Two friends, Thelma Dickinson and Louise Sawyer, embark on a weekend getaway to a remote fishing cabin in the mountains, seeking respite from their mundane lives in Arkansas. Thelma, a housewife stuck in a stifling marriage with her disrespectful and controlling husband Darryl (Christopher McDonald), decides to leave without informing him about the trip. In contrast, Louise, a sharp-tongued waitress dating a carefree musician named Jimmy (Michael Madsen), is determined to enjoy their freedom.
As they journey together, their personalities shine through—Louise is the organized planner while Thelma is more impulsive and paranoid, even bringing a gun out of fear. Their adventure takes a dark turn after a stop at a roadhouse bar where, despite Louise's warnings, Thelma dances with a flirtatious stranger, Harlan Puckett (Timothy Carhart). When Harlan attempts to sexually assault her, Louise acts decisively, threatening him with Thelma's gun. In a moment of rage, Louise fatally shoots Harlan as they escape.
The aftermath leads them to a motel where they wrestle with the grim reality of their predicament. Thelma proposes they turn themselves in, but Louise fears that their claims of attempted assault will not be believed due to Thelma's intoxication at the time. With no evidence to back them up and facing a serious murder charge, they resolve to flee to Mexico, carefully avoiding Texas—a place that haunts Louise.
Meanwhile, the police, led by Hal (Harvey Keitel), begin an investigation into the shooting, tracking down Thelma and Louise's whereabouts. When they stop to pick up J.D. (Brad Pitt), a charming drifter, Thelma is irresistibly drawn to him. Louise, in a separate incident, calls Jimmy to retrieve her life savings but is left heartbroken when he expresses his desire for more than just friendship.
After a string of unfortunate events—including realizing J.D. has stolen their money—Thelma finds herself compelled to rob a convenience store, spurred by guilt for their predicament. As the authorities close in, the duo becomes embroiled in a cat-and-mouse game, culminating in several close encounters.
When Hal shows understanding for their situation, it creates complicated feelings within Louise, especially regarding her past trauma in Texas, which she is unwilling to discuss further. The tension escalates when they are pulled over by a state trooper, leading to a high-stakes standoff. The women retaliate against a crude truck driver, blowing up his fuel tanker in a fit of defiance.
Ultimately, as they find themselves cornered by law enforcement near the Grand Canyon, Thelma and Louise face a heartbreaking decision. Ignoring Hal's plea to surrender, they choose their fate together, hand in hand, driving off the cliff in a final act of liberation. With Thelma's declaration to “keep going,” they embrace their freedom one last time, leaping into the unknown.
