Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade

I saw this movie when I rented a DVD that came with a lot of brief "movies" such as this. I wonder if it was done to show the head of a studio what a great feature length movie this would make. I enjoyed the short story format and was impressed with Molly Ringwold's acting.

Having always loved the full feature film 'Sling Blade' and Billy Bob' transformation and convincing portrayal of this character, this short was a must!

I guess that if you are watching this, that means that you've already watched more known movie Sling Blade. Sling Blade is actually an extended version of this short, including the life of Karl after leaving a psychiatric institution. This short movie will leave you speechless. It's dark atmosphere, dark subject that it's dealing with, together with great performances from everyone, especially Billy Bob Thornton and Molly Ringwald, makes this an unforgettable experience. If you haven't seen Sling Blade yet, I suggest you to see it first, and then to see this movie.

Overall 9/10

All else aside I found her more credible as a journalist (the actress in the feature was more the "schoolgirl", which may have been intentional); Ringwald's performance did more to make me wonder at the end of the film just what she would write for her paper. Would that have been a distraction as we watched Carl's re-entry? I don't recall any followup to that in the feature.

Altogether this was fascinating, not to be compared head-to-head with the full-length film which has justly become an American classic. Films like "Sling Blade" can stand with the best of what is often considered superior European cinema.

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.