Sling Blade: Miramax Collector's Series

Reviewed by:
Paul Ulane

Before Billy Bob Thornton crafted a plan to brainwash Angelina Jolie, he crafted the moving tale of a troubled man's attempt to escape his past. It may sound like a TBS original miniseries, but it worked, and now the Miramax Collector's Series details the white-trash-to-riches ordeal Thornton endured to get his story on screen. "Mr. Thornton Goes to Hollywood" tracks his amazing journey with high school teachers and friends, including tales of shitty jobs, shittier apartments, and even shittier Hollywood executives. The Bravo profile rides shotgun with an introspective Billy Bob on a cross-country road trip, cutting in clips of famous friends like Matt Damon and Jolie praising his artistic side. There are also a number of revealing conversations about the flick with everyone involved, from Dwight Yoakam to Robert Duvall. And if you miss the lead character's trademark mumble, "The Return of Karl"—in which Billy Bob improvises a three-minute monologue—features more "mmm hmm"'s than the Howard Stern Show.

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