Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon recall male backlash to 'Thelma & Louise'
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Thelma & Louise stars Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon have recalled the backlash the crime drama received from male critics upon its release.
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The 1991 film sees Davis play Thelma, a meek housewife whose friend Louise (Sarandon) convinces her to come on an impulsive road trip. But on the road, a series of unfortunate circumstances soon get them in trouble with the law.
Directed by Ridley Scott, the film challenged traditional notions of femininity and was praised as a step forward for women empowerment in Hollywood.
On Friday (June 18), Davis and Sarandon attended a special screening in Los Angeles to mark the film’s 30th anniversary. During a Q&A session, the pair considered the film’s impact.
When Thelma & Louise was release, the media predicted there were “going to be so many movies starring women, about women, female road pictures, whatever”, Davis said in the session (via Hollywood Reporter).
The film, which also stars Harvey Keitel, Michael Madsen, and Brad Pitt in a breakout role, wound up being a critical and commercial success, winning Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards, where it received six nominations.
Regardless of its success, some male critics took exception to the depiction of violence against men in the film
“It didn’t seem like a big deal, it seemed like it was unusual that there would be a woman that you could be friends with in a film.”
Meanwhile, Gabrielle Union recently backed calls for a black female-focused sequel to the Geena Davis-starring baseball movie A League Of Their Own.
