Sling Blade

...it's a beautiful contraption of a movie, a gothic backwoods fable that uses its naive yet murderous hero to walk a fine line between sentimentality and dread.

It will make you laugh and cry. And it will make you think long and hard about the last time you saw a movie this good.

The movie is a work of great originality and fascination by Billy Bob Thornton, who wrote it, directed it and plays Karl Childers.

...excellent casting and an inspired turn from Billy Bob Thornton raise it above being merely a bleak, indie version of Forrest Gump.

...a fascinating examination of a damaged man's quest to make restitution for his past crimes.