American History X

Rating: 9/10 (4 May 2013)

In the film American History X, Edward Norton plays Derek Vinyard, who after some influence by his father's words, and later anger from his father's murder by a black man, becomes a neo-Nazi and joins a local Nazi gang. Derek, who heavily influences his younger brother Danny, played by Edward Furlong, is informed one night by Danny that two black men are breaking into his truck outside. Derek then grabs his gun, runs outside, and proceeds to gun down the men. He then finishes off one of the would-be robbers by smashing his head on the curb. Soon after, he is arrested and convicted of manslaughter, and avoiding a murder charge because his younger brother refuses to testify against him.
Derek undergoes a radical transformation in prison, as he realizes that much of the racism and hatred he has been taught to display by others is really only superficial, and really deep down inside, there is no real reason for such malice. This helps show the theme of the movie, racism and hatred are learned traits, not born into a person.
After enduring a violent rape in prison, and befriending a fellow black inmate, Derek has a change of heart, and realizes the foolishness of his ways, and the ignorance of hate and racism. He realizes that the most important thing in life is family, and not hatred for people unlike him. After his release from prison, Derek forsakes his old friends including his old buddy Seth, played by Ethan Suplee, and even his girlfriend Stacy, played by Fairuza Balk, as he attempts to distance himself from the neo-Nazi movement.
The movie draws to a conclusion as Danny comes face to face with a boy whom he had a confrontation with days before, in the bathroom of his school on the day he is scheduled to submit his paper, American History X. The boy pulls out a pistol and shoots Danny in the chest and kills him. Derek learns of his younger brother's murder and becomes terribly distraught. The film ends with Danny's words from his paper, quoting President Abraham Lincoln.
This film helps the viewer understand that hatred and racism is not something that is born in someone, as Derek and Danny were not shown to display these characteristics as children, but learned to hate as they got older by influences around them. This is a similar situation to Walt Kowalski role, played by Clint Eastwood, in the movie Gran Torino, as he witnessed the exodus of white, middle-class people from his neighborhood, and the influx of minorities.
American History X uses a reoccurring motif to make the viewer aware of the racist hatred bred in the boys by those around them. We constantly see Nazi propaganda, along with swastikas, etc. Also, the dialogue in the film and the use of constant racial slurs reinforced the hatred in these young men's hearts.
It is clear that racism and hatred are not traits that are born in individuals, but rather created in the hearts of impressionable people by those wishing to spread their prejudiced views to others. The theme of this movie helps us understand that a good way to keep these feelings from those we love is to try not to influence, or let them be influenced by this kind of animosity.