Review: American History X (1998)

This is a Resurfaced review written in 2002 or earlier. For more information, please visit this link: Resurfaced Reviews.

American History X

Rating

Director

Tony Kaye

Screenplay

David McKenna

Length

1h 59m

Starring

Edward Norton, Edward Furlong, Beverly D’Angelo, Jennifer Lien, Ethan Suplee, Fairuza Balk, Avery Brooks, Elliott Gould, Stacy Keach, William Russ, Guy Torry, Joe Cortese, Jason Bose-Smith

MPAA Rating

Basic Plot

A Neo-Nazi skinhead learns a valuable lesson about hatred.

Review

How far can hatred go before it goes too far?

“American History X” is an emotionally charged film that explores the life of a Neo-Nazi skinhead and his travails on both sides of the law.

The film opens with Danny Vinyard (Edward Furlong) waiting outside the principal’s office where Principal Sweeney (Avery Brooks) and history teacher Murray (Elliott Gould) are discussing a book report turned in by young Vinyard analyzing “Mein Kampf”, Hitler’s exploration of his own hatreds written while in exile.

Sweeney takes over as teacher for the lad and tells him that he must write a new report…about his brother, Derek (Edward Norton), who has just been released from prison. Sweeney calls the class American History X.

The rest of the film is told in present tense and in black-and-white flashbacks of Derek’s tumultuous run with the hate group. We see glimpses of the Vinyard home life, Derek’s time in prison, what Derek did to get put in prison (murdering two black men who were robbing his vehicle, both extremely brutal) and other aspects of life as a Neo-Nazi.

The Vinyard family is made up of the matriarch, Doris (Beverly D’Angelo), the sister, Davina (Jennifer Lien), and brothers Derek and Danny. Their long-gone father, Dennis, is played late in the film by “Boy Meets World” star William Russ.

The Neo-Nazi family consists of the patriarch, Cameron Alexander (Stacy Keach), Danny’s lover, Stacey (Fairuza Balk) and the overweight annoyance, Seth (Ethan Suplee).

While in prison, we see how Derek manages to stay alive with his extremist talk and aversion to helping anyone but himself and his cause. He spends most of his time in prison working in the laundry area with Lamont (Guy Torry), who gives him friendly advice on occasion.

Norton does well. He gives multiple speeches during the film’s length and has the charisma to help them make sense. There are a couple of instances where I agreed almost wholeheartedly with his reasons until he got into the hate aspect. Furlong is extremely out of place and extremely annoying.

D’Angelo is in rare, but wonderful form. Her performance asks the question “why is she throwing her talent away in the ‘Vacation’ comedies?”

Star Trek regulars Avery Brooks (Capt. Sisko on Deep Space Nine) and Jennifer Lien (formerly Kes on Voyager) give stellar performances. Lien is probably the most astounding the film. It was evident she could act from her roles on “Phenom” and “Star Trek: Voyager,” but it is confirmed and strengthened in this film.

Keach is unrecognizable and easy to hate, while Balk is a little less present and a little less impressive. Fellow Neo-Nazi, Seth, is nothing more than horrendously pathetic and overwhelmingly annoying.

Torry adds some comic relief through the prison life, but lends a credible and intelligible role to the film. Elliott Gould further establishes the idea that he cannot act. He’s not only inappropriate for the role, but he’s bad in it.

“American History X” is a terrific film in certain aspects. When it shows us the underbelly of the Neo-Nazi movement, it easily makes you think. In the home of the Vinyards, it’s terrifically written. However, in pacing and in scripting, the film is formulaic and at times very slow.

Making social statements is important, but so is quality writing. The film lacks too much in one area to be brilliant, but is successful enough in other areas that it is easily a good movie.

Awards Prospects

Edward Norton has a slim chance at a Best Actor nod, but only if the critics get behind him. The rest of the film will easily be left out in the cold.