History YMMV / SlingBlade

* DiagnosedByTheAudience: It's not clear whether Karl is mentally retarded or autistic, nor to what extent his social and intellectual deficits are innate as opposed to the result of a childhood of abuse and neglect combined with an adulthood spent in an institution for the criminally insane. The fact that Karl can read and write adequately and has mechanical skills suggests autism with some savant-like traits.

** Was Vaughn only brought to tears because of what Karl said about being a father to Frankie, or because he realised what Karl was going to do?

** It's not clear to what extent Karl's social and intellectual deficits are innate as opposed to the result of a childhood of abuse and neglect combined with an adulthood spent in an institution for the criminally insane. The fact that Karl can read and write adequately and has mechanical skills suggests that he may not actually mentally challenged.

* ValuesResonance: Vaughan is this for the LGBT community. He's a gay man [[StraightGay without any of the stereotypes]] and while he's somewhat closeted, he's heavily implied to be in a happy relationship with the local mortician. He's presented as upstanding, friendly, and caring person. His sexuality is never presented as evil or immoral (nor is he [[PositiveDiscrimination lionized in a patronizing manner for it]]), he doesn't die for shock value, and he's a well-developed character, has a close friends who care for him, and he closed off any contact with his father when he realized said father was an abusive asshole. In during Karl's [[spoiler:last]] conversation with Vaughan, the former praises the latter for being a good man. Vaughan was one of the earliest positive portrayals of a gay man. And this movie was made in ''1996'', the same year the controversial Defense of Marriage Act became law!

* AwardSnub: The film was completely snubbed, only receiving 2 nominations. One for Best Adapted Screenplay (Which it won) and Best Actor (Which Thornton lost to Creator/GeoffreyRush for the now largely forgotten ''Film/{{Shine}}'').

* ValuesResonance: Vaughan is this for the LGBT community. He's a gay man [[StraightGay without any of the stereotypes]] and while he's somewhat closeted, he's heavily implied to be in a happy relationship with the local mortician. He's presented as upstanding, friendly, and caring person. His sexuality is never presented as evil or immoral, he doesn't die for shock value, and he's a well-developed character, has a close friends who care for him, and he closed off any contact with his father when he realized said father was an abusive asshole. In during Karl's [[spoiler:last]] conversation with Vaughan, the former praises the latter for being a good man. Vaughan was one of the earliest positive portrayals of a gay man. And this movie was made in ''1996'', the same year the controversial Defense of Marriage Act became law!

** Vaughan is a somewhat closeted gay man but very nice and protective. However, he mentions having an abusive father who didn't accept his sexuality and Vaughan now hates him. He's also not respected a lot from some townsfolk because of him being gay.

** Creator/BillyBobThornton is so known for playing jerks and sleazebags that seeing him as the unstable, yet gentle Karl is something of a shock.

* ValuesResonance: Vaughan is this for the LGBT community. He's a gay man [[StraightGay without any of the stereotypes]] and while he's somewhat closeted, he's heavily implied to be in a happy relationship with the local mortician. He's presented as upstanding, friendly, and caring person. His sexuality is never presented as a evil, he doesn't die for shock value, and he's a well-developed character, has a close friends who care for him, and he closed off any contact with his father when he realized said father was an abusive asshole. In during Karl's [[spoiler:last]] conversation with Vaughan, the former praises the latter for being a good man. Vaughan was one of the earliest positive portrayals of a gay man. And this movie was made in ''1996'', the same year the controversial Defense of Marriage Act became law!

* ValuesResonance: Vaughan is this for the LGBT community. He's a gay [[StraightGay without any of the stereotypes]] and while he's somewhat closeted, he's heavily implied to be in a happy relationship with the local mortician. He's presented as upstanding, friendly, and caring person. His sexuality is never presented as a evil, he doesn't die for shock value, and he's a well-developed character, has a close friends who care for him, and he closed off any contact with his father when he realized said father was an abusive asshole. In during Karl's [[spoiler:last]] conversation with Vaughan, the former praises the latter for being a good man. Vaughan was one of the earliest positive portrayals of a gay man. And this movie was made in ''1996'', the same year the controversial Defense of Marriage Act became law!

* AwardSnub: The film was completely snubbed, only receiving 2 nominations. One for Best Adapted Screenplay (Which it won) and Best Actor (Which Thornton lost to Creator/GeoffreyRush for the now largely forgotten ''Film/{{Shine}}''.

* AwardSnub: The film was completely snubbed, only receiving 2 nominations. One for Best Adapted Screenplay (Which it won) and Best Actor (Which Thornton lost to Creator/GeoffreyRush for the now largely forgotten ''Film/{{Shine}}''.

* HollywoodAtheist: Doyle stops short of actively declaring himself an atheist even though he believes that the Bible contains a bunch on nonsense. He may realize that in a small Southern town, this could make him an outsider just like Karl and Vaughan. Given the disrespect he shows them, this is something he would desperately want to avoid.

* HollywoodAtheist: Doyle stops short of actively declaring himself an atheist. He may realize that in a small Southern town, this could make him an outsider just like Karl and Vaughan. Given the disrespect he shows them, this is something he would desperately want to avoid.

* HollywoodAtheist:
Doyle stops short of actively declaring himself an atheist. He may realize that in a small Southern town, this could make him an outsider just like Karl and Vaughan. Given the disrespect he shows them, this is something he would desperately want to avoid.

* ValuesResonance: Vaughan is this for the LGBT community. He's a gay [[StraightGay without any of the stereotypes]] and while he's somewhat closeted, he's heavily implied to be in a happy relationship with the local mortician. He's presented as upstanding, friendly, and caring person. His sexuality is never presented as a evil, he doesn't die for shock value, and he's a well-developed character, has a close friends who care for him, and he closed off any contact with his father when he realized said father was an abusive asshole. In during Karl's [[spoiler:last]] conversation with Vaughan, the former praises the latter for being a good man. Vaughan was one of the earliest positive portrayals of a gay man. And this movie was made in ''1996''!

** Billy Bob Thornton is so known for playing jerks and sleazebags that seeing him as the unstable, yet gentle Karl is something of a shock.
** Also, country singer Music/DwightYoakam is surprisingly damn frightening as Doyle. When promoting the film on ''Series/LateNight With Creator/ConanOBrien'', he shared an amusing anecdote about how he knew he had done a good job when after the premiere, ''his own mother'' looked him dead in the eyes and said [[spoiler:"I'm glad he killed you!"]]
* HollywoodHomely: Billy Bob Thornton was told by Billy Wilder that he was too ugly to be an actor and should write a screenplay to exploit his features.

* OneSceneWonder: [[spoiler:Robert Duvall]] as Karl's father.

* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: Karl's [[spoiler:baptism]].

* TearJerker: [[spoiler:Karl relating to Frankie how his father made him dispose of his prematurely-born little brother in a trash barrel, when he was "six or eight"; even then it didn't seem right, so Karl took the tiny being and gave him a decent burial in the backyard.]]

** Doyle's lack of reaction to Karl [[spoiler:holding a lawn mower blade and threatening to kill him with it]] despite Doyle's obvious fear of Karl is debated. Was Doyle too drunk to react properly? Too arrogant to show fear? Did he just not think Karl would actually [[spoiler:kill him?]] Or did he actually [[spoiler:want Karl to end his miserable life?]]

* NightmareFuel: The climax of the film. During the HopeSpot, Daniel Lanois paints a picture of inner turmoil merged with terrifyingly righteous wrath as Karl contemplates murdering Doyle ForTheGreaterGood. Lanois' angry instrumentation leads with distorted guitar as Karl walks around Millsberg in full knowledge of the gravity of his situation and of the danger to his new-found loved ones. The fuel becomes more potent with HellIsThatNoise, as the wailing guitars reach their peak on the point of Karl's final decision, symbolizing the peak of his rage just before his enters Doyle's house for the final scene. Inside, the guitars lower to a bubbling froth-like texture, then [[NothingIsScarier cut out entirely when]] [[spoiler:Karl chops Doyle's head open]].

** Doyle's lack of reaction to Karl [[spoiler:holding a lawn mower blade and threatening to kill him with it]] despite it being evident that Doyle is scared shitless of Karl. Was Doyle too drunk to react properly? Too arrogant to show fear? Did he just not think Karl would actually [[spoiler:kill him?]] Or did he actually [[spoiler:want Karl to end his miserable life?]]