
Sling Blade
A simple man. A difficult choice.
Directed by Billy Bob Thornton
Produced by Miramax, The Shooting Gallery
A deeply intimate portrait of a institutionalized man seeking connection and redemption in the rural South, shadowed by his violent past and the moral weight of his choices.
Karl Childers, a mentally disabled man, has been in the custody of the state mental hospital since the age of 12 for killing his mother and her lover. Although thoroughly institutionalized, he is deemed fit to be released into the outside world.
Clusters
Genres
Where to watch
Not available in United States — it streams in other countries.
Questions people ask
Is Sling Blade sad? Yes, very. More sad than 91% of films.
Is Sling Blade violent? Somewhat. More violent than 72% of films.
Does Sling Blade end with hope? Not especially. Less hopeful than 61% of films.
Is Sling Blade easy watching? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.
Is Sling Blade scary? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.
These describe how the film comes across, measured across the whole film and compared with other well-known films. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked scene by scene, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.
Cinnamon Score
How much this film gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.
There is almost nothing else like this.
How unlike any other film this one feels
How much more it delivers than it promises
How much audiences actually like it
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Everything like Sling Blade, and what each one shares →
Like Sling Blade
Nearest across the full emotional profile.
Same Mood as Sling Blade
Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.
Like Sling Blade, But Darker
Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.
Like Sling Blade, But Lighter
Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.
Like Sling Blade, But Less Popular
Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.

















































