far, Thelma, who's practically never been out of the house, wants to stop somewhere and have some fun. It turns out to be not so much fun when Thelma is almost raped in the parking lot and Louise saves the day by shooting the perv because he pretty much deserved to be shot.

The gals speed off with a plan to head to Mexico. They start in Arkansas, but by the time they hit Oklahoma, they're running low on cash. This is when Thelma discovers her true talent, which seems to be robbing stores at gunpoint.

At Thelma's insistence, they pick up a hitchhiker named J.D. (Pitt). They head to a motel, where Louise's boyfriend has wired them $6700. For some reason, Louise gives the money to Thelma. Thelma then has wild sex with J.D. He steals the money but, c'mon, man, he just had wild sex with Thelma. And besides, she kind of likes this armed robbery thing.

So, now you've got two interstate criminals with very little cash trying to get to Mexico before Harvey Keitel and the feds can catch them.

Overall review: *** This is one of those movies where you just can't ask too many questions. Because, if you start asking, you'll realize that the answers would prevent there from being a movie at all. For example, what's a smart girl like Louise doing hanging out with a ditz like Thelma? Why did Louise shoot the would-be rapist? OK, he deserved it. But then, why wouldn't they turn themselves in? They probably could have claimed self-defense. Why would Louise give $6700 to a ditz like Thelma? See? Too many questions. Just enjoy the ride.