Sling Blade (1996)

Director:

Billy Bob Thornton

Writers (WGA):

Billy Bob Thornton (play)
Billy Bob Thornton (screenplay)

Release Date:

27 November 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Sometimes a hero comes from the most unlikely place.

Plot:

Karl Childers, a simple man hospitalized since his childhood murder of his mother and her lover, is released to start a new life in a small town.

Plot Keywords:

Friend | Drunkeness | Rain | Revenge | Physical Abuse

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 11 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Billy Bob Thornton	...	Karl Childers
Dwight Yoakam	...	Doyle Hargraves
J.T. Walsh	...	Charles Bushman
John Ritter	...	Vaughan Cunningham
Lucas Black	...	Frank Wheatley
Natalie Canerday	...	Linda Wheatley
James Hampton	...	Jerry Woolridge
Robert Duvall	...	Karl's Father
Rick Dial	...	Bill Cox
Brent Briscoe	...	Scooter Hodges
Christine Renee Ward	...	Melinda (as Christy Ward)
Sarah Boss	...	Marsha Dwiggins
Kathy Sue Brown	...	Theresa Evans
Wendell Rafferty	...	Melvin
Bruce Hampton	...	Morris (as Col. Bruce Hampton Ret.)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong language, including descriptions of violent and sexual behavior.

Runtime:

135 min | 148 min (Director's cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:16 (original rating) | USA:Not Rated (director's cut) | Netherlands:6 (re-rating) | Canada:14A (original rating) | Singapore:NC-16 (re-rating) | Iceland:12 | South Korea:15 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA (re-rating) | Australia:M (original rating) | Chile:18 | Finland:K-12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Norway:11 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:PG (cut) | Spain:18 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Benton, Arkansas, USA

Company:

Miramax Films

Trivia:

Billy Bob Thornton had written the script in long hand, at his family's house in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: Shadow visible in front of a tree when Jerry and Karl are walking.

Quotes:

Frank Childers: I told you I ain't got no boy, now why don't you get on outta here and let me be. You ain't no kin to me.
Karl: [after a pause] I learned to read some. I read the Bible quite a bit. I can't understand all of it, but I reckon I understand a good deal of it. Them stories you and Mama told me ain't in there. You ought not done that to your boy. I studied on killing you. Studied on it quite a bit...
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in Bad Santa: Not Your Typical Christmas Movie (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

Darlin'

9/10

It's a pleasure in its own way seeing a hyped-up modern classic that is as good as they say -- and in a quiet, thoughtful way. It's surprising the public latched onto the film, as it is not cluttered with easily noticeable style nor is it painted with feel-good strokes -- although the vigilantism of it does make liking it tricky: I happen to like it for the film itself, the calming, forgiving tone, as when Thornton finally tells the mother why he was in the state hospital and how she reacts. The act of violence just exists; the greatness of the film is in the rest of it, how it respects the audience: there are horrible descriptions -- the dead baby -- that are sad poetry, but never so relentlessly grim as to make watching the movie punishing. There are moments that are so incredibly sad, especially because of Thornton's effective use of echoey, spacey music. The earnest honesty of the film is something I find very rewarding, and the film's beautiful structure, those long scenes from far away, is such a nice change of pace.

The screenplay goes against conventions, it tosses in unexpected lines, without advertising that fact. Some of the lines should be funny -- the Bible wasn't how Thornton expected it in some places -- but the intent is not, and it isn't "knowing." It's one of those terrific indie movies that really has a statement to make; but at the same time there's no sentiment, and no awful sense of dread, either; just straight-ahead Gothic storytelling.

There are some problems if you look at it hard enough; aside from the vigilantism, on paper the film is full of stereotypes: the sensitive gay, the jerk step-dad, the retarded Southern simpleton. But in the playing of it nothing feels stereotyped. The characters are certainly labels and afflictions on paper, but within the film they are whole beings. The "Forrest Gump" comparisons are obvious -- the simpleton befriends a troubled young dirty-looking kid and the two become best friends (he even plays football at one point), but this film, even though the politics are screwy like that film's, is so utterly human.

All down the line the performances are right on key. They're complete characters, but they each have a voice all their own, an idiosyncrasy: J.T. Walsh's creepiness; John Ritter's meek whispering which adds a touch of humor to the film; Robert Duvall's brief appearance as Thornton's pathetic father; Yoakam, who is a charming SOB; Lucas Black, the least annoying of child actors -- a rapscallion. Even the side characters, like the hospital warden embarrassed with the system, are fine. And Jim Jarmusch proves himself an astute, interesting actor. 9/10