Thelma and Louise (5 Stars)

Brilliant! There, I've used that word again! But I can't help it. Other reviewers have called this a neo-feminist road movie. I'm not sure what the "neo" part of that is supposed to mean. Sometimes "neo" as a prefix means extreme, sometimes it means hidden, sometimes it means a second wave. My guess is that even people who use the word "neo-feminism" don't agree on what it means.

Thelma Dickinson is an unhappily married wife. Maybe she isn't really unhappy, she just doesn't know any better. She dated her first boyfriend when she was 14, married him when she was 18, and ten years later they're still together. Though she still doesn't have children, she stays at home cooking and cleaning for her successful career husband. She suspects that there is more to life, but she doesn't know what it is. Her best friend Louise is a more independent woman, older, single, and working as a waitress. She has a boyfriend but doesn't want to marry him.

Louise invites Thelma to accompany her on a weekend trip to the mountains, to a cabin that her boss owns. Thelma is scared that her husband won't allow her to go, so she doesn't even tell him. The women stop off at a bar on the way, where they drink and dance. Thelma flirts with a man called Harlan, and when they want to leave he tries to rape her. Louise shoots him. They don't go to the police because they don't expect justice in a male-dominated world. Instead they go on the run, turning to crime to support themselves.

The strength of the film isn't just in the action, it's in the atmosphere. The slow guitar riffs are haunting. As they continue their journey west the scenery becomes more beautiful and the people become more ugly. In many way it reminds me of David Lynch's "Wild at Heart", made only a year earlier.

This is a well known film, frequently shown on television. I'd forgotten that it was made so long ago. 1991? It's still as fresh and enjoyable today, not at all dated. If you haven't seen it yet you're missing out. I hope my short review will tempt you. This review is typical for my style. A lot of film reviews are a complete summary from beginning to end. I don't like that. If I read a review of a film that I haven't yet seen I don't want to be told everything. I just want to know the film's premise, how it begins, and whether the reviewer thinks the film is any good.

Click here to view the trailer.