Sling Blade strikes the emotional chords of the soul. Although the title makes it almost sound like an action movie, Sling Blade is actually a powerfully-kind, compassionate film. We see Karl as a kindhearted, mentally handicapped man, who has killed and kills again, but only at times when the individuals could be said to deserve death.

Billy Bob Thornton's depiction of Karl is impressive, as is Dwight Yokam's role as Doyle. Rather than presenting Karl as stupid or mean, Thornton brings real humanity to the role. Karl ends up being a character we love rather than hate. We understand his motives, and in the end, most viewers believe that Karl did the right thing. Yokam, on the other hand, brings one of the meanest and most hateful villains of film to life. In this film, Yokam shows that he is definitely not just a...