'Snavely Classic: Thelma and Louise'

'Thelma and Louise' (R) (91) (4 stars) (Highest Rating)

Writer: Callie Khouri
Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis, Harvey Keitel, Brad Pitt, Christopher McDonald, Michael Madsen, Lucinda Jenney, Stephen Tobolowsky, Tomothy Carhart

Watching Ridley Scott's version of "Robin Hood" got me thinking to what I thought were my favorite Ridley Scott movies. This is a very talented film maker who has a rich tapestry of monumental movies. The three I thought of first were the classic horror film "Alien" and then two of my favorite movies of all time "Blade Runner" and "Thelma and Louise". Either movie is Scott's finest hour and strongest periods of his career but I will focus on "Thelma and Louise". This movie blew me away when I first saw it in an empty theatre in North Carolina. This is the first time I found out that Ridley Scott was more than just a commercial formula director. This is one of the strongest women pictures ever made and at the time there was a huge controversy concerned with a very shocking but powerful scene. This scene caused a controversy because critics of violence against females thought it was a a wrong way to deal with an attempted rape. The reaction with the small crowd I saw this with was a burst of applause and catharsis. It is one of the most powerful scenes in any movie I have seen. The other criticism was that all the male characters were evil, one note and stereotypical pigs. That criticism is so easy to point at this movie and it should never have been brought up. This is a female centered movie dealing with serious issues and situations and it is geared towards female viewers and males that are open minded. First of all you can not tell me that this is the only movie ever made that had a bunch of evil male characters. Second of all how many movies have stereotypically weak and false female characters? I can name a lot of movies were women were tortured and raped, horror movies and such, just for thrills with no consequences. There is a major consequence that these women suffer for what choice they make and how they handle their situation.

If you have not seen "Thelma and Louise" you are in for a very fun time. This movie is very funny, thrilling, intense, cathartic and important. It deals with serious issues but it is one of the most entertaining, Hollywood commercial films I have seen in the 90's. You also get the major arrival of a future movie star and heartthrob in Brad Pitt who made his first big movie debut in this classic. You knew in the few scenes he was in that this actor was going to become a huge success and movie star. It is a sexy and funny performance with big screen charm. There is also a very funny performance by an actor who has become one of the best character actors in Hollywood. That performance is by Christopher McDonald and it is a classic comic performance. To counter attack the criticism that all the male characters are evil and superficial, there are two sympathetic males played by Michael Madsen and Harvey Keitel whose character tries to save these two women. The movie deals with two female friends played brilliantly by Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis. This is definitely Geena Davis's best performance of her career and Sarandon is magnificent like she always is. The two friends decide to get away from their abusive husband and distant boyfriend.

In the the big controversial scene they are confronted by a drunk man who first flirts with the two and then tries to force himself on one of them. The result of this scene feels right, could have happened in a real situation like this and it is very powerful. The women are now on the run and are pursued by a small town sheriff played by Harvey Keitel. This becomes a road movie and one of the best ever made plus it is very unpredictable and fresh. It is also one of the most beautiful looking movies ever shot. The cinematographer is Adrian Biddle and it is one of the best cinematography jobs done by anyone in the business. The roads, the dessert scenery, the small town picture postcard look is gorgeous! As the movie nears it's end you are already so far into this ride and you care so much about these two women. It also leads to one of the most haunting and most powerful endings I have seen in a movie. It ends in a freeze frame shot that also got criticized for being cheap and incomplete. I can't for the life of me see anything wrong with the ending or how it is delivered. When the end credits were finished rolling I couldn't get out of my seat. The movie got to me so much I couldn't stop thinking about it. I had to go see it again the next day and then a week later with someone else and it blew me away every time. This is one of my top 50 movies of all time. It is rewarding, entertaining, powerful and one of the most groundbreaking movies made about two main female characters. It is one of the strongest women pictures and it creates two original and wonderful characters. It also creates a story that is timeless and contains two of the best performances by any two actresses ever on screen. Since it first played in 1991 I can count on just my one hand any movie that matches it's strong female centered power.