American History X (1998)

American History X (1998)

5 word summary

Former Neo-Nazi tries saving brother

American History X is a fantastic story of a ex Neo-Nazi skinhead who has changed his ways and is now trying to stop his brother from going down the same path that he went, which ended with him in prison.

There is a large list of things that made this film so great. To start off the directing and editing. Showing the past when Derek was a skinhead as black and white, and the present as color, was a great idea. Not doing that would have been fine but since they did it, it really added a sense of darkness. It’s the way he wants his life and his country, colorless, and it feels more depressing. All the acting was great, Edward Furlong, Ethan Suplee, Elliot Gould, everyone really gave believable and some of their best performances.

I didn’t add Edward Norton in that group because he deserves extra attention for his role. Its amazing. The way he gives his lines, his body language, his facial expressions, everything is remarkable. The scene in which he kills the man for breaking into his car for instance, the look on his face is terrifying, so much pride and anger and accomplishment all shown in that one look as the cops show up. There are scenes with him as a skinhead talking about how bad immigrants, jews and blacks are and you just believe that’s how Edward Norton feels, cause he just sells it so well its hard to believe hes acting. Then, he gets out of prison and his thoughts have changed and again you believe everything he says. Personally I think the scene that he shines the most in is when he’s yelling at his old friend Cameron at his party, telling him to stay away from him and his brother, that scene alone makes me wonder how he didn’t win the Oscar that year.

American History X is such an important film. In a time when many feel racism isn’t as much of an issue anymore this film shows that it is still real and shows the terror that it can bring. Although I doubt any extreme racists have seen this film and changed their way, it seems like it should. Derek learns the errors of his way, and we see it happen. We see how terrible white people and black people can be, but we see how good they can be too. It shows how racism is just ignorance and stubbornness, not knowing about other races and not wanting to. Derek never really knew any black people, he just thought he did, when he finally starts talking to Lamont (the black man he works with in prison) he sees he’s his only friend in that prison, not the other Nazis but a man who, before then, he would have wanted dead.

American History X is one of my all time favorite films and I think most people would agree that its one of the best. Its drama at its best; touching, moving, sad, gritty, powerful and beautiful. A must see by everyone

10/10