I can’t remember how many times, over the years, I’ve heard the phrase uttered from women, “All men are jerks!” Coincidently, I can’t seem to remember any film that amplified that phase so loudly until I watched “Thelma and Louise.” If there was a social message that Callie Khouri was trying to deliver, she successfully packaged a negative image of American men, from beginning to end, for women across the America to embrace.

                The image of Thelma’s husband, Darryl (Christopher McDonald) is one of an insensitive, foul-mouthed, egotistical, control freak who shows no appreciation towards his loving wife.  Khouri creates the image of Darryl before he has even entered the scene. Louise (Susan Sarandon) becomes agitated about the fact that Thelma (Geena Davis) hasn’t asked Darryl if she could go on a road trip with Louise. This dialog sets up the relationship between Thelma and Darryl, even before he has had a chance to be introduced in the film. Thelma’s character is illustrated as being a submissive and fearful housewife. The characterization of Darryl is built upon in the next scene when he walks about of the bedroom, using foul-mouthed profanity, to express his disdain in the way she communicates with him.

                Khouri continues her negative theme of men when she introduces Harlan (Timothy Carhart.) Harlan plays a young, friendly, sweet-talking, comical, attractive guy who they both meet in a local bar on the first stop of their road trip. Harlan begins to unveil his true, male identity when he appears to take advantage of Thelma by spinning her around on the dance floor to the point that she becomes dizzy. Harlan makes a suggestion to Thelma that she’s in need of some “fresh air.” He then escorts her outside in the parking lot. It is in the parking lot, where Khouri displays men as a being insensitive, uncaring, selfish-natured, and sexually aggressive as Harlan attempts to rape Thelma.

                Throughout the entire film, narratively and visually, Khouri portrays men as being evil natured creatures. J.D. (Brad Pitt) is a young, attractive man that Thelma meets and becomes attractive to. J.D. however, has a criminal history, which, both Thelma and Louise aren’t immune from being affected by.  While driving, the trucker that they meet alongside the highway is portrayed as a sexual pervert, who displays his own sexual interest to Thelma and Louise. The restaurant day manager, who jokingly expresses his interest with Thelma running away with him isn’t spared Khouri’s negative characterizations either. If Khouri’s goal was to unify and expose the secret image of men held by a vast majority of women across America; Mission Accomplished.