Review of Sling Blade (1996) by Asif K — 24 Sep 2011

Sling Blade marked the directorial debut of country singer turned actor Billy Bob Thornton, who also authored the script (expanding George Hickenlooper's acclaimed short Some Folks Call it a Sling Blade) and stars in the picture. Thornton plays Karl Childers, a mildly retarded man who spent most of his life in a mental institution. When Karl was a boy, he was severely mistreated by his abusive father (Robert Duvall). At age 12, Karl found his mother having intercourse with a man who tormented him endlessly; he snapped, flew into a homicidal rage, and killed both individuals by decapitating them. Years later, as a middle-aged man, Karl is deemed harmless to society and released from the mental institution where he resides. Karl says he has learned his lesson and adds, "I reckon I got no reason to kill no one." He returns to the town of his boyhood, where he's befriended by Frank (Lucas Black), the son of a widowed mother who sees the eccentric but open-hearted Karl as a kindred spirit. Karl also gets a job at a fix-it shop and resides in the backroom, until Frank's mother, Linda (Natalie Canerday), takes a liking to Karl and lets him stay with them. However, Karl also meets Doyle (Dwight Yoakam), Linda's boyfriend, a sadistically cruel, narrow-minded drunk who tosses casual abuse at Frank, treats Linda like dirt, and mocks Karl endlessly.

Starring, Billy Bob Thornton, Dwight Yoakam, J.T. Walsh, John Ritter, Lucas Black , Natalie Canerday , James Hampton , Robert Duvall.

Directed by Billy Bob Thornton himself.

Nominated for 2 Oscars, Best Lead Actor and Adapted Screenplay it won for Adapted Screenplay. it was written, directed and acted by Billy Bob Thornton. a huge hit with Critics and Indie lovers.

Well here comes a movie that I thought I will love it just for the acting performance, I heard and saw this totally changed Thornton in trailers and I was like this is extraordinary. what I didn't expected was that this movie will touch me so much.

This is actually one of the best movie I have ever seen. so well crafted and memorable. an instant classic. its going in my 100 movies to see before you die list for sure. I didn't thought I will love it so much but I did. right from the first shot when he says his story to the end the movie kept me interested, involved and just totally absorbed in it. a perfectly made human drama with human written all over it. it is like a perfectly told tale and a kind of stories that southern people say you know it has that kind of hold. one of the best movies based on South with no cowboys violence in it. it is poetic and quite good and storytelling at its best.

This is the story of a mentally impaired man who is released from a psychiatric hospital who was there since he killed his mother and her lover when he was young. he meets a child and is friend with him finds job and live. but how will this world react and how will he takes it? will he return to that same old place again? watch it. this movie reminded me of Edward Scissorhands in that way.

Pitch perfect and indeed one of the best Adapted screenplays ever. mindblowingly written with 0% flaws. I loved the writing. story was told good with good direction. I wish it got more nods. now Billy Bob Thornton did a fantastic job with this movie. his performance is one of its kind, superbly acted. overall everyone did a nice job but billy's performance was excellent.

Brilliant character study with a movie worth watching.