Sling Blade: A Screenplay [Paperback]

Billy Bob Thornton (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Sling Blade, winner of the 1996 Academy Award for best screenplay, is the powerful story of Karl, who returns to his hometown after serving 25 years in a mental hospital for committing a gruesome crime. There he befriends a young boy and develops a close relationship with the boy and his widowed mother. These relationships evolve quickly and, ultimately, Karl's feelings for the mother and son lead him to a selfless act. Writer Billy Bob Thornton demonstrates a searing insight into the lives of ordinary people, portraying with equal skill both the good and bad who inhabit the small Arkansas town. Sling Blade is both the tale of one man's struggle to reconcile his life and of love's ultimate redemptive power.

Product Details

• Paperback: 165 pages
• Publisher: Miramax; 1st edition (December 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786882506
• ISBN-13: 978-0786882502
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #999,331 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great screenplay, May 21, 2001

By 

Bill Allison "Bill Allison" (Southwest Missouri, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sling Blade: A Screenplay (Paperback)

Sling Blade is my favorite movie of all time. Even the smallest characters are so unforgettable. I've probably read this script as many times as I've seen the movie. I like that there were a few parts in the script that the movie left out. After reading this repeatedly, I realize that the movie was better off without the scenes, but there is some pretty funny dialogue concerning Doyle's friend, Randy Horsefeathers, who claims to be half-Indian. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, see the movie) There is also a pretty touching part (in the book) where Frank and Karl go to visit the girl who Frank has a crush on. It's a very emotional part of the story, but I'm glad that the scene didn't make it into the film. In the movie, the girl is mentioned and left at that. The filmed version would have thrown the film off balance, but it looks great on paper.

If you loved this movie, do yourself a favor and get the book. It's a must have for any fan and it can be read in a sitting.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Convinced me to see the film, January 20, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Sling Blade: A Screenplay (Paperback)

I had the heard the movie was good, but one hears that about lots of movies. I ran into the screenplay at a bookstore. Now, how often does the average person buy screenplays? But I picked it up and began to read, and decided to buy. Within the next few hours the screenplay clinched my decision to see the film. The writing for the film deserved the Oscar and this screenplay deserves to be read on its own.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have for any Billy Bob fan, December 18, 1999

By 

David Ferrero "Yardie" (Hill Country, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sling Blade: A Screenplay (Paperback)

This book follows the movie pretty much word for word. I like having things in print--I love this screenplay and if you like the movie, you'll love it too.