This weekend, after searching the video stores for weeks, I finally got hold of "Thelma and Louise," a movie about two women trapped in their dreary lives. Thelma is an oppressed housewife, and Louise is a waitress whose longtime boyfriend will not marry her. They decide to go on a weekend fishing vacation to get away from everything and have some fun. They head out in Louise's classic convertible with high hopes and without the permission of Thelma's husband. Along the way, they stop at a bar where, after dancing with a man, Thelma is nearly raped. Louise ends up shooting him. Since there were no witnesses to exonerate her, Louise decides not to go to the police, but instead to head for the Mexico border to escape prosecution.

Once these two start their exhilarating road adventure, this depressing movie takes a turn for the better. They start to shed the trappings of society, and become totally free. Thelma learns she has a knack for robbing banks and eluding police officers, which she is forced to do, while Louise looks on in wonder.

"Thelma and Louise" is a dynamic movie, depressing at times, but often exhilarating. It is not just a woman's movie, but an adventure story that teaches a lot about life and human nature. n