Date: Fri 04-Apr-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: DONNAM

Illustration: C

Location: A10

Quick Words:

Playing-Sling-Blade-Thornton

Full Text:

(rev "Sling Blade" for Now Playing, w/ "Merwinsville" mention, 4/4/97)

Now Playing-

Thornton's `Sling Blade' Has A Lot More Than Just `Gumption'

By Trey Paul Alexander III

When first I heard of Sling Blade last year, and set my eyes upon a picture of

its protagonist, Karl (Billy Bob Thornton), a former mental hospital patient,

my thoughts turned to its being simply a wicked parody of the title character

from Forrest Gump . A similar buzz cut adorns the pates of both men, who also

share a certain deficiency as far as mental faculties are concerned. I recall

this connection also being made in many early reviews, with even one caption

claiming that Thornton gives his character "some Gumption." Thankfully, this

unfair comparison did not stick, and after recognition by the Academy Awards

(Oscar winner for Best Adapted Screenplay, nominated for Best Actor), this

keenly rendered drama, currently playing at the Bethel Cinema, can stand

strongly on its own.

Much of that can be attributed to Thornton, who not only gives a riveting

performance as the lead character, but also serves as the film's writer and

director. As an actor, Thornton infuses his portrayal with all kinds of

mannerisms, from Karl's molasses-slow, grunting delivery (his characteristic

pauses before speaking have us hanging on his every word, even if it is

nothing more germane than to describe his love of "french-fried po-taters") to

his slightly hunched, jutted-jawed facial expressions. But perhaps most

importantly, he infuses the role with a quiet, yet hearty spirit, that makes

Karl come to life as more than just an actor putting on a stylized show. The

same goes to Thornton as a director, who elicits similar traits of compelling

veracity from his excellent supporting cast, and gives the film a potent and

surprising authenticity.

Set in Arkansas, Sling Blade follows Karl's return to his hometown after a

25-year stay in an institution. His admittance was due to his actions at the

age of 11 when he flew into a murderous rage upon catching his mother in the

midst of an infidelity and proceeded to kill her and her lover with a "sling

blade." However, the docs say he's much better now, and Karl, a whiz at fixing

things, moves on with his life and takes up a job at a local lawnmower shop.

Karl also befriends a scrappy tyke named Frank (Lucas Black, the talented

young actor featured on TV's "American Gothic" last year), who sees so far

beyond his new friend's handicaps and dark history that he invites Karl to

stay with him and his single mother, Linda (Natalie Canerday). Karl agrees,

and begins living out in their garage at nights. All seems well between Karl

and his new housemates, but Linda's volatile boyfriend, Doyle (Dwight Yoakam),

who already harbors malice towards Frank, doesn't take too kindly to having an

added presence - especially that of a "retard" - around the house.

Sling Blade unfolds carefully and meticulously, letting the characters soak

into our sensibilities and gain our sympathies. It is more than a

slice-of-life film - Sling Blade boasts a fulfilling narrative arc as well -

yet one of its greatest strengths is an acute sense of time, place and

character. As the move progresses (indeed, as it progresses to what becomes

its inevitable climax), we become increasingly enamored with seeing the world

(in this case, the South) through the eyes of Karl, and in him we find an

intriguing lack of pretense, a refreshing honesty and lack of guile.

Sling Blade is rated R for profanity and frank language. Though graphic

violence is not depicted on-screen, it is explicitly described.

Presented before Sling Blade is the short film Merwinsville , which was

written of in last week's Newtown Bee . This 15-minute, black-and-white short

is set in Illinois during the Depression era and features one man's desperate

search for work to support his little girl, sent off to stay with her

grandmother. It is an interesting little film, yet I couldn't help wondering

if its local ties (it was shot in Gaylordsville, partly financed by the

Danbury Cultural Commission, and directed by a former member of the Bethel

Cinema staff) form the main crux of its appeal. Nevertheless, it is a neat

curiosity and one can gain a nice sense of local pride in viewing Merwinsville

.