Norton's Pitch-Perfect Performance Makes 'X' a Must-See

Rating: 10/10 (6 January 2007)

There's a scene in "American History X" in which Derek Vinyard glances back at his younger brother, Danny, who's staring at the heinous crime his older brother has just committed. Derek's face alternates between pride and joy, all the way down to horror and shock in only a few moments time. This is the scene that basically identifies what the film truly is, a movie about a lot of prideful people about something truly horrifying and frightening.
Racism.
The story centralizes in on two very messed up and brainwashed characters, that being Derek (Edward Norton) and Danny (played by another Edward, Edward Furlong). Both are victims of the cleverly seducing Cameron Alexander (Stacy Keach), a white supremacist who targets young, socially insecure Caucasian males to join a group in which Hitler is exalted and "justice" is encouraged among the lower classes of society.
Derek joins the group out of hate for what has happened to his family, that being the murder of his father by men of a different race. He is a brilliant student, as seen by the high regard teacher Bob Sweeney (Avery Brooks) holds for him, but that all changes in a few short years. Derek becomes a god among men, commanding complete respect by others in the group, as well as the respect of his extremely troubled family, even if he may fly off the handle more than an average person would. The multi-dimensional Derek eventually winds up in prison for that crime his younger brother witnessed. At a point in the film, it is revealed to us that if his brother would have testified, Derek would have gotten life. After serving his time however, he is a completely changed man, someone whose life goal seems set upon helping his younger brother swerve away from the path he is on, the same path Derek treaded upon when he was his age.
The skill and creativity of the movie is seen early on. The film changes back and forth between the current events going on in Derek and Danny's life as well as flashbacks of what both went through when they were juveniles. Director Tony Kaye uses a black and white scope during the flashback scenes, while colorizing the "now" part of their lives, something I have never seen done before.
All in all, I admire this film. Its a preachy movie, but its on a topic that is still very much at large in our society nowadays. Norton delivers one of the best performances I have ever watched, seeing as its not very easy to go from a neo-Nazi skinhead to a family man all in two hours time, but he does it successfully. Norton makes the viewer believe that he is not Edward Norton, but the sick and twisted Derek Vinyard. The language and content of the movie are both very rough, dealing with uncomfortable prison scenes as well as extremely vivid turmoil among the Vinyard family. Norton and Furlong are incredible as the two brothers, and a strong supporting cast in Brooks, Keach, and Beverly D'Angelo make the film a gem.
Its not often that a movie comes along and completely changes the opinion on how I view the world and racism in general, but I can say "American History X" certainly accomplished this in captivating fashion.