---
title: "Thelma & Louise"
year: 1991
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/thelma-and-louise"
fi1m_id: "thelma-and-louise"
imdb_id: "tt0103074"
tmdb_id: 1541
wikidata_id: "Q658041"
fi1m_score: 85
critics_score: 71
critics_reviews: 8
published: "2026-09-13"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:00.789637+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Thelma & Louise (1991)

Directed by Ridley Scott · 2h 10m · MPA R · Drama, Crime, Adventure

## Identity

Thelma & Louise

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/thelma-and-louise
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** thelma-and-louise
- **IMDb ID:** tt0103074
- **TMDB ID:** 1541
- **Wikidata ID:** Q658041
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103074/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1541, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q658041

**Fi1m score: 85** · Critics 71 from 8 reviews

*In a sentence:* Two women go for a drive and discover how many men consider that their business

> Ridley Scott’s road film is funny, angry and moving, with Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis making the friendship entirely convincing. The male characters can be crudely written, but the two leads make this a film worth returning to.

## Synopsis

Louise (Susan Sarandon) and Thelma (Geena Davis) leave together on a road trip. The two friends have different temperaments but share a desire for more freedom, and their journey draws them into crime. As trouble follows them along the road, they have to decide how far they can rely on each other and what taking control of their lives will require. The people around them include Hal (Harvey Keitel), Jimmy (Michael Madsen), Darryl (Christopher McDonald) and J.D. (Brad Pitt). Ridley Scott directs this drama about friendship, crime and women trying to determine where they go next.

## Review

*Thelma & Louise* is a funny, moving road film whose bluntness is worth forgiving for the company it provides. Ridley Scott and writer Callie Khouri put two women into a genre built around the pleasure of leaving things behind, then make that departure more complicated than it first appears. The crime story supplies the danger, but the friendship gives us a reason to care about it. Scott is good at keeping both in view, even when Khouri makes the supporting men too easy to dislike.

Susan Sarandon’s Louise and Geena Davis’s Thelma are different enough to irritate each other without making their attachment difficult to believe. Sarandon gives the exchanges a bracing firmness; Davis makes the prospect of a little enjoyment feel difficult to resist. Neither performs friendship as an endless supply of sympathetic looks, and their comic timing allows disagreement to be funny without making affection doubtful. We felt an unexpected relief as they left on their trip, because the chance for these two to enjoy each other’s company seemed overdue. That response matters once the journey becomes a crime story.

Khouri’s dialogue is sharpest when the women are responding to each other, with no obligation to explain what they represent. The writing becomes less persuasive when a man seems to have been supplied chiefly to demonstrate another reason they need to get away. The complaint that these characters can be stereotypes is fair: too many have an objectionable attitude and little else to distinguish them. Harvey Keitel’s Hal benefits from a performance that suggests more thought than the screenplay always permits elsewhere, making the surrounding caricatures more noticeable.

Adrian Biddle’s cinematography gives the desert expanses enough space to make getting away look tempting. Scott gives the women the space and visual importance that this genre has so often granted its men. Norris Spencer’s production design is effective on a smaller scale, keeping the surroundings of the conversations from competing with the actors. The contrast is useful: the film can enjoy a large landscape and still bring our attention back to two people trying to work out what to do.

Thom Noble’s editing gives the comic exchanges time to land without letting the crime story lose pace. At 130 minutes, the film has room to enjoy its leads, and that time together is a large part of why the danger has weight. Hans Zimmer’s score helps sustain the forward movement without being asked to supply all the excitement itself. Scott’s handling of the action is assured, but he is equally persuasive when he gives Davis and Sarandon time to react.

Giving women the leads in a familiar male genre does not make every role reversal insightful. What makes this worth the journey is that Davis and Sarandon are allowed to be awkward, funny and fallible, with an attachment that survives differences in temperament. Scott’s handling of their companionship gives the film more warmth than the crime set pieces could provide on their own. Watch it with someone whose bad decisions have never quite put you off them.

*Fi1m score 85, published 13 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics respond warmly to Thelma & Louise, with praise clustering around Davis and Sarandon’s performances and their convincing friendship. Scott’s direction also earns broad approval for its energy, humour and use of the desert landscapes, giving the road film both scale and room for intimate exchanges. The more enthusiastic reviews find Khouri’s screenplay sharp and funny, and see the women’s command of a traditionally masculine genre as a source of both entertainment and provocation.

The spread is wide, however, particularly over the film’s politics and characterisation. Several critics find the men stereotyped and the women’s psychological development too thin to support the screenplay’s ambitions. Time Out admires the direction and acting but questions how much the role reversals achieve. Sight and Sound reads a covertly repressive morality tale beneath the apparent liberation, while Slant regards the social commentary as simplistic despite the strong performances and visuals.

## Straight answers

**Is Thelma & Louise worth watching?**

*Thelma & Louise* is worth watching for anyone who wants a road film with two leads who are funny, fallible and easy to believe in as friends, and we scored it 85. Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis carry it; the supporting men are often crudely written, and the crime story matters less than the company. Watch it with a friend whose bad decisions have never quite put you off them.

**How long is Thelma & Louise, and what is it rated?**

*Thelma & Louise* runs 2h 10m and is rated R by the MPA in the US. It is a drama and crime film.

**Where can I watch Thelma & Louise in the US?**

*Thelma & Louise* is streaming on Hulu, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, Tubi, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ in the US, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV from $3.99. It leaves The Roku Channel on 1 October. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Thelma & Louise, and is it suitable for children?**

*Thelma & Louise* is a 15 in the UK and an R in the US, so it is not for children. The road trip turns into a crime story with real danger, and the men the women meet are written to be objectionable, which some viewers will find uncomfortable rather than frightening. Older teenagers should manage it; the squeamish will find the violence less troubling than the anger behind it.

**How does Thelma & Louise compare to Vagabond?**

*Thelma & Louise* is the warmer and funnier of the two, while [*Vagabond*](https://film.one/film/vagabond) is the harsher and, in our view, the more moving. Ridley Scott gives his women companionship and a genre to enjoy; Agnès Varda gives Sandrine Bonnaire's Mona nothing to reassure us and refuses to explain her. Choose Scott for an evening with friends, Varda for a film that will not court your affection.

**What should I watch after Thelma & Louise?**

After *Thelma & Louise*, try [*Vagabond*](https://film.one/film/vagabond) (1985, Fi1m 90): A harsher account of female independence, unwilling to make its traveller reassuring. Then [*The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert*](https://film.one/film/the-adventures-of-priscilla-queen-of-the-desert) (1994, Fi1m 81): Desert roads and combative companionship, with more room for costumes and reconciliation; and [*Wadjda*](https://film.one/film/wadjda) (2012, Fi1m 80): A girl’s wish for a bicycle makes freedom concrete, without a speech.

### Reviews we read (14)

- **Radio Times**, David Parkinson (5/5): Callie Khouri’s script puts women in the driving seat for the first time in this hugely entertaining and controversial road movie, sparking debate about liberated equality versus defeminisation. The film provokes indignation and fulfills its duty to entertain and provoke. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-vxsde4/thelma-louise/)
- **The AV Club**, Keith Phipps (A-): The film retains its power as a gripping buddy movie and landmark with strong female protagonists. It blends entertainment with a subversive statement on women's freedom and systemic issues. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/thelma-louise-1798167449)
- **Empire**, Angie Errigo (75/100, inferred): The film is a genuine must-see for its smart script, bravura performances and epic visuals, even if it falls short of full-blown masterpiece status. The critic singles out the visual sensation created by the desolate landscapes as a mythic backdrop for the women's odyssey. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/thelma-louise-review/)
- **Time Out**, CM (60/100, inferred): Scott directs with blistering energy and the leads plus Keitel are acutely convincing, but the script is simplistic in reducing men to stereotypes and the women gain strength mainly through gun laws rather than self-knowledge. The film relies too much on knee-jerk role reversals in a male genre. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/thelma-louise)
- **Sight and Sound**, Janet Abrams (50/100, inferred): The critic views the film as a remarkably conventional morality tale about sex, drink, rock and roads, with an ambivalent and covertly repressive attitude toward women who take control of their lives. Performances by Davis and Sarandon are praised despite thin characters, along with one visually poetic sequence in the Painted Desert. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/remarkably-conventional-morality-tale-thelma-louise-reviewed-1991)
- **Slant Magazine**, Nick Schager (30/100, inferred): The one-sided portrayal of men as uniformly oppressive makes the feminist message feel simplistic and overkill despite strong performances and visuals. The crime-spree narrative poses as profound social commentary but comes across as a run-of-the-mill tale. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/thelma-and-louise/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Kenneth Turan: The critic calls it a provocative, poignant, and funny neo-feminist road movie that empowers its heroines and subverts masculine genre conventions with grace and authenticity in dialogue and performances. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-05-24-ca-2303-story.html)
- **The Guardian**, Tim Pulleine: The critic praises the film's technical accomplishment, opulent production values, and strong performances but criticizes the screenplay's lack of psychological depth, which makes the apocalyptic ending feel fabricated rather than inevitable. Overall, sheer command lifts it above the commercial norm. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/News_Story/Critic_Review/Guardian_review/0,,558025,00.html)
- **The New Yorker**, Terrence Rafferty: The review praises the film’s casual, exhilarating moments and the intuitive chemistry between the leads, while noting its lyrical, jokey take on personal freedom and the heroines’ journey. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1991/06/03/thelma-and-louise-movie-review-outlaw-princesses)
- **The New York Times**, Janet Maslin: The critic finds the film a fresh and exuberant reimagining of the buddy-road movie genre, with strong performances from Sarandon and Davis and unexpected comedic and visual flair from director Scott. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/24/movies/review-film-on-the-run-with-2-buddies-and-a-gun.html)
- **Variety**, Variety Staff: The review highlights the film’s adventurous road-pic energy, comedy, momentum, and dazzling visuals, noting the leads’ contrasting styles and its ultimate theme of freedom rather than gender conflict. [Read](https://variety.com/1990/film/reviews/thelma-louise-1200428677/)
- **HeyUGuys**, Dave Roper (4.5/5): The critic praises the film as top-drawer filmmaking that holds up well decades later as a road movie, crime caper, and tract for female empowerment. He singles out the strong performances by Davis and Sarandon, Scott's direction, the screenplay, and the beautiful cinematography. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/thelma-and-louise-blu-ray-review/)
- **Eye for Film**, Jeff Robson (85/100, inferred): The critic rates the film highly as a terrific ensemble piece, sharp study of friendship, and effective road movie/buddy film that still sparks debate. He singles out Khouri’s sharp script, Scott’s handling of both grand and intimate moments, the gorgeous desertscapes, and the excellent lead performances by Sarandon and Davis. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/thelma-and-louise-film-review-by-jeff-robson)
- **Collider**, Scott Wampler: The film delivers solid performances from Davis and Sarandon, strong direction from Scott, and an iconic, ballsy ending, but overall feels like an above-average revenge/road movie with not enough going on to strongly recommend beyond fans or completists. [Read](https://collider.com/thelma-and-louise-blu-ray-review/)

## Details

- **Director:** Ridley Scott
- **Director:** Ridley Scott
- **Writer:** Callie Khouri
- **Cinematography:** Adrian Biddle
- **Editor:** Thom Noble
- **Music:** Hans Zimmer
- **Production design:** Norris Spencer
- **Costume design:** Elizabeth McBride
- **Producer:** Ridley Scott, Mimi Polk Gitlin
- **Cast:** Susan Sarandon as Louise; Geena Davis as Thelma; Harvey Keitel as Hal; Michael Madsen as Jimmy; Christopher McDonald as Darryl; Stephen Tobolowsky as Max; Brad Pitt as J.D.; Timothy Carhart as Harlan
- **Runtime:** 2h 10m
- **Certificate (MPA):** R
- **Release (the US):** 24 May 1991
- **Genres:** Drama, Crime, Adventure
- **Also in:** [BAFTA Best Film winners](https://film.one/collections/bafta-best-film.md) (Nominee, 1991); [Golden Globe Best Drama winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-drama.md) (Nominee, 1991)
- **Budget:** $16 million
- **Box office:** $45 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iBFmKlO4BY

## Where to watch in the US

- Hulu: streaming, hd
- Pluto TV: free
- The Roku Channel: free, hd, leaving 2026-10-01
- Tubi: free, hd, leaving 2026-10-01
- Apple TV: add-on, uhd
- The Roku Channel: add-on, hd, leaving 2026-10-01
- Amazon Prime Video: add-on, uhd
- Disney+: add-on, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, hd
- Apple TV: rent $3.99, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy $14.99, hd
- Apple TV: buy $14.99, hd

*Checked 2026-09-13.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IT, JP, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Academy Awards 1992: Best Actress (nominated); Best Cinematography (nominated); Best Director (nominated); Best Film Editing (nominated); Best Writing, Original Screenplay (won)

## If you liked this

- *Vagabond* (1985), Fi1m 90: A harsher account of female independence, unwilling to make its traveller reassuring. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/vagabond.md)
- *The Sugarland Express* (1974): An American pursuit film that keeps the couple visible through the commotion.
- *Set It Off* (1996): Female friendship and crime, with working lives given weight before the gunfire.
- *The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert* (1994), Fi1m 81: Desert roads and combative companionship, with more room for costumes and reconciliation. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-adventures-of-priscilla-queen-of-the-desert.md)
- *Wadjda* (2012), Fi1m 80: A girl’s wish for a bicycle makes freedom concrete, without a speech. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/wadjda.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/thelma-and-louise