Grade:  B

Director:  Tony Kaye		Released:  October 1998
Writer:  David McKenna		MPAA Rating:  R
Players:  Edward Norton, Edward Furlong		Running time:  119 minutes

Ratings System

There was a lot of static over how Edward Norton supposedly recut the film and Tony Kaye wanted his name removed as director.  Whatever.  American History X combines excellent film-making technique with a compelling and thoughtful story.  I felt it was particularly important in the way the film tells the tale from the skinhead point of view, making the motives for racism almost seem reasonable.

Norton packed on some muscles for his role, and it really helped sell the character, he just looks plain mean.  Norton is a terrific actor, I'd love to see him take on more roles like this one, intelligent and ambiguous characters with strong convictions.

Obvious in its pursuit of social commentary, it does a great job demonstrating how difficult it is to change your perceptions when surrounded by others who think and act just like you.  No matter how profound American History X is, I can't help but feel it could have been even more powerful with a little more cohesion between the disconnected sequences.  It never quite soars to be all that it aspires.

- crocoPuffs