Sling Blade (1996)
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An intellectually challenged man released from a psychiatric hospital forms an unlikely bond with a young boy and his mother in rural Arkansas.
The story
Karl Childers, a developmentally disabled man, is released from a state mental hospital where he has lived since the age of 12 after a tragic incident involving his mother. Upon his release, Karl returns to his hometown in Arkansas and finds work as a small engine mechanic. There, he encounters a young boy named Frank and begins to develop a deep friendship with the boy and his mother, Linda. As Karl integrates into their lives, he becomes a mentor to Frank, while the family navigates the complexities of their domestic life and the presence of a volatile, alcoholic man named Doyle.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Karl Childers, a developmentally disabled man, was institutionalized at age 12 after killing his mother and her lover with a sling blade. After his release, he moves to his hometown and becomes a mechanic. He befriends 12-year-old Frank Wheatley and his mother, Linda. Frank's life is complicated by his abusive, alcoholic boyfriend, Doyle. Karl becomes a role model for Frank, who despises Doyle. Karl eventually reveals a dark secret about his own past involving his brother. When Doyle's behavior becomes dangerous, Karl intervenes. After a confrontation where Doyle threatens the family, Karl moves Frank and Linda to the home of their friend Vaughan. Later, Karl returns to the Wheatley home and kills Doyle with a lawn mower blade to protect the family. He is eventually returned to the state hospital, where he finds a sense of peace and resolve.
- First release year
- 1996
- Runtime (minutes)
- 135
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Billy Bob Thornton
- Writers
- Billy Bob Thornton · writer
- Cast and characters
- 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 · Frank Childers
- Genres
- drama
- Themes
- friendship; protection; mental health; domestic violence
- Tone and mood
- Southern Gothic; poetic
- Premise and plot tags
- independent film; Southern Gothic; drama
- Source material / true-story basis
- Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade (1994)
- Reception
- The film was a sleeper hit and received critical acclaim, with critics praising the performances and the storytelling.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 97% · scale: percentage · review count: 58; Metacritic · score: 84% · scale: percentage · review count: 26
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Adapted Screenplay · win; Academy Award · Best Actor · nomination
- Production trivia
- The film was made with a production budget of $1 million.; It was sold to Miramax for $10 million, a record price for an independent film at the time.; The film was filmed in 24 days.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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