Sling Blade is a 1996 film that tells the story of a simple-minded man who is released from a psychiatric hospital where he has lived since committing murder at age 12. He befriends a young boy, begins a friendship with the boy's mother and must confront the mother's violent boyfriend, as well as his own dark past. It stars Billy Bob Thornton, Dwight Yoakam, J.T. Walsh, John Ritter, Lucas Black, Natalie Canerday, Stacia Thomason and Robert Duvall.

The movie was adapted by Thornton from his short film and previous screenplay titled Some Folks Call it a Sling Blade.

It won the Academy Award for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, and was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Billy Bob Thornton).

External links

• Sling Blade at the Internet Movie Database