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Movies / On DVD / American History X
American History X

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American History X (1998)

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Reviews Counted:72

Fresh:60

Rotten:12

Average Rating:7.2/10

Consensus: A compelling and provocative story led by an excellent performance by Edward Norton.

Runtime: 1 hr 59 mins

Genre: Dramas

Synopsis: Edward Norton gives an impassioned performance as Derek Vinyard, a Southern Californian skinhead who must do time after committing a hateful murder. Once in jail, his mind opens and he sees the... Edward Norton gives an impassioned performance as Derek Vinyard, a Southern Californian skinhead who must do time after committing a hateful murder. Once in jail, his mind opens and he sees the error of his ways. Upon reentering the real world, he must now turn his attentions to his younger brother Danny, who is swiftly heading down the same path as his brother. Controversy surrounded the film when director Tony Kaye disowned it, claiming that Norton had the film re-edited without Kaye's permission. Norton still got an Oscar Nomination for his intense performance. [More]

Starring: Edward Norton, Edward Furlong, Fairuza Balk, Beverly D'Angelo

Starring: Edward Norton, Edward Furlong, Fairuza Balk, Beverly D'Angelo, Ethan Suplee, Avery Brooks, Elliott Gould, Stacy Keach, William Russ

Director: Tony Kaye

Director: Tony Kaye
Screenwriter: David McKenna
Producer: John Morrissey
Composer: Anne Dudley

[See More Credits]

Reviews for American History X

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1 - 20 (sorted by source; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

The film's most incongruous and embarrassing scene is a black-on-white basketball game: shot like a Nike ad, it trivialises the subject.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment 6 Comments
01/01/00
Andrew Collins
Andrew Collins
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A work of impressive scale and craft and not a movie that's easy to dismiss in the end.

Full Review Source: Sight and Sound | comment Comment
03/03/02
Andrew O'Hehir
Andrew O'Hehir
Sight and Sound
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Geoff Andrew
Geoff Andrew
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: UK Critic | comment Comment
01/01/00
Ian Waldron-Mantgani
Ian Waldron-Mantgani
UK Critic

For Director Tony Kaye to disown this is irrational beyond belief

Full Review Source: AboutFilm.com | comment Comment
01/01/00
Carlo Cavagna
Carlo Cavagna
AboutFilm.com

It's difficult to sit through, but well worth the effort.

Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
01/01/00
Brian Webster
Brian Webster
Apollo Guide

A violent, sober cautionary tale, strictly middle-of-the-road when it comes to its much-ballyhooed politics and grimly obvious in its telling.

Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle | comment Comment
01/01/00
Marc Savlov
Marc Savlov
Austin Chronicle

An intelligently provocative film!

comment Comment
01/01/00
Jay Carr
Jay Carr
Boston Globe
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Boston Phoenix | comment Comment
03/24/02
Boston Phoenix

Alternately didactic and visceral, American History X is both difficult to watch and impossible not to.

Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
01/01/00
Wade Major
Wade Major
Boxoffice Magazine

Kaye wants to say something about what produces a skinhead today, and though he doesn't succeed fully in this endeavor, he does take us a significant part of the way.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
01/01/00
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader

The film is always interesting and sometimes compelling, and it contains more actual provocative thought than any American film on race since Do the Right Thing.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment 1 Comment
01/01/00
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A very good film with some dazzling moments and one truly outstanding performance!

comment Comment
01/01/00
John Petrakis
John Petrakis
Chicago Tribune

Shockingly powerful!

comment Comment
01/01/00
Gene Siskel
Gene Siskel
Chicago Tribune
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Cincinnati Enquirer | comment Comment
10/15/02
Margaret A. McGurk
Margaret A. McGurk
Cincinnati Enquirer

Pesado e incômodo, discute o racismo com inteligência e conta com uma interpretação absolutamente impecável de Edward Norton.

comment Comment
08/29/04
Pablo Villaca
Pablo Villaca
Cinema em Cena

...a brutal and disturbing movie that discusses and demonstrates racism, prejudice, and human blindness.

Full Review Source: Cinemaphile.org | comment Comment
01/01/00
David Keyes
David Keyes
Cinemaphile.org

A moving and involving film, tackling the tough subject of racism in America, displaying its causes and allures, as well as its ultimate senselessness.

Full Review Source: Cinematter | comment Comment
01/01/00
Madeleine Williams
Madeleine Williams
Cinematter

When Hollywood attacks a volatile issue, it inevitably spoon-feeds you the main components of the issue several times over.

Full Review Source: CNN.com | comment Comment
01/01/00
Paul Tatara
Paul Tatara
CNN.com
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Taut, tension-filled and violent!

Full Review Source: Compuserve | comment Comment
01/01/00
Harvey S. Karten
Harvey S. Karten
Compuserve
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by source; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 >> >|
all

Latest News for American History X

August 25, 2009: EW Lists 16 Classic "Dare You to Look" Scenes Opens in new window
All the Nazi-scalpin' action in "Inglourious Basterds" has got the EW staff to thinking about some of the most hard-to-watch scenes in film -- and to that end, they've assembled... More...

October 07, 2007: American History X Directors Cut Coming...Sort Of
In 1998, director Tony Kaye battled New Line Cinema over the release of American History X. Dissatisfied with the studio's meddling in his artistic vision, the theatrical cut... More...

August 11, 2005: Tony Kaye Returns to Dish Out Some "Paranoia"
Controversial filmmaker Tony Kaye ("American History X") will direct his first movie in quite some time when he steps behind the cameras on "Paranoia." The... More...

See All

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