A Film With Obvious Meaning

Rating: 10/10 (29 September 2010)

Without a doubt Edward Norton's best role, never to be surpassed. The same nearly goes for Edward Furlong, but I'm still contemplating on that one. Nonetheless, both will never be forgotten as roles of nightmarish realism. A reality that some believe to have died off with the rallies and marches in the 60s. But it is alive and well, even in the hearts of some of today's unfortunately misguided youth. The story, as it progresses, expresses one fundamental idea. Ones does not simply wake up and accept the fact that there a fired up racist. It is a seed that starts out small, and is nurtured by those who do not know how to lead, or have their lost their own way. And then, at a certain point, it is fed like a fire needing fuel. But just like a flame, it can always be extinguished. Lots of symbolic stuff, huh? Well, one picks up these things after watching the film several times. Racism is not an inherited fundamental theory. It is a learned trait. The film's director Tony Kane and writer David McKenna worked hard to deliver this theme. As far as I've read at first there was a much more edited and toned down version to be originally released. But thank God that didn't happen. I also give praise to Anne Dudley's score, pure emotion if you ask me. An A+ plus no less.