Thelma and Louise are best friends living in a small town in Arkansas, which is a small state in the Southern part of the United States (and the State where President
Clinton is from). Both seem to be living somewhat depressing working class lives.
Thelma is the unloved housewife of a sexist and obnoxious husband, and Louise is a struggling waitress whose boyfriend seems unready to finally commit to a long-term relationship with her.
One day, the two decide to leave town for a weekend vacation together, in order to get away from their unhappy lives. While on the road, they stop in another small town in order to get some drinks at a local saloon (a type of bar where people also can dance). Unfortunately, Thelma decides to dance with a disgusting man who later tries to rape her in the parking lot. Ultimately, Louise ends up shooting this man, and thus the two of them suddenly find themselves in a lot of trouble, unable to have the relaxing vacation they had intended to have.
The rest of the film follows Thelma and Louise as they head out on the road, far from their hometown, and hopefully, far from the police, who may be looking for them. They soon decide to drive to Mexico, but on the way, they continue to dig themselves deeper into trouble with the law, and eventually, both realize that they can never go back to the lives they had before.
More than anything else, this is a film about what it can mean to be a woman in the
United States, and particularly, a working class woman with few options in life. It is also about women who suddenly realize that they may have more potential and freedom that they ever thought was possible, particularly freedom from the male dominated society that has so badly mistreated them over the years. To that extent, you should be aware that this movie does not portray men very positively!
Words and Expressions that You may not Know
Thelma and Louise prepare to get away from it all, and without
