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Conference bookie::movies

Title:	Movie Reviews and Discussion
Notice:	Please do DIR/TITLE before starting a new topic on a movie!
Moderator:	VAXCPU::michaudo.dec.com::tamara::eppes

Created:	Thu Jan 28 1993
Last Modified:	Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	1249
Total number of notes:	16012

1227.0. "Sling Blade" by POLAR::TYSICK (Chasing the tail of Dogma) Fri Mar 14 1997 12:13

    	Sling Blade is writen, directed and starred in by Billy Bob
    Thornton. 
    
    	The story of Karl Childers, a simple manwho was as a child,
    physically, emotionally and spiritually abused by his parents.  At a
    young age he kills his mother and her lover.  He is found mentally
    incompetent and sent to an asylum for most of his adult life.
    
    	When Karl returns to his hometown, he expects to resume a normal
    life.  He befriends a little boy who lives with his mother and abusive
    boyfriend (Dwight Yokam).  Karl soon becomes a father figure to the
    boy, a protector for his mother and a threat to the abusive boyfriend.
    
    	It kinda has the "Forrest Gump" thing goin' on, as Karl shows us
    his simple wisdom and as being an accomplished handyman.  A character
    we all usually feel for and wish to hear their story.  I think I'll
    take it in this weekend.
    
    	I got most of this from an article in the paper (Ottawa Sun) which
    gave the movie 4.5 stars outta 5.
    
    	Jay

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
1227.1		CLUSTA::MAIEWSKI	Braves, 1914 1957 1995 WS Champs	`Mon Mar 17 1997 09:01`	51
	I saw Sling Blade yesterday and I have to say I was disappointed. After all the rave reviews my expectations were really high and on the positive side there were some really good performances by Billy Bob Thornton and other in the cast but where Thornton excels as an actor he comes up short as a writer. This movie is yet another in the line of movies who's main star is a lovable and charming victim of mentally illness. While it was pulled off really well in Rain Man, Thorton's story of a lovable and charming homicidal maniac comes up a bit short. The first problem is that the movie dragged in parts with scenes that seemed repetitive. The second problem was that it all seemed a bit too predictable with off the shelf plot lines and characters, the ultra charming wise for his age child, the struggling divorced mother, the abusive monster she selects for her lover, the stereotype gay, etc. Here's the rest of the cast from the movie database on the web. Billy Bob Thornton Karl Childers Dwight Yoakam Doyle Hargraves J.T. Walsh Charles Bushman John Ritter Vaughan Cunningham Lucas Black (II) Frank Wheatley Natalie Canderday Linda Wheatley James Hampton Jerry Woolridge Robert Duvall Karl's Father Rick Dial Bill Cox Brent Briscoe Scooter Hodges Christy Ward Melinda Jim Jarmusch Dairy Queen Boy As I said, most of the acting was really good. Dwight Yoakam does a great job as the domestic abuse monster, John Ritter does a fine job playing a character that really is gay this time and the kid did a good job. A big disappointment is Robert Duvall who adds nothing to the part of Karl's father. One curious thing, I notice from the movie database that Billy Bob Thornton played Karl Childers in a 1993 movie called "Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade". That line was in this film in the part where he was talking to the young reporter. It lists only three characters, Billy Bob Thornton Karl Childers J.T. Walsh Charles Bushman Molly Ringwald Reporter As for this version, there were some really good scenes and some top notch acting but some really big holes and nothing new in the way of a story. It comes far short of the rave reviews it has been receiving. ** out of 5, George
1227.2	I reckon you'd better go see it! Umhuh.	POLAR::TYSICK	Chasing the tail of Dogma	`Mon Mar 17 1997 09:16`	19
	As I said I would, I took this one in on the weekend. And unlike the previous noter, I highly recommend this film. The performances by everyone were terrific, especially Dwight Yokam as the abusive boyfriend...he had it down to a "T". At not one point did I think, "Is this ever getiing slow/boring/uninteresting." But I do remember thinking if someone does with this film, they have become fully saturated in the story. You can't help love Karl during this movie...there's no grey area about the things he does...it's either black or white. And Billy Bob Thornton played Karl perfectly. The film, IMO, never gave into the Hollywood type ending (or story for that matter), which is why it scored big with me. 4 outta 5 Jay