Who'd have thought university would be so time-consuming!
Who'd have thought university would be so time-consuming!
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Thelma and Louise: before I watched this film I knew very little about it, other than the Simpsons parody of it when Marge runs off with her friend for a wild weekend. But if it gets a Simpsons parody, it must be good, right? My theory was proved correct, since I found it to be a really interesting, well-directed and ultimately entertaining film. It's the film that helped kick off girl power when the Spice Girls were still at school, and it's part of director Ridley Scott's large back catalogue of influential movies.
Susan Sarandon plays Louise, a waitress who is bored of her boyfriend, and who invites her friend, Thelma, on a weekend break. However, Thelma (Geena Davis) is forbidden to go by her slobbish husband, so she sneaks away while he's at work, leaving a note attached to the microwave. Thelma just wants to make the most of her freedom and have some fun, but when she ends up getting raped by a man at a bar, Louise reacts violently and shoots him dead. The pair soon realise that they must leave their past lives behind them, and go on the run from the police, in particular an officer played by Harvey
Keitel. Along the way they pick up a young man named JD (played by a young Brad Pitt) and get into all manner of illegal scrapes, whilst all the time the police get ever closer.
The film works so well mainly to the fantastic double act of Geena Davis and Susan Saradon, whose characters compliment each other perfectly. Thelma is fun-loving and crazy, as opposed to Louise, who tries to play it safe and think rationally. This perfect balance is therefore thrown into disarray when it is Louise who finds herself in the most trouble. The acting from the two is fantastic (both were nominated for Oscars), each giving their character a distinct personality and enabling the audience to fully understand how they're both thinking and feeling. They do really well to make you support these characters, even after they've broken the law a few times and done some pretty unnecessary things. If only Geena Davis had been half this good in Cutthroat Island… I might have given it two stars rather than one! The performances from the rest of the cast are great, including Brad Pitt in the role that got him noticed, playing a handsome drifter with some secrets of his own.
Another reason for the accomplishment of the film is the way it depicts the part of America where it is set. The stunning landscape of the desert and Grand Canyon is beautifully filmed, and the scenes of their car driving through the vast open spaces are the ones that will stick with me for longest. Alongside the visuals runs a fantastic soundtrack of country and western music. Although not particularly a fan, it perfectly suits the atmosphere of the film, and I found the song playing at the finale quite poignant. Ridley Scott's direction is just right, and the pace of the film keeps you interested throughout. It could be easy to lose momentum in a film which is basically one long cat and mouse chase, but several funny moments keep the story ticking along nicely, and the duo are entertaining company during this journey.
The Oscar-winning screenplay, and especially the kick-ass dialogue written for the renegade couple, is spot on, and in this post-Spice world, it's probably easy to forget how much of an impact this must have had. It's a brave decision by Ridley Scott to make such a feminist movie; one in which every male character but Harvey Keitel is portrayed as abusive, slobbish, sexist or corrupt. I can understand the complaint that they male characters are somewhat exaggerated or caricatured, but Thelma and Louise are such funny, feisty heroines who have been through so much, that you can't help but root for them. When the climax comes, you feel like you have some kind of bond with the pair, making the last scene a little bit sad. I must say that the last scene is brilliant; surely one of the best endings to a film I have ever seen. It's perfect: not overly sentimental, very surprising, and it packs a brave, dignified punch. In a way it doesn't really spoon feed you, there are several ways you can imagine the scene finishing (well, I thought so anyway).
So, in conclusion, Thelma and Louise is a classic and I think it deserves its reputation. Whether you're into feminism or not, it's a film everyone should see purely from an entertainment point of view. At heart it's just a road movie with two very funny and likeable main characters. If I had one complaint, it's that it does glorify breaking the law, but hey, what films don't these days? One of Ridley Scott's best films, and one of the best films of the 90s. ______________________________________
Thelma and Louise Special Edition DVD is available to buy online for £5.95 from www.dvd.co.uk
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Starring: Geena Davis, Susan Sarandon, Harvey Keitel, Brad Pitt, Michael Madsen, Christopher McDonald, Stephen Toblowosky
Running Time: 129 mins
Classification: 15
Pictures of Thelma And Louise (DVD)
The girls livin' it up
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Thelma (Geena Davis) is a bored housewife. Louise (Susan Sarandon) is a waitress at a ... more
coffee shop. Together they sneak off in a '66 T-Bird convertible for a three-day fishing trip. However, things don't go according to plan.An encounter with a drunken,...
Thelma (Geena Davis) is a bored housewife. Louise (Susan Sarandon) is a waitress at a ... more
coffee shop. Together they sneak off in a '66 T-bird convertible for a three-day fishing trip. However things don't go quite according to plan. An encounter with...
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Advantages: Hugely enjoyable, great performances, beautiful photography, a breathtaking and liberating ending Disadvantages: Some improbable plot twists
Charles_Strickland 22.02.2007 (19.10.2007)
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Review of Thelma And Louise (DVD)
Mar 13th, 2006
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