MovieChat Forums > Thelma & Louise (1991) Discussion > Why did Louise call that last time? (spo...

Why did Louise call that last time? (spoiler, obviously)

posted 10 years ago by archer1267
7 replies | jump to latest

I know why she called the first time - she wanted to figure out if the cops had been to Darryl's house and if so, how much they knew. But that second time - there was absolutely no reason for her to call, and in so doing she just doomed them. Who knows if they would have made it to Mexico after all…but by staying on the phone, she made it easy for them to track her location.

Obviously, the plot hinged on Louise making that phone call and the police honing in on them. But from a logical point of view, I'm not sure why Louise called that last time to speak to Slocumb. She'd been the brains of the operation up until that point. It seemed uncharacteristically sloppy.

[–] novastar_6 10 years ago

Because she didn't want him to think they purposefully blew up the tanker truck, and she wanted to get the point across she didn't intentionally kill Harlan.

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] shoppermom26 9 years ago

I have always wondered that. I just watched it again for the umpteenth time and thought "Why they hell did she call again?!?!" She chats about how a snowball effect was happening and they'll talk over coffee and she'll buy. What the hell was the point of the call? Only one reason, they needed a reason to find them. PERIOD. It was sloppy writing and a lot device. A cheat.

[–] krdement 8 years ago

Absolutely! Dumb move by an otherwise sharp cookie. Ruins an otherwise good flick.

John 3:16

[–] krdement 8 years ago

Absolutely! Dumb move by an otherwise sharp cookie. Ruins an otherwise good flick.

John 3:16

[–] daughterofolaf 8 years ago

Maybe I'm the stupid one here, not sure, but I thought it was because she was still not totally sure about whether she should/would turn back. It seemed like she was at least considering it on some level and the cop was getting through to her even if only slightly. Thelma is the one who walked up and hung the phone up, not Louise. Then Thelma made that comment outside to Louise telling her (or asking, depending on your interpretation) not to think about making a deal with the cops. And then after that, they talked about how they picture life in Mexico being and it seems at that point that Louise is reassuring herself when she says the cop would have to have some fantastic deal on the table in order to compete with their plans and vision of Mexico.

I didn't interpret it as sloppy, to me it seemed she was having second thoughts or at least regrets.

"Your petty vengeance fetish will have to do withOUT Mr. Groin!"

[–] forlorn_rage (163) 3 months ago

[–] daughterofolaf 8 years ago
Maybe I'm the stupid one here, not sure, but I thought it was because she was still not totally sure about whether she should/would turn back. It seemed like she was at least considering it on some level and the cop was getting through to her even if only slightly. Thelma is the one who walked up and hung the phone up, not Louise. Then Thelma made that comment outside to Louise telling her (or asking, depending on your interpretation) not to think about making a deal with the cops. And then after that, they talked about how they picture life in Mexico being and it seems at that point that Louise is reassuring herself when she says the cop would have to have some fantastic deal on the table in order to compete with their plans and vision of Mexico.

I didn't interpret it as sloppy, to me it seemed she was having second thoughts or at least regrets.

"Your petty vengeance fetish will have to do withOUT Mr. Groin!"

Not "stupid" at all! You actually do a really good job bringing some sense to a scene that clearly a lot of people were confused by, including myself!