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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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83 %
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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 date; UK critics are listed first)
Bubble View | 1 2 3 4 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 
Reviews
Tomatometer Critic Review Category
N/R

Geoff Andrew

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jun., 24 2006 03:35 AM

Time Out

tomato

Andrew O'Hehir

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

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Mar., 03 2002 08:15 AM

Sight and Sound

splat

Andrew Collins

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: | comment 6 Comments | Jan., 01 2000 12:00 AM

Empire Magazine

tomato
8/10

Ian Waldron-Mantgani

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jan., 01 2000 12:00 AM

UK Critic

tomato
3.5/4

Peter Canavese

If didactic and overwrought at times, it's also powerful and persuasive. [Blu-ray]

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | May., 25 2009 12:49 PM

Groucho Reviews

tomato
7/10

John J. Puccio

...a violent film on a weighty topic...frank and honest, its characters, actions, and ideas compelling the viewer to look further and become involved.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Apr., 16 2009 10:41 AM

DVDTown.com

splat
1/5

Rob Gonsalves

Any idiot can make us wince at the ugliness of beatings and shootings.

Full Review Source: | comment 11 Comments | Jul., 23 2007 06:55 AM

eFilmCritic.com

tomato
3.5/4

Garth Franklin

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 30 2006 03:17 AM

Dark Horizons

tomato
3/5

Emanuel Levy

Well-intentioned and well-acted but unconvicning, this saga provides an instructive example to the simplistic approach taken by movies when tackling the social problem of racism.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Feb., 26 2006 01:34 PM

EmanuelLevy.Com

tomato
4/5

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 06 2005 07:45 PM

Film Threat

N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jul., 21 2005 03:36 AM

Houston Chronicle

N/R

Robin Clifford

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Apr., 09 2005 03:39 AM

Reeling Reviews

tomato
5/5

Pablo Villaca

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

comment Comment | Aug., 29 2004 09:34 PM

Cinema em Cena

tomato
7/10

Dragan Antulov

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jul., 29 2004 06:46 PM

rec.arts.movies.reviews

splat
2.5/4

Jim Shelby

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | May., 20 2003 05:15 PM

Palo Alto Weekly

tomato
4/5

Ron Wells

Derrick's journey to hell and the one back are portrayed organically and gradually.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 08 2002 08:36 AM

Film Threat

tomato
5/5

James Rocchi

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Nov., 07 2002 01:23 PM

Netflix

N/R

Margaret A. McGurk

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 15 2002 08:24 AM

Cincinnati Enquirer

splat

Manohla Dargis

The problem is that Kaye, who's used to selling cars on TV, shoots Derek the Hater as lovingly as he would a new Volkswagen.

Full Review Source: | comment 4 Comments | Oct., 07 2002 06:22 PM

L.A. Weekly

N/R

Kevin N. Laforest

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Sep., 10 2002 08:23 AM

Montreal Film Journal

 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Bubble 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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