Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis in ‘Thelma & Louise’ (1991).Credit : 

MGM

More than three decades after Thelma & Louise became a cultural landmark, Geena Davis is reflecting on some of the less positive reactions that surrounded the film when it first arrived in theaters.

During an appearance on Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard, she recalled how some critics framed the movie as an attack on men rather than the story it set out to tell.

“A lot of the reviewers had a problem with it,” Davis, 70, said. “A week after it came out, [Susan Sarandon] and I were on the cover of Time. But there were two editorials denouncing the movie about ‘how bad this is, this is a horrible idea,’ and a lot of reviews were like, ‘This is male-bashing.’ ”

The 1991 road drama, directed by Ridley Scott, followed two friends — played by Davis and Sarandon — whose weekend getaway spirals into a life on the run after a violent encounter.

While the film has since been celebrated as a groundbreaking story centered on female friendship and independence, Davis remembers that many early reactions were far less supportive.

Reflecting on those criticisms decades later, Davis pushed back by arguing that the narrative never excluded or vilified men despite the accusations surrounding its release. Instead, she emphasized the range of male roles woven throughout the story, saying, “There’s seven important male characters.”

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She also remembered that some of the strongest objections focused on what detractors believed the movie symbolized, particularly its depiction of two gun-toting women taking control of their own fate.

“It was really frowned on,” Davis said. And still, despite that response from some critics, Davis added, “it didn’t impact [the film’s] success. People really liked it and it did well.”

The film earned roughly three times its budget at the box office following its release, and both Davis and Sarandon received Academy Award nominations for their performances — an outcome that underscored the lasting impact of a film that sparked debate but ultimately resonated with moviegoers.