I hadn't seen
Sling Blade in ages.
(It's had to have been at least 4-5 years since I last saw it)
I watched this last night and found myself just as glued to the screen as I was when I first saw it in a packed theater back in 1997.
It's a slow film, which may turn some viewers off. But if you appreciate a good drama with a slow buildup, Sling Blade definitely delivers.
The character of Karl Childers is one of a kind.
There hasn't been a character quite like him in any movie that I've ever seen.
I was totally blown away by how Billy Bob Thornton completely disappeared into the role.
As I watched it last night, I tried to look at Karl and envision Billy Bob as he looks now, but I couldn't.
He's unrecognizable.
Karl's slow, that's for sure. But ultimately he's a good man, despite the acts of extreme violence he commited in his past and commits in this film.
Karl's voice has been made fun of quite a bit, but, just like Frank, I kind of like it.
I liked how Karl and young Frank's friendship blossomed. Karl would never do anything to hurt Frank or his mother Linda who are basically good people.
Linda's boyfriend Doyle, on the other hand, is absolutely despicable and he's played perfectly by Dwight Yoakam.
Another great character was Vaughan, wonderfully played by the late John Ritter.
Hard to believe that Ritter is actually dead. He was truly a great actor.
I still find this movie absolutely riveting after all these years.
How about you?
What do you think of Sling Blade?