Strong and Moving!

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

There are similarities to Hamlet, though it's not an exact replica: The tormented main character, instead of the Prince of Denmark, appears in the form of a mentally retarded man born to a cruel father and mother in a rural Southern setting. He, like Hamlet, is faced with a big decision, one that the "ordinary" folks are unwilling and incapable of making, and for which he is totally unprepared..or so it would seem. His retardation renders him "youthful" though he is advanced in physical age, so he is ill-equipped for the huge life issues forced on him. Even the royalty of the Old World can be seen in shadowy form in the Deep Southern town where the Aristocracy once ruled over its Plantations, and which now has no grandeur remaining, and little sense of direction. How similar to the corrupt kingdom of Denmark which faced Prince Hamlet!Though dark, the movie has many heart-warming and humorous moments. A humbling experience to watch, it's one of my favorite films of all time. I LOVED this movie and enjoy re-watching the excellent and unforgettable performances. Bob

Previous reviewers have commented (negatively) on Molly Ringwald's interpretation of the reporter. I have to disagree. I enjoyed it much more than the reporter in the full-length version (which is one of the greatest films of all times.) I didn't realize that the reporter was so weak in "Sling Blade" until I saw "Some Folk....". By the end of the interview with Karl, she (Ringwald) 'gets it' - she understands the horrific conditions that Karl endured, and why he did what he did, and she shows it, simply by the expressions on her face. I did not find this Karl any more menacing than the Karl of "Sling Blade" - I think it does show more the fear he has of leaving the safety and relative comfort of the hospital. Imagine how it would be if being in a hospital is a better situation than your only memories of life "outside". Long time prison inmates describe it all the time. This is a magnificent piece - where less is definitely more. I loved it.

This is the short film that lead to the feature, Sling Blade. It covers just the opening interview of Karl before he's let out. Billy Bob Thorton and J.T. Walsh play their same roles and Molly Ringwald plays the reporter that interviews him. It was interesting to see what led to Sling Blade, especially since I never knew it existed.*** (Out of 4)

Billy Bob Thornton's screenplay manages admirably to catch the inevitability of violence in impossible family situations. The question one might ask is: who has been wronged most? You simply can not lock up a child in a shed for years and expect it to act rationally. George Hickenlooper does well to restrict his staging to a cool minimum. The actors get more space that way. Molly Ringwald, J.T.Walsh and Billy Bob Thornton are equally good in this gripping short. Although I'm not certain whether I agree with Hickenlooper's choice of two-shot for the interview scene -B.B.Thornton shot the same scene almost completely in close up for his SLING BLADE; and to good effect- his decision to use black and white photography was a wise one. This kind of film is not a dime a dozen, it should be treasured.