"American History X" is not an easy watch, there are many uncomfortable scenes and the plot is very tragic. The director Tony Kaye and the screenwriter David McKenna built a believable story and developed one of the best and most complex characters that I have ever seen in my personal experience as a cinema lover. They completely explored Derek's story, explaining the origin of his hate, why he embraced a certain ideology and showing his redemption path. We get to see what he went through in its rawest and truest possible way. This made me empathize with the protagonist and his brother. Edward Norton is convincing in this role, his dialogues are difficult to be listened to because they go against an evolved society that is still fighting to get equality. Unfortunately what we see here is not too distant from reality as there are still extremist groups that have a dangerous mentality. All things considered, I guess that this was a real challenge for the actor, but he definitely nailed it. I really enjoyed the non-linear storyline, which made the film more intense. I loved the use of black and white during flashbacks, it adds uniqueness to the whole narration. The photography is fantastic and the director managed to capture the characters' emotions perfectly. There were certain face close-ups that surprised me.
It is really difficult for me to describe this movie with words. It definitely made me think. Hate is complex and it usually has deep roots that need to be understood, in order to prevent the expansion of certain movements and ideologies that in the past caused a lot of violence and pain. This film for me is eternal: it will always feel actual and updated.
It is really difficult for me to describe this movie with words. It definitely made me think. Hate is complex and it usually has deep roots that need to be understood, in order to prevent the expansion of certain movements and ideologies that in the past caused a lot of violence and pain. This film for me is eternal: it will always feel actual and updated.