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Just re-watched Sling Blade for the first time in about 10 years; it's also the first time watching the film on Blu.
Excellent movie, with great acting by BB. If I hadn't known better, I would have thought he was actually disabled. Obviously, very sad story - the explanation that the character gave as to why he was in the institution (to the young reporter in the beginning) was horrible, but also told in a very matter-of-fact way - this was not something I expected the first time I saw this.
I think the film also sheds a lot of light on the unfortunate situation that people are in who get out of institutions like this - the BB character was told to go on his way since he was "free" & ended up going back to the institution after he left, since he had no money & have no place to go/live. No surprise that many of these people who are freed like this commit other crimes & end up right back where they came from.
The scene when he confronted his elderly, senile father (Robert Duvall) living in the ramshackle house was quite powerful.
The penultimate scene when he ended up
Spoiler
taking out the violent bully was anti-climactic. If this had been a big-budget Hollywood movie (which this wasn't, obviousy) there would have a been a huge fight here. However, in this case the Dwight Yoakam character, who was quite intoxicated, didn't put up a struggle at all. I understand that the BB character felt that if he hadn't done anything, the bully would almost certainly have very seriously hurt the woman and/or her son, or probably worse. He obviously felt he had to do something to protect them - especially since they had taken him in & he saw them as a kind of family.
I am a pretty good mimic, and so of course after watching Sling Blade I started talking like the main guy - to our dogs, to my kids, making jokes, etc. Well, come to find out, my husband HATES it when I talk in that voice - apparently it's very unattractive. Hehehehehhe...
Well, anyway, we watched it recently so of course, though I had given that voice a rest for several years, the opportunity presented itself for me to employ that accent again. Immediately my husband began saying, "Ugh - I hate it when you talk like that guy - stop it!" Sigh. OK.
Anyway - a few days after we watched it, I had a physical therapy appointment, not with the therapist but with the actual doctor. Since my right Achilles tendon was the one that was jacked up, I couldn't drive so my husband dropped me off and was going to come pick me up in an hour.
Well - the doctor was a hoot, and don't ask me how, but we got to talking about Sling Blade - sort of mixed in with the whole appointment. For instance, he'd say, "Wale...some folks call this a rubber band, but I call it a sling blade...uhh, huhhh...does it hurt?" And I'd stick my jaw out and say, "I don't reckon it does, uhh huhhh..." I know - ridiculous but we were having a good time.
So in walks my husband and what he didn't hear was the doctor saying to me, "What choo aim to do with this rubber band, Karl?" but he did hear me say in my best Sling Blade voice, "Ah aim to kill you wid it." The look on his face..it was priceless. But then I said, in a regular voice, "Honey, this is Dr. _______" (and then I couldn't resist)"...uhh huhhh..."
We all chatted for a bit and then my husband and I left and as soon as we got in the car he said, "Oh my gosh, what were you doing in there? WHY WERE YOU TALKING TO THAT DOCTOR IN YOUR SLING BLADE VOICE?"
I nearly died laughing! I honestly am not sure if he ever believed that the doctor and I talked in Sling Blade fashion back and forth for the entire appointment!
Not only did I think it was a great movie, but I really admire movies that manage to be great on a low budget. And movies that are about ordinary life. And I'll add to that a special mention for John Ritter, who was a surprise.
All the actors in "Sling Blade" do magnificent work. How Thornton was able to direct the film and stay so thoroughly in character is a mystery. So Boo Radley had a son
Just re-watched Sling Blade for the first time in about 10 years; it's also the first time watching the film on Blu.
Excellent movie, with great acting by BB. If I hadn't known better, I would have thought he was actually disabled. Obviously, very sad story - the explanation that the character gave as to why he was in the institution (to the young reporter in the beginning) was horrible, but also told in a very matter-of-fact way - this was not something I expected the first time I saw this.
I think the film also sheds a lot of light on the unfortunate situation that people are in who get out of institutions like this - the BB character was told to go on his way since he was "free" & ended up going back to the institution after he left, since he had no money & have no place to go/live. No surprise that many of these people who are freed like this commit other crimes & end up right back where they came from.
The scene when he confronted his elderly, senile father (Robert Duvall) living in the ramshackle house was quite powerful.
The penultimate scene when he ended up
Spoiler
taking out the violent bully was anti-climactic. If this had been a big-budget Hollywood movie (which this wasn't, obviousy) there would have a been a huge fight here. However, in this case the Dwight Yoakam character, who was quite intoxicated, didn't put up a struggle at all. I understand that the BB character felt that if he hadn't done anything, the bully would almost certainly have very seriously hurt the woman and/or her son, or probably worse. He obviously felt he had to do something to protect them - especially since they had taken him in & he saw them as a kind of family.
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