Do you want to see ‘Sling Blade’?

Sling Blade (1996)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 8.3/10
Reviews Counted: 51
Fresh: 49 | Rotten: 2

You will see what's coming, but the masterful performances, especially Thornton's, will leave you riveted.

Average Rating: 8/10
Critic Reviews: 17
Fresh: 15 | Rotten: 2

You will see what's coming, but the masterful performances, especially Thornton's, will leave you riveted.

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Average Rating: 3.9/5
User Ratings: 50,858

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Movie Info

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

R, 2 hr. 20 min.

Drama

Directed By: Billy Bob Thornton

Written By: Billy Bob Thornton

In Theaters: Nov 27, 1996 Wide

On DVD: Jan 1, 1998

Miramax Films

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
James Hampton
Jerry Woolridge
Robert Duvall
Karl's Father

Critic Reviews for Sling Blade

All Critics (63) | Top Critics (20) | Fresh (61) | Rotten (2) | DVD (34)

A masterpiece of Southern storytelling.

May 8, 2002 Full Review Source: Washington Post

| Comment

Rita Kempley

Washington Post

Top Critic

An abundance of long, flat medium shots that rob the film of intimacy and give it a sleepy pace.

May 8, 2002 Full Review Source: New York Times

| Comment

Janet Maslin

New York Times

Top Critic

A mesmerizing parable of good and evil and a splendid example of Southern storytelling at its most poetic and imaginative.

February 14, 2001 Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times

| Comment

Kevin Thomas

Los Angeles Times

Top Critic

Sling Blade does homage to Psycho without slavishly imitating the memorable parts.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Sacramento Bee

| Comment

Joe Baltake

Sacramento Bee

Top Critic

Intense family drama with strong language, some violence.

December 6, 2011 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media

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S. Jhoanna Robledo

Common Sense Media

Marking Billy Bob Thornton's debut as a director and solo writer, Sling Blade is a powerful southern gothic parable about good and evil.

July 22, 2011 Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com

| Comment

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com Source: EmanuelLevy.Com

Well acted, a multi-leveled story and a pure honesty make Sling Blade one of my favourite films of the 1990s.

August 28, 2009 Full Review Source: Movie Views

| Comment

Ryan Cracknell

Movie Views Source: Movie Views

Thornton brings three key ingredients to the table: distinctive, rich, authentic Southern locations, patient and painterly atmosphere, and a precise and fresh character to study. [Blu-ray]

August 12, 2009 Full Review Source: Groucho Reviews

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Peter Canavese

Groucho Reviews Source: Groucho Reviews

An exceptional film with superb acting and great direction made even more enjoyable with this Blu-Ray release.

August 9, 2009 Full Review Source: ReviewExpress.com

| Comment

Diana Saenger

ReviewExpress.com

An intelligent movie that beats with the heart of an indie film, with details and characters remaining more important than action or direct exposition.

August 1, 2009 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis

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James Plath

Movie Metropolis

Thornton offers a subtle, thoughtful script, generally sensitive direction, and an understated performance, uh-huh.

August 1, 2009 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis

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James Plath

Movie Metropolis

Excellent character study of a mentally challenged person.

July 23, 2009 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews

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Dennis Schwartz

Ozus' World Movie Reviews

It's frightening and haunting and what put Billy Bob in the Hollywood scene as a writer and an actor.

September 23, 2005 Full Review | Comment

Michael Szymanski

International Press Academy

The film's many rewards cannot be described in conventional terms.

September 17, 2005 Full Review Source: TheMovieReport.com

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Michael Dequina

TheMovieReport.com

There will never be another film like Sling Blade. And I reckon we'll have to live with that... Mmm-mmm.

September 7, 2005 Full Review Source: 7M Pictures

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Kevin Carr

7M Pictures

These days Thornton is seen primarily as an actor, but with "Sling Blade" he proved a true auteur.

July 15, 2005 Comment

Forrest Hartman

Reno Gazette-Journal Source: Reno Gazette-Journal

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Sling Blade

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A nice story with a masterful performance by Billy Bob Thornton. The movie is very slowly paced, but an enjoyable watch nonetheless.

October 25, 2011

Sanjay Rema

Super Reviewer

Sling Blade is a pure masterpiece, and is Billy Bob Thortons best performance ever. The plot is a work of genius, it follows a man named Karl and his long journey to self peace, and to help a young boy have the life Karl never got, and it is hard to describe just how good it was and how well made it was. Billy Bob

August 29, 2011

Brad Wright

Super Reviewer

Sling Blade Quotes

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1. Karl's Father: Mmmm hmmmmm.
– Submitted by Joe S (2 months ago)
1. Doyle Hargraves: You can kiss my ass. And if you ever hit me again, you little bastard... I'll make you sorry your daddy ever squirted your ass out. You hear me?
– Submitted by John D (3 months ago)
1. Doyle Hargraves: Everything's botherin' me. I'm hurtin' Linda. I love you.
2. Frank Wheatley: Well I hate you!
3. Doyle Hargraves: I hate you, you little prick!
– Submitted by John D (3 months ago)
1. Doyle Hargraves: [shouting] We don't got no Goddamn band! We don't need to fucking practice, Randy! We don't no shit-ass manager neither! You motherfuckers! You all are a bunch of losers! I'm the only sane son-of-a-bitch here! So get the *fuck* out of my house now!
2. Vaughan Cunningham: It's not your house, Doyle, it's Linda's.
3. Doyle Hargraves: I'll whip the dog shit out of you, Vaughan. I will [shouts] fucking kill you if you talk to me again!
– Submitted by John D (3 months ago)
1. Karl Childers: Not funny ha-ha, funny queer. Mmm-hmm.
2. Vaughan Cunningham: Well that's a very offensive way to put it. You shouldn't say that, Karl.
– Submitted by John D (3 months ago)