Review of American History X (1998) by Kiriakos P — 21 Jul 2012

I am very firm in my belief that Edward Norton is one of the more overrated actors in Hollywood, however, next to 'Fight Club', 'American History X' is arguably his best piece of work. I say 'his' because he is the film's headliner, but that's a bit misleading.

It's not so much his acting, which is more than solid, that pushes the film into greatness, it's the story and the directing. McKenna's story is rooted in understanding the sources of racism and how it is passed on domestically, as well as how easily even the worst kind of influence can be carried to the masses through forms of manipulation.

Kaye ties it all together in beautiful black and white (you can imagine why), and a non-linear sequence that paces the film appropriately and drives our understanding as the film progresses. All of these factors, the acting, the writing and the directing, culminate in a film that does the double duty of making us care for the people within it, while at the same time forcing us to embrace there situation as a catalyst for our own awareness.