Sling Blade Page #4

Synopsis: A partially handicapped man named Karl is released from a mental hospital, about 20 years after murdering his mother and another person. Karl is often questioned if he will ever kill again, and he shrugs in response saying there is no reason to. Now out of the mental institution, Karl settles in his old, small hometown, occupying himself by fixing motors. After meeting a young boy named Frank, who befriends him, Karl is invited to stay at Frank's house with his mother Linda, who views Karl as a strange but kind and generous man. However, Linda's abusive boyfriend, Doyle, sees things differently in the way rules ought to be run- normally insulting Linda's homosexual friend Vaughan as well as Karl's disabilities, and having wild parties with his friends. As Karl's relationship with Frank grows, he is watchful of Doyle's cruel actions.
Genre: Drama
Director(s): Billy Bob Thornton
Production: Miramax Films
  Won 1 Oscar. Another 13 wins & 15 nominations.
 
IMDB:
8.0
Metacritic:
84
Rotten Tomatoes:
96%
R
Year:
1996
135 min
1,552 Views


I killed some folks

quite a while back.

They said I wasn't right in the head,

so they put me in the hospital

instead of putting me in jail.

- They let you out?

- Yeah.

- How come?

- They told me I was well.

Had to turn me loose.

- Well, are you well?

- I reckon I feel all right.

This here's my house.

You don't seem like you'd kill nobody.

We can just set these bags on the porch.

All right, then.

You like to play football?

I never was no count at it.

I never did get picked out for it.

Me and the Barnett twins

and some boys play

at the junior high school field

all the time.

If you wanna play, you can come on over,

'cause we ain't no good either.

- Well, I'll see you later.

- All right, then.

Karl.

Hon, you can't just go in there.

Karl, what in the world

are you doing here?

I wanna come back and stay in here.

You can't do that.

You're a free man.

They let you out

so you can do as you please.

I reckon I don't care nothing

about being a free man.

I don't know how to go about it.

Well, you're gonna have to learn.

It'll take some time.

Don't you have anybody down there

to help you out?

No, sir.

Well, your daddy was living down there

the last time I heard.

I guess he wouldn't want

to help you out any, would he?

Sorry, I wasn't thinking.

Don't you have anybody?

No, sir.

Never did know too much

of nobody down there.

Not to be helping me out no way.

Look, Karl, the truth is, I don't know

where they expect you to go,

and I don't know

what they expect you to do.

If it was up to me, you could come

back here and stay if you wanted to.

I'm just trying to do my job.

You follow me?

Listen, Karl.

I know an old boy who's

got a fix-it shop deal in Millsberg.

He used to go to church with me.

You're good working

on small engines and things.

If I was to put my neck

out for you with him,

do you think you could work it

if he'll hire you?

I'm pretty handy, I reckon,

on lawn mowers and whatnot.

I know you are, I've seen it myself.

- Could you give it a try?

- I reckon.

Now, I can't promise you

that he'll hire you.

I'll have to tell him

about your history.

I never was no good with history.

No. I mean your past.

Why you were in here.

I'll take you down

first thing in the morning.

You don't have anywhere

you could stay tonight at all?

- No, sir.

- You can't stay here.

It's against the rules.

If something was to happen,

I'd be liable.

I reckon I can walk around

till morning time.

And sit and read a book somewheres.

Karl, would you like a muffin?

No, thank you.

I understand Jerry's gonna take you

someplace else tomorrow.

I don't reckon

I know nobody named Jerry.

She's talking about me, Karl.

Rate this script:4.0 / 2 votes

Billy Bob Thornton

Billy Bob Thornton (born August 4, 1955) is an American actor, filmmaker, singer, songwriter, and musician. Thornton had his first break when he co-wrote and starred in the 1992 thriller One False Move, and received international attention after writing, directing, and starring in the independent drama film Sling Blade (1996), for which he won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. He appeared in several major film roles in the 1990s following Sling Blade, including Oliver Stone's neo-noir U Turn (1997), political drama Primary Colors (1998), science fiction disaster film Armageddon (1998), the highest-grossing film of that year, and the crime drama A Simple Plan (1998), which earned him his third Oscar nomination. In the 2000s, Thornton achieved further success in starring dramas Monster's Ball (2001), The Man Who Wasn't There (2001), and Friday Night Lights (2004); comedies Bandits (2001), Intolerable Cruelty (2003), and Bad Santa (2003); and action films Eagle Eye (2008) and Faster (2010). In 2014, Thornton starred as Lorne Malvo in the first season of the anthology series Fargo, earning a nomination for the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie at the Emmy Awards and won Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV Film at the 72nd Golden Globe Awards. In 2016, he starred in an Amazon original series, Goliath, which earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama. Thornton has been vocal about his distaste for celebrity culture, choosing to keep his life out of the public eye. However, the attention of the media has proven unavoidable in certain cases, his marriage to Angelina Jolie being a notable example. Thornton has written a variety of films, usually set in the Southern United States and mainly co-written with Tom Epperson, including A Family Thing (1996) and The Gift (2000). After Sling Blade, he directed several other films, including Daddy and Them (2001), All the Pretty Horses (2000), and Jayne Mansfield's Car (2012). Thornton has received the President's Award from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, a Special Achievement Award from the National Board of Review, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He has also been nominated for an Emmy Award, four Golden Globes, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards. In addition to film work, Thornton began a career as a singer-songwriter. He has released four solo albums and is the vocalist of the blues rock band The Boxmasters. more…

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