He killed a man that only needed his ass kicked - Sling Blade (1997) Discussion

[–] hodie 12 years ago

I never saw Carl as thinking he had a choice but to kill Doyle . I think this was the only way he could be sure of saving Frank and Linda. People who approach this film legalistically are missing the point. When had the legal system ever helped Frank and Linda? Doyle supposedly was friends with the local police chief.
I don't think Doyle was treated well as a kid, and one more ass-kicking wasn't going to do it.

"Joey, have you ever been in a Turkish prison?"

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[–] bhoover247 12 years ago

I agree with your point about the legal system not being the point of the film. I do not agree with your point about Doyle not being treated well as a kid. I think that Doyle was probably spoiled as a child and got everything he wanted. Then as an adult, when things don't go exactly his way he responds with violence. This is just a theory of course.

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[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Veronica65 11 years ago

Oh, I loved the ending. Doyle was an abusive scumbag who was no good to anyone, and I was perfectly happy to see him get his head hacked in half.

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[–] MermaidsRreal 11 years ago

Doyle told his girlfriend that he would kill her if she left him. He was just concerned for the boy and his mother's safety. Doyle was horrible to everyone. He needed to be in prison honestly.

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[–] ck1-5 11 years ago

This to the OP......you think that all Doyle needed was "an ass kicking"? You know what happens when Doyle's type gets his ass kicked? He goes home and takes it out on someone smaller and/or weaker....oh, I don't know.....maybe someone like Linda and Frank.

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[–] Theotisnixon 11 years ago

Great...GREAT point!!

But, really, in my mind...I think Doyle is AFRAID of physically challenging the woman OR her child.. He is such a wuss, so spineless, so ballets that i believe he thinks that she or frank might actually be able to beat him up.......and he just couldn't take the shame of that. He's ALL blow, no go.... Really, I think if frank got in his face and CHALLENGED him...he would back down, he really would.

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[–] fiatlux-1 11 years ago

An ass-kick would not have stopped a psychotic redneck like Doyle. If anything, it would have enraged him even more.
I never doubted for a second that that piece of *beep* needed to be killed.
He was human excrement.

"I'd say this cloud is Cumulo Nimbus."
"Didn't he discover America?"
"Penfold, shush."

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[–] tenantennae 11 years ago

Ass-kicking was not an option. The kid asks Karl why he doesn't stand up to Doyle, and Karl says Doyle is a lot tougher than him and would just beat the tar out of him.

That's probably what would have happened had Doyle not been drearily drunk when Karl killed him.

So while an ass-kicking may have been in order, there was no one to deal it out. Karl couldn't do it. Vaughn couldn't do it. The cops wouldn't do it, because he was friends with all of him.

Short of another man coming into Linda's life, it wasn't going to happen.

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[–] MaxxxFreedom 11 years ago

Doyle would have killed the son and mom, or Frank would have killed Doyle.
Another commenter pointed it out, but he was protecting them.
Doyle threatened to kill pretty much everyone.

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[–] Melton (4477) 2 months ago

He was a pussy. When it came to killing Doyle talked the talked but Karl walked the walk.

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[–] eliotno3 11 years ago

I've read all your replies here and am surprised not one of you have touched upon the fact that Karl is developmentally disabled. Perhaps none of you have worked or even seen a person with that low an IQ? Karl cannot make complex judgments past right or wrong. Things are dichotomous to a retard, I mean Karl, I mean dev disabled persons... black or white, right or wrong. There would have been no gradient to Karl, so in this matter Doyle was either an *beep* to be avoided or put to death.

I too don't think Karl's motivation for murder had anything whatsoever to do with an attempt to return to the mental facility. Complex planning was beyond his IQ. Doyle simply pushed n pushed til ol' Karl gave him two good whacks then himself a biscuit after dialing 911. Um hmm.

Karl's List of What To Eat:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6hC2P3tH2I

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[–] PenTheater 9 years ago

Karl cannot make complex judgments past right or wrong.

I understand your posts, but I think also, Karl does indeed understand some complex judgments,
Conversation with Frank;
Frank: Ever think of killing yourself on purpose like my daddy done?

Karl: I studied about it.

And especially the conversation with his own father;
I studied on killing you. Studied on it quite a bit. But I reckon there ain't no need for it if all you're gonna do is sit there in that chair. You'll be dead soon enough and the world 'll be shut of ya.

There is plenty of foreshadow to the climax of this allegory.
His sacrifice for the boy. He didn't want it to happen again.

And another aspect that I can't find discussed here, He WAS killing his father, though Doyle. COMPLETE CATHARSIS.

Ephemeron.

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[–] VideoGamesareReel 8 years ago

After all these years, I realize this film at least sparked an intelligent debate about the subject matter.

Even though this movie made me angry when I first saw it, I actually went back and gave it a 10/10 for that that reason alone.

Movies nowadays just don't do this, and it took me a while to acknowledge this.

Reader discretion is advised

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[–] Melton (4477) 2 months ago

Great films haunt you until you come back to them. I’m glad you finally realised its genius and that Doyle deserved a headfull of lawnmower blade 🙏🏻

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