**Warning! Mild Plot Spoilers Ahead!!
"Sling Blade" received oodles of accolades upon its release in 1996. While I understand why so many critics raved about this film and agree with them in many aspects, I don't think it ranks among the best of the decade as many would have you believe.
Billy Bob Thornton directs and stars as Karl Childers, a mentally challenged man whose IQ falls on the low side between normal and retarded. Since committing a gruesome crime at the age of nine, he had been held in a state mental hospital He has just been released though, having been deemed safe and stable. As he attempts to rejoin the real world, the tension in the movie arises from the declaration of normality, which everyone questions due to the discomforting assortment of grunts and noises that the gravelly-voiced Childers emits.
At the brilliant core of of "Sling Blade" is the acting. But not even its quality (which is good) as much as its quantity. Most movies feature countless cuts, largely of the back-and-forth nature during dialogue scenes. With numerous single-shot takes, this film provides the rare opportunity to watch actors work. It feels like watching a play from the front row, as the camera acts as your eyes, delightfully swooping, zooming, and sliding through the scenes. Through small facial movements and expressions, one can see direct reactions being formed and decisions being made by characters, rather than just the choices themselves.
The wise decision to use such a style is more than just artistic; it is necessary to get viewers to relate with the odd characters, a task that would otherwise be near impossible. Although many, like myself, will still find it difficult to get involved, Thornton allows the audience to connect with his character more deeply than they would in a typical film by displaying the thought processes that Childers genuinely needs to determine his choices.
In such a character study, the quality of the ensemble acting is crucial, and the remainder of the cast fills the supporting roles quite well. Everyone is very believable, despite a few recognizable faces (John Ritter, among others) playing characters in which one would never picture them. Even though many of these parts begin as stereotypes, over the course of the film most all of them are developed into well-rounded characters, which in turn fill out the corners of the cinematic world.
The stage-like nature of "Sling Blade" carries over to its story as well. You don't know exactly what is going to happen next, but as the film continues to build toward the closing scenes, one gradually acquires a premonition as to what may occur. This is possible because the linear plot moves uphill almost throughout. With a few exceptions that make the movie about twenty minutes too long, each scene flows naturally into the next, adding depth to the story with each development that leads to the inevitable conclusion.
Unfortunately the DVD, which could be filled with so much fascinating information about an intriguing film, is bare bones at best. The widescreen transfer does effectively capture the solid cinematography, and the lack of a 5.1 soundtrack doesn't detract from the simple score, but there are no special features. You may therefore want to simply rent "Sling Blade," rather than invest $15 in purchasing it.
Bottom Line: The stellar acting and directing makes the unusual story work well despite featuring hard-to-relate-to characters and a too long running time. Three of four stars, rounded down to 7 of 10.
"Sling Blade" received oodles of accolades upon its release in 1996. While I understand why so many critics raved about this film and agree with them in many aspects, I don't think it ranks among the best of the decade as many would have you believe.
Billy Bob Thornton directs and stars as Karl Childers, a mentally challenged man whose IQ falls on the low side between normal and retarded. Since committing a gruesome crime at the age of nine, he had been held in a state mental hospital He has just been released though, having been deemed safe and stable. As he attempts to rejoin the real world, the tension in the movie arises from the declaration of normality, which everyone questions due to the discomforting assortment of grunts and noises that the gravelly-voiced Childers emits.
At the brilliant core of of "Sling Blade" is the acting. But not even its quality (which is good) as much as its quantity. Most movies feature countless cuts, largely of the back-and-forth nature during dialogue scenes. With numerous single-shot takes, this film provides the rare opportunity to watch actors work. It feels like watching a play from the front row, as the camera acts as your eyes, delightfully swooping, zooming, and sliding through the scenes. Through small facial movements and expressions, one can see direct reactions being formed and decisions being made by characters, rather than just the choices themselves.
The wise decision to use such a style is more than just artistic; it is necessary to get viewers to relate with the odd characters, a task that would otherwise be near impossible. Although many, like myself, will still find it difficult to get involved, Thornton allows the audience to connect with his character more deeply than they would in a typical film by displaying the thought processes that Childers genuinely needs to determine his choices.
In such a character study, the quality of the ensemble acting is crucial, and the remainder of the cast fills the supporting roles quite well. Everyone is very believable, despite a few recognizable faces (John Ritter, among others) playing characters in which one would never picture them. Even though many of these parts begin as stereotypes, over the course of the film most all of them are developed into well-rounded characters, which in turn fill out the corners of the cinematic world.
The stage-like nature of "Sling Blade" carries over to its story as well. You don't know exactly what is going to happen next, but as the film continues to build toward the closing scenes, one gradually acquires a premonition as to what may occur. This is possible because the linear plot moves uphill almost throughout. With a few exceptions that make the movie about twenty minutes too long, each scene flows naturally into the next, adding depth to the story with each development that leads to the inevitable conclusion.
Unfortunately the DVD, which could be filled with so much fascinating information about an intriguing film, is bare bones at best. The widescreen transfer does effectively capture the solid cinematography, and the lack of a 5.1 soundtrack doesn't detract from the simple score, but there are no special features. You may therefore want to simply rent "Sling Blade," rather than invest $15 in purchasing it.
Bottom Line: The stellar acting and directing makes the unusual story work well despite featuring hard-to-relate-to characters and a too long running time. Three of four stars, rounded down to 7 of 10.