If you like your movies to be sweet, sugary or 'feelgood', then American History X will not be for you. Made in 1998, it is an uncompromising and uncomfortable to watch study of Neo-Nazism and racism in the USA. Centering around two brothers, Derek and Danny Vinyard, it is a modern day tragedy that shocks, disgusts, and refuses to leave your mind days after you've watched it.
PLOT:
Derek Vinyard is a highly intelligent young man who gets involved with a group of Neo-Nazis. A charismatic individual and brilliant orator, he is awarded status of 'lieutenant' to the gang's older leader (Stacy Keach). One night two black kids try to steal Derek's car, and he shoots them dead. As a result, he is sent to prison for three years.
Derek's younger brother, Danny, who does not have the same charisma or intellect of his older brother, idolizes him. While Derek is away, Danny gets involved with the same gang.
While he is first in prison, Derek joins up with a gang of skinheads there, but over time begins to change. Looking back over his life, he recognises that his hatred has stemmed from three main life events. First, his firefighter father was a racist who considered Nazi talk to be normal dinner table conversation. Second, Derek's father was killed by a group of black drug addicts whilst fighting a fire. Third, his father's death left Derek to take care of his chronically ill mother, which filled Derek with feelings of helplessness and powerlessness which he dealt with by believing in his own superiority and power over people of other races.
In prison, Derek is also assigned to work alongside a black man with whom he eventually forms a semi-friendship. On leaving prison, Derek determines to try and save his younger brother from a fate like his own. To do this, he is once again brought into contact with the people he wishes to leave behind, and the film deals with his first 24 hours of freedom.
PERFORMANCES:
Edward Norton as Derek is quite simply brilliant. Tattooed with Nazi symbols and fuelled with utter hatred and drugs, he is both terrifying and deeply disturbing. Scenes of his skinhead speechmaking and bonding with the gang are some of the most chilling I have ever seen.
As the reformed, enlightened Derek he is equally adept, presenting us with a character whose intelligence and understanding of what he has done is very affecting. Norton's is a complex intellectual and physical performance that deserved its Oscar nomination.
Edward Furlong as the younger, less talented Danny is also excellent in his portrayal of a young man who cannot understand the change in his adored brother.
Also worth mention are Stacy Keach as the leader of the Neo-Nazi gang, Beverley D'Angelo as the boys' mother, and Avery Brooks as Derek's old history teacher who is the moral 'voice of reason' in the film.
DIRECTION:
American History X was directed by Tony Kaye who does a brilliant job of keeping the movie stable whilst jumping from past to present frequently throughout. His main technique here is to show the past in black and white.
He also gets incredibly tense and seemingly spontaneous performances out of his two leads.
Having said that, Kaye actually disowned the film on its release, claiming that Norton had re-edited some scenes, and that not enough work had been done on the film before it went public.
American History X is not perfect. Some parts are excessively violent, and other parts, like Derek's prison experience, are not given enough time to really develop. The viewer often has to fill in the gaps by expanding on snippets of information him/herself.
However, these are only minor criticisms of what is a very good - and very brave - film.
OVERALL:
American History X is one of the most powerful and provocative films I have ever seen. Racism is presented in all its hideous guises in a very uncompromising way. The film uses the language of racism to express racism, and it is extremely uncomfortable - though entirely necessary - to hear. It is also relentlessly grim and graphically violent. And the ending is far from feelgood.
It is also brilliantly acted, very well directed and extremely thought-provoking.
American History X is by no means an enjoyable film, but if you can watch films for reasons other than entertainment, I recommend it very highly indeed.
Running time 118 minutes.
More details
Soundtrack
Unmemorable
How does it compare to others by the same director?
Not applicable
Value for Money
What format are you reviewing?
Evaluate this review
How helpful would this review be to someone making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
American History X [1999]
Perhaps the highest compliment you can pay to Edward Norton is that his Oscar-nominated
... more
performance in American History X nearly convinces you that there is a shred of logic in the tenets of white supremacy. If that statement doesn't horrify you, it sh...
American History X [1999]
Perhaps the highest compliment you can pay to Edward Norton is that his Oscar-nominated
... more
performance in American History X nearly convinces you that there is a shred of logic in the tenets of white supremacy. If that statement doesn't horrify you, it sh...
very helpful
very helpful
