elchetelat The movie Sling Blade, written and directed by Billy Bob Thornton, deserves a rating of 8.5 out of 10. This film was very well written, and its 1990's film elements make it very enjoyable to watch. Sling Blade is about a special needs man named Karl Childers (played by Billy Bob Thornton) who once released from a mental hospital for murdering his mother and her boyfriend, befriends a young boy named Frank (played by Lucas Black) and his family. The acting done by Thornton was absolutely phenomenal, considering the fact that he had to play the role of a mentally "insane" human. One of my favorite aspects of this movie is that although Karl came from a mental institution for murder, he has such a big heart and emotional background. Frank and his mother, Linda (played by Natalie Canerday), live with a cruel alcoholic named Doyle that brings their life a lot of trouble. Karl and Franks relationship is heartwarming, because although they are years apart, they love, care, and protect each other. Linda enjoys Karl's friendship with her son because Frank loves his company, but Doyle doesn't approve because he is "crazy" and a "stupid retard". Dwight Yoakam (the man that plays Doyle) did a successful job at doing what the director wanted him to do, which I believe is making viewers hate Doyle. This film brought me to tears, and I think in a way that's why I enjoyed it so much. It was so emotional and beautifully written, and the acting never failed to impress me.

gavin6942 Karl Childers (Billy Bob Thornton), 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.Kevin Thomas wrote that the film is "a mesmerizing parable of good and evil and a splendid example of Southern storytelling at its most poetic and imaginative." Now, exactly what "Southern storytelling" is remains a bit unclear, though this seems to be a common refrain. The good and evil aspects are certainly there.Billy Bob's character is sort of the gruff, pirate version of Forrest Gump. This makes for a strange mix and not everyone is going to find the character convincing. Often he comes across as annoying. But, indeed, perhaps that is exactly how a mentally disabled person would project themselves?

nannanysted I've come by this movie several times but have never really bothered watching it - and what a shame. This is a movie that everybody should take the time to watch; it will be stuck with you for days. Not only does it offer a great screenplay and plot but the acting is simply superb as well with convincing and multidimensional characters. Billy Bob Thornton obviously does an amazing job as the leading role, Karl, but also as writer and director of the movie. However, Lucas Brack who plays the boy Frank was magnificent too - talented beyond his age. With a limited use of words due to Karl being a simple man and Frank being a boy they still manage to mesmerize you emotionally and really feel their pain and agony. The story might have been seen before (it can be related to movies like 'Rain Man', 'Forest Gump', 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest', ...) but that honestly doesn't matter. Halfway through the movie I was thinking to myself that I was pretty sure how it was all going to end and I felt a little sad; this movie was more or less complete in everything else, so I didn't want it to make a rookie of being predictable. Would be such a shame. It was predictable, though - it wasn't difficult to figure out that Karl was gonna kill Doyle - however, what I hadn't predicted was how I felt about it once it was about to happen. The way the whole thing was set up was absolutely nerve-wrecking. In the scene where Karl is talking to Doyle - just about to kill him - I was trembling. Sure, I knew he was going to take him down, but how and where and when...?All in all, I enjoyed it throughout. Not once was I annoyed by some irrelevant scene or some cliché dialog, and not once was I losing focus or bored. Nothing less than a masterpiece.

Sophie Gosing This film will stay with me for a long time. Billy Thornton played Karl's character effortlessly and perfectly. I really fell in love with Karl, his experiences remind you (well, smack you in the face) that good people can do bad things, and maybe the reasons behind cruel acts can make sense to good decent people. His friendship with Frank (Lucas Black) is charming and unusual, and almost instant. Lucas Black, as a young child, is unbelievable as an actor. I don't want to say too much. It has to be watched and felt.I sobbed like a baby. Please watch this film. It's both heartbreaking and heart warming. I couldn't turn away for a second.