Sling Blade

IMDb RATING

8.0/10

101K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

Play trailer1:51

Psychological Drama Drama

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.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.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.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

8.0/10

101K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

2,183

197

See production info at IMDbPro

Won 1 Oscar
- 14 wins & 15 nominations total

Videos2

Photos104

+ 97

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
According to Billy Bob Thornton in a February 7, 1997 interview on Howard Stern's radio show, Karl living behind a shed is based on a boy where he grew up who could not walk or talk very well, so his parents kept him in a shed out back. Billy said the boy's mother was scared by a snake when she was pregnant, so they felt he was a child of the devil. They kept him locked up and fed him like a dog. It turned out the boy had polio.

Goofs
When Karl is talking to the Frostee Cream Boy, there are no cars on the road behind him. But whenever the camera is aimed at the Frostee Cream, there is a lot of traffic on the road reflected in the window. Billy Bob Thornton points out in the DVD commentary that this is because the local police had another pressing issue the day they filmed Jim Jarmusch, and they couldn't be there to stop traffic.

Quotes
Karl: I like them French fried potaters.

Crazy credits
The opening credits start about 18 minutes into the film.

Alternate versions
The Director's Cut runs 12 minutes longer than the original theatrical releases.

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: Star Trek: First Contact/Shine/Jingle All the Way/Sling Blade/Microcosmos (1996)

Soundtracks
The One I Love
(instrumental)
Written by Ali Jennings and Daniel Lanois
Performed by Ali Jennings
Courtesy of Daniel Lanois, Ali Jennings Songs/Socan, Daniel Lanois Songs/Socan

User reviews355

Featured review

8/10

You Ought Not Pass on this Movie

I remember first watching Sling Blade and thinking, "Oh no, here is a Forest Gump copycat." After all, the main character, Karl (Billy Bob Thornton) was mentally challenged and they were in the South. In reality, that's where the similarities stopped, but I didn't know that at the time. The second detractor for me was Billy Bob Thornton. I had only seen Billy Bob in one movie before Sling Blade and that was Bad Santa (yes I saw Sling Blade for the first time that many years later) and I thought that movie was dreadful, hence my impression of Billy Bob was also negative.

Sling Blade was a welcome surprise. Billy Bob did an excellent job with the role and of course I was doubly surprised to see that he had written and directed the movie.

Sling Blade was terrific in its simplicity. Karl was a simple man, he lived with simple folks in a simple town. That's not to say that they were without problems. Karl's mental handicap, Linda Wheatley's (Natalie Canderday) man issues, Frank Wheatley's (Lucas Black) fatherless issues, Doyle's (Dwight Yoakam) drinking problem, et al. For the simplicity of it all it was simply perfect.