48 ‘Sling Blade’ Quotes That Will Leave You Feeling Ill at Ease

Returning to his roots, one man is faced with a difficult dilemma, leaving audiences apprehensive and uneasy. To learn more about the critically acclaimed "Sling Blade," read the 48 quotes below.

The drama-indie movie "Sling Blade" was released in the mid-1990s. The R-rated film is not an easy watch, but the storyline is captivating.

Starring Billy Bob Thornton as the protagonist, an intellectually disabled Karl Childers was recently released from a psychiatric institution after murdering his mother and her lover when he was a young boy. Now free, he befriends a young boy, Frank Wheatley, whose mother allows him to stay at their home. He meets the abusive Doyle Hargraves, who is determined to get Childers out of the house.

Childers himself comes up with a plan to save the family from Hargraves. However, as a man who once took another man's life, what plan exactly is he devising? Make your predictions by trying to find clues in the following 48 quotes from the film.

Karl Childers' quote: "Some folks call it a sling blade; I call it a Kaiser blade." | Image: AmoDays

Quotes from the Complex Karl Childers

"He lives inside of his own heart. That's an awful big place to live in." — Karl Childers

"I studied about it [suicide]. The Bible says you ought not to. It says if you do that, you go off to Hades. Some folks call it Hell, I call it Hades." — Karl Childers

"Well, let me think... I was thinkin' I could use me another cans'o potted meat if ya got any extreme." — Karl Childers

"I was thinking; I'm going to take some of these taters home with me." — Karl Childers

"I reckon I'm gonna have to get used to looking at pretty people. Reckon I'm gonna have to get used to them looking at me." — Karl Childers

Karl Childers' quote: "I don't reckon I got any reason to kill anybody." | Image: AmoDays

"I hit my mother upside the head...killed her. Some folks has asked me if I had to do it over again, would I do it the same way? I reckon I would." — Karl Childers

"Blisters sure can hurt." — Karl Childers

"Coffee makes me nervous when I drink it." — Karl Childers

"I don't reckon I got any reason to kill anybody." — Karl Childers

"My father was a hardworking man most of his life; not that I can say that for myself. I mostly just sat around out there in the shed, tinkering around with a lawn mower or two. Went to school off and on from time to time. But the children out there, they were very cruel to me." — Karl Childers

Karl Childers' quote: "Reckon the reason I'm here is 'cause I've killed somebody.” | Image: AmoDays

"Some folks call it a sling blade; I call it a Kaiser blade." — Karl Childers

"Now they've seen fit to put me out of here. They say they're setting me free today." — Karl Childers

"Just 'cause I ain't gonna be around no more, maybe, don't mean that I don't care for you." — Karl Childers

"Took me four years to read the Bible. I reckon I understand a great deal of it. Wasn't what I expected in some places." — Karl Childers

"Reckon the reason I'm here is 'cause I've killed somebody. But I reckon what you is wanting to know is how come me had killed somebody, so I reckon I'll start at the front and tell ye." — Karl Childers

Karl Childers' quote: "What y'all doin' with that lawnmower blade anyway?" | Image: AmoDays

Quotes from the Abusive Doyle Hargraves

"I ain't saying it's right. I'm just telling the damn truth. He'll make me sick. I know it." ― Doyle Hargraves

"Frankie, I wasn't talking to you, now was I? I was talking to your Mama. It's her decision, not yours. If I let it go on, it's because she said so, not you." ― Doyle Hargraves

"Linda, go get my guitar. It's out there with that looney toon." ― Doyle Hargraves

"Your buddy Karl here is going. We can't be no normal family with him living in the garage and comin' in the damn bedroom at 4:00 in the morning, carryin' hammers and [expletive]." ― Doyle Hargraves

"Morris here is a modern-day poet, kinda like in olden times." ― Doyle Hargraves

Doyle Hargraves' quote: "Everything's botherin' me. I'm hurtin' Linda. I love you." | Image: AmoDays

"I hate you." ― Doyle Hargraves

"He don't want to go play in his room." ― Doyle Hargraves

"What am I supposed to do about supper while you're out runnin' around...?" ― Doyle Hargraves

"Everything's botherin' me. I'm hurtin' Linda. I love you." ― Doyle Hargraves

"Hey Vaughan, I heard you been putting it on ol' Albert Sellers who works over at the funeral home." ― Doyle Hargraves

Doyle Hargraves' quote: "Morris here is a modern-day poet, kinda like in olden times.” | Image: AmoDays

"What y'all doin' with that lawnmower blade anyway?" ― Doyle Hargraves

"I ain't saying it's right; I'm just telling the damn truth. He'll make me sick. I know it." ― Doyle Hargraves

Quotes from the Sympathetic Linda Wheatley

"Doyle, you're awful; you shouldn't be that way." — Linda Wheatley

"You're not crippled; get in there and make it yourself." — Linda Wheatley

"I'm gonna make some coffee. Karl, you want some coffee?" — Linda Wheatley

Linda Wheatley's quote: "Doyle, you're awful; you shouldn't be that way." | Image: AmoDays

"Karl, you know what? Melinda here was voted employee of the month at the dollar store last February. Isn't that something?" — Linda Wheatley

"Frank, you better go play in your room if Doyle's gonna get nasty." — Linda Wheatley

Quotes from the Outsider Vaughan Cunningham

"You know how this town is. Everybody spreads cruel rumors." — Vaughan Cunningham

"You always seem to be deep in thought. Tell me, what are you thinking right now?" — Vaughan Cunningham

"How about before that?" — Vaughan Cunningham

Vaughan Cunningham's quote: "You know how this town is. Everybody spreads cruel rumors." | Image: AmoDays

Quotes from the Young Boy Frank Wheatley

"Ever think of killing yourself on purpose like my daddy done?" ― Frank Wheatley

"That don't seem right. Seems like you would have kept him and taken care of him if he was your brother." ― Frank Wheatley

"Stop it, Doyle! Don't talk about my daddy." — Frank Wheatley

Quotes from the Mental Patient Charles Bushman

"A shovel just makes too goddamned much racket." — Charles Bushman

"You gotta make something explode to really understand it. You gotta examine all those tiny particles while they’re still on fire." — Charles Bushman

Charles Bushman’s quote: "She had on a leather skirt and had a lot of hair under her arms. I like that a lot." | Image: AmoDays

"Now I can't say she enjoyed her stay, but that washcloth I put in her mouth and held it there with a big piece of duct tape kept all her complaining to min...I don't like people who talk all the time. I like to do all the talking. Which is why I'm so fond of you, 'cause you're easy going." — Charles Bushman

"She had on a leather skirt and had a lot of hair under her arms. I like that a lot." — Charles Bushman

Quotes from 'Sling Blade's’’ Other Interesting Characters

"She's talking about me, Karl. That's my first name." — Doctor Jerry Woolridge

"I stand on the hill, not for a thrill, but for the breath of a fresh kill." — Morris

Morris’s quote: "The dots are where I say they are. Melody and tune, that's your trade, Terence. You're a tunesmith." | Image: AmoDays

"You done fixed it? Well, I'll be damned. Scooter told me it couldn't be fixed." ― Bill Cox

"Well, when you like pricing items as much as I do, it's just bound to happen sooner or later, I guess." — Melinda

"Will you ever kill anyone again, Karl?" — Marsha Dwiggins

Doctor Jerry Woolridge’s quote: "She's talking about me, Karl. That's my first name." | Image: AmoDays

The movie has been highly praised, reaching 97% on the Tomatometer and rated 8.0 on IMDB. It has been nominated for 15 awards, 14 of which it won and 1 of which was a Grammy Award.

A top critic from the Washington Post, Rita Kempley, wrote that it was "a masterpiece of southern storytelling," while Rob Gonsalves penned, "...it also has an edge sharp enough to draw blood."

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The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. Other international suicide helplines can be found at befrienders.org.