Shocking, moving, brilliant

Rating: 9/10 (27 March 2000)

American History X will go down in my memory as one of the best dramatic films ever. It pulled no punches, dealing with racism in its most extreme, violent form, illustrating well how destructive bigotry can be to those unwillingly exposed to its venom and hatred. Undoubtedly the star and shining light of this film was Edward Norton, who finally broke through into the elite of Hollywood, where he fully deserves to be. His portrayal of Derek Vineyard was flawless, hardened bigot one moment, reformed and remorseful killer the next. No doubt that in any other year he would have walked off with Best Actor, his performance was breathtaking. Ed Furlong also delivered a really top performance, as the younger impressionable Danny, delivering his best performance since Terminator 2. Gritty and harsh, this film will live in my memory for a long time to come, not only for the shocking nature of it, but for the best dramatic performance by an actor in a long time. 9 out of 10.