Well after watching the Big Lebowski again the other day, I thought I'd revisit some of my other favourite filims, starting with Billy Bob Thornton's powerhouse - Sling Blade.
I first watched Sling Blade in 2002 - six years after its release, following incredibly strong recommendations. Thornton not only stars in the inconic role of Karl Childers, but he also wrote and directed it, earning him the 1997 Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar and an acting nomination also.
The story begins with the scene below of Childers, now a grown man, about to be released from a psychiatric hospital where he has been since the age of 12 for the murder of his mother and her lover, telling his story to a college newspaper reporter. He later returns to his hometown and gets a job fixing lawnmowers at local garage. Karl befriends a young boy, Frank (Lucas Black in his best role) and is soon invited by Frank's mother, Linda, to move into the family's garage. As a strong connection builds between Karl and Frank and his mother, confrontation occurs with Linda's abusive and violent boyfriend Doyle (Country musician Dwight Yoakam). Ultimately it builds to a stunning climax that is hard not to be moved by.
Check out the video below - you get a pretty good idea of the intensity of Thornton's performance
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment