Taut, tension-filled and violent!
Comment
01/01/00
American History X (1998)
83
%
Tomatometer
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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... [More]
Starring: Edward Norton, Edward Furlong, Fairuza Balk, Beverly D'Angelo
Director: Tony Kaye
Reviews for American History X
Norton delivers a disturbing, heart-felt and ultimately heart-breaking performance.
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American History X may be flawed, but it's not easily forgotten.
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American History X has enough fiery acting and provocative bombast to make its impact felt!
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Top CriticAn intelligently provocative film!
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Norton is superb here.
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If you can stomach the graphic nature of the film, you will witness the most honest depiction of modern American racism since Spike Lee' s Do the Right Thing.
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Undeniably one of the more powerful films you'll see this year!
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One of the best told movies of the year!
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As provocative and daring as it is, the film is also rather simplistic and obvious.
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A very good film with some dazzling moments and one truly outstanding performance!
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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.
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Uncompromising piece of filmmaking, intelligently written and dramatically shot!
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Wields undeniable power despite its shaky dramatic contrivances.
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A compelling, if somewhat choppy, tragic drama!
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A moving and involving film, tackling the tough subject of racism in America, displaying its causes and allures, as well as its ultimate senselessness.
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A violent, sober cautionary tale, strictly middle-of-the-road when it comes to its much-ballyhooed politics and grimly obvious in its telling.
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No other feature film takes such a cold hard look at the lure, the culture, and the brotherhood of white supremacy.
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Norton is by turns frightening and heartbreaking, angry and serene. I don't think I've ever seen a character in film with a more believably wide range.
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Don't miss out on this one.
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Latest News for American History X
August 25, 2009:
EW Lists 16 Classic "Dare You to Look" Scenes 
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...
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