Has Anything You've Done Made Your Life Better?

Rating: 10/10 (3 January 2007)

Asks Bob Sweeney, a former high school teacher of our main character, Derek Vinyard.
Derek is a white male who was brought up in a white middle class family and neighborhood. Derek is also the local poster boy for the skinhead white supremacists. Derek is evil personified.
At the start of our story we learn that Derek has been convicted of two brutal murders. He has just been released from prison after serving a little more than three years. All of Derek's disciples, including his younger brother, Danny, have been waiting for this day to come. They've been waiting for the return of their hero.
Derek has other plans, though. Three years and one prison rape gave Derek enough time and reason to rethink everything he once believed to be true. With the help of his former high school teacher turned mentor, Derek now fully understands the emptiness of his former beliefs. Derek simply wants a second chance at life, but it won't be that easy. Danny worships Derek and is stunned at his change in attitude. Not only will Derek have to remove himself from the life he once lead, he will now also have to remove his brother Danny. A task that proves to be much more difficult than it sounds.
Any movie covering the topic of racism is typically difficult to digest, especially when its portrayal is as honest as American History X. As the viewer we get to see it all from the brutal hate crime that landed Derek in jail to the irrational beliefs that fueled his rage. It's not an easy movie to sit through, but well worth it.
I have often felt that American History X could be used in high school to educate students about racism. It would take an incredibly talented instructor to tackle the subject using this movie as a tool because many people that harbor racist beliefs depicted in X may view Derek as a hero for all the wrong reasons. I say this because I have personally talked to people who "like" this movie for all the wrong reasons.
X does an excellent job of portraying the pent up anger and frustration of white middle class males that typically leads to these sort of beliefs. Even better, X shows that racism usually starts in the home. Derek adopted his beliefs from his father and were, in his mind, only justified when his father (a fireman) was killed in an all black neighborhood while attempting to do his job.
X brings up many social arguments including border control laws and the demographics of prison populations. The movie doesn't attempt to address those issues from a solution standpoint, rather it suggests that if we continue to use examples of societies problems such as these to justify our hate and unhappiness than we are only that much further from becoming happy.
The movie is an honest look at an ugly part of our society. I think the movie does a superb job of portraying the story and issues without preaching to the viewer. That being said, it's impossible for an educated viewer not to see the flaws in the views that lead to Derek's hate crime.
I'd recommend this movie to anyone and everyone with the caveat that at times it can be uncomfortable to watch. I'd also add that if you are a fan of Edward Norton his performance was Oscar worthy.