Thelma & Louise

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"I suddenly understand why you love road movies. They are filled with a sense of speed in both time and space. When the desert sand rises, what you see is the rugged, real world. When the most basic defenses collapse, that's when you touch the energy that has been accumulated and deformed inside you, eager to break free. It comes from life’s pursuit of the self, from the pain of having seen the ocean and finding all other waters inadequate, from the fragile senses shaped by life’s grinding, and from the last chance you give yourself.

On the road, you suddenly discover your true calling is not to be a housewife or a waitress, but to rob, intimidate, shoot, drive fast, and laugh like a man. You don’t have the chance to stop, and you can’t look back. Fortunately, the vast canyon lies ahead, the bright sky and drifting clouds accompany you, and a close companion keeps you from being a wandering ghost. Fortunately, time is short, there’s no room for regrets, and the journey is long, with determination and few worries.

So, this journey, though idealized, makes you envy it and want to try. It’s the necessary ingredient for what makes a movie so captivating. But life, as WOLF says, wisdom may be scarce at times, but luck is not something to rely on. So, we calculate: if the journey is still full of suffering, why even start? Over time, you stop imagining that your life will be completely changed by travel.

The best journey is one with no return. The purest form of departure is when you leave and never look back. Because only when you let go of everything, can you gain everything."

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Thelma's Three Men: A Triad of Patriarchal Archetypes
First Man: The Arrogant Controller — Her Husband
He embodies the classic "breadwinner" stereotype prevalent in many societies, including contemporary China: career-driven, financially dominant, yet emotionally absent. He returns home late from work (and covert escapades), dismisses his wife’s needs, and insists he "knows and loves Thelma best" despite banning her from pursuing hobbies. His temper flares at trivialities—even mistreating household workers—revealing a control freak beneath the surface.

Notably, Thelma’s post-fling excitement over "finally experiencing marital pleasure" with a younger man implies her husband’s sexual dysfunction. When the women go on the run, he aids police without hesitation, contrasting starkly with Louise’s boyfriend, who stays silent. His loyalty to the system over his wife lays bare the transactional nature of their relationship.

Second Man: The Predatory Charmer — The Bar Bully

Tall, handsome, and smooth-tongued, he lures Thelma with flattery before turning violent in a parking lot. His rape attempt is fueled by entitlement: "You danced with me—what did you expect?" This rhetoric echoes online justifications for sexual violence. Even with Louise’s gun aimed at him, he sneers, "I should’ve raped her," underestimating female resolve. As the bar owner notes, his death was inevitable—how many women had he victimized before?

His character exposes the dark side of toxic masculinity: charm as a weapon, violence as a right, and the assumption that women are powerless to resist.

Third Man: The Seductive Con Artist — The Young Grifter

With a disarming smile and puppy-dog eyes, he preys on Thelma’s inexperience. She mistakes his faux sincerity for love, blinded by his "perfect gentleman" act. His theft of Louise’s life savings—their last hope for escape—shatters their dream of a new life in Mexico. The betrayal is brutal: he drains their bank account without a second thought, a reminder that charisma often masks moral bankruptcy.

The Contrast: Louise, the Ideal Sisterhood

While the men embody exploitation, Louise represents solidarity:

• Protector : She plans the getaway, warns Thelma about the bar bully, and shoots to save her friend.
• Loyalist : After killing the attacker, she never blames Thelma, even when the grifter steals their funds.
• Anchor : In crisis, she stays calm—unlike petty "frenemies," she never utters recriminations like "It’s all your fault."

Her patience and bravery highlight the film’s core message: female bonds can withstand what patriarchal society inflicts.

The Harsh Truth for Women

Thelma’s naivety—shaped by a sheltered life as a housewife—leaves her vulnerable. Her lack of dating experience, financial dependence, and ignorance of predatory tactics make her a target. Yet her arc—from docile wife to armed robber—shows how oppression can ignite rebellion.

The film’s 1991 narrative feels eerily contemporary: whether enduring a controlling spouse, surviving sexual violence, or falling for emotional manipulation, women still navigate these traps. But Louise’s unwavering support offers a glimmer of hope: in a world of predatory men, sisterhood is both armor and salvation.

I.Thelma cries out, saying she doesn’t want to, and Louise, on the brink of collapse, yells, “When a woman cries like this, she truly doesn’t want it.” Yet none of this changed the way the man, who would lie dead at the barrel of a gun ten seconds later, treated the situation.

What gave him such blind, reckless confidence? When someone is not treated as an equal, how can they make the other person recognize that the words they speak actually have meaning to convey?

II.

Many people label this movie as “feminist.” If “feminism” means “the basic human rights that women need to fight for,” then yes, it is feminist.

But actually, it’s not just women—everyone could be forced to face a moment like this: when what you say is ignored, what you do is unseen, and all your efforts and explanations disappear into thin air before even touching the prejudice that the other person holds. What do you do then?

III.

Even clay figures have three parts of their original nature, and a rabbit will bite when it’s cornered. How much more so for Thelma and Louise? When they calm down, they are both very intelligent women. At the end of their journey, their actions were nothing short of ingenious, almost like instinctive genius. Their beauty also bloomed in the freedom after all the constraints were broken. It was so striking that it made one exclaim: How beautiful!

Yes, how beautiful! But it was eventually shattered, violently. They validated Lu Xun's definition of “tragedy”: the more beautiful something is, the more tragic its destruction, and the more it lingers in one’s mind. Yet no matter how many times others turn and twist the situation, that beauty is forever gone.

Such beauty, I would rather not have known. I would rather they had blossomed naturally in their own world, undisturbed.

IV.

Not just Thelma and Louise, but everyone paid the price for that blind, reckless confidence: some lost their lives, some were left disillusioned, some suffered from fear, some lost their loved ones, and some tried their best but gained nothing. In this movie, there is no winner, no one truly happy.

Many things are double-edged swords. I once watched a long Korean drama, where the grandmother always said, “Let others’ tears flow, and your own heart will bleed,” and it rings true.

This is a sad movie, and it makes me believe even more: happiness and joy are so precious, and in order to have them, you must pay the price.

In a male-dominated society, women are forced to steal and commit crimes. On the run, their consciousness begins to awaken, but the inevitable result is a righteous, grandiose ending. In the end, a bunch of male characters chase after the two female leads, and the power imbalance between men and women is evident throughout.

It always feels like the lengthy emotional subplot was added just to give Brad Pitt more screen time. However, upon reflection, I realize that historically, when it comes to husbands and love, women are always the weaker group. So perhaps the night together and the robbery of wealth served to intensify the plot’s development.

What stands out most is the portrayal of an elderly prosecutor, a male character who, despite not having enough power, truly understands the feelings of the two female leads. His final desperate shout, “Isn’t it enough that women have been raped?” is deeply shocking.

I’ll deduct one point for the pacing, as I almost fell asleep in the middle. Thelma's character is too weak in the beginning, and her transformation is too abrupt later on.

The more docile a person is, the more they’re likely to rebound when they hit rock bottom.

Thelma & Louise is a road adventure film directed by Ridley Scott, starring Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis. The film tells the story of two women—Selma, a dissatisfied housewife, and Louise, her lonely friend—who set off on a road trip for a getaway, only to find themselves on the run after accidentally killing a man. The film was released in the United States on May 24, 1991, and was nominated for Best Motion Picture – Drama at the 49th Golden Globe Awards.

Louise (played by Susan Sarandon) works as a waitress at a café and is constantly busy, dreaming of going on a trip. Her friend Selma (played by Geena Davis), who has been unhappy since marrying car salesman Darryl (played by Christopher McDonald), spends her days at home feeling lonely and bored. After repeated persuasion from Louise, Selma agrees to join her for a pleasant weekend getaway.

They park their car at a bar in Arkansas for the night. The bar is crowded with young patrons. Drunk and aggressive, Harlan picks out Selma and asks her to dance. Ignoring Louise's advice, Selma dances and drinks with Harlan, eventually being led outside to the parking lot. Harlan, now overcome with lust, begins to grope her. After being rejected, he becomes violent and tries to force himself on her. Louise arrives at the parking lot and, seeing Selma in distress, pulls out the handgun from Selma's bag and forces Harlan to release her. Enraged, Harlan begins to insult them, and in a moment of anger, Selma shoots him dead. In an instant, their vacation turns into a desperate, irreversible journey.

In the Colorado Grand Canyon, Selma and Louise decide to fight back and not give in. They smile at each other, hands tightly clasped together.

After watching the movie, I truly feel that this society lacks respect for women. No matter how much progress society makes, deeply rooted moral views continue to harm many women’s interests. Feminism is a term we will encounter many times, as the path to gender equality is still under construction. A little more empathy and respect can eliminate many misunderstandings.

There is no absolute equality in relationships, but we simply don’t want the balance (in equal relationships) to tilt too far on one side.