Review of American History X (1998) by Drlowdon — 21 Apr 2014

White supremacist Derek Vinyard lands himself in prison having savagely murdered a black gang member caught trying to steal his truck. Whilst in prison he has time to reflect on his beliefs and realises that he must change his ways. Upon his release however he finds that his younger brother, Danny, is following a similar path and vows to stop him.

As an audience it can often be difficult to understand why a person may hold racist viewers. Unlike the majority of movies dealing with race however American History X paints a picture of why its characters feel and act the way they do giving it far more relevance to real life as well as making for a far more interesting movie.

Fantastic performances from the cast, particularly Edward Norton in arguably his finest ever performance, also help to maintain the authentic feel of the movie. By the time it reaches its finale it is easy to have become invested in the characters in what is an engrossing look at racial tension within Los Angeles.