Along with questions of morality, with Greek tragedy blended in. It's the sort of story that you absorb and get the sense that you've seen before, but still very powerful, raw, and moving. Still, it's not without its faults.
I really loved Norton's performance here as Derek, but when it comes to the film's exploration of racism, its reasons, and why someone might turn away from it, I felt I wasn't learning anything new. In the scenes that provide background for why Derek is a skinhead, the blacks are portrayed as, overall, not characters I'd define as admirable (the basketball scene, breaking into his car, the general tone and feel of his introduction to prison).
When Derek is a skinhead, he is articulate in defense of his views, which are quite detailed. His firefighter father is killed by a black drug dealer in the line of duty - He was putting out a fire at the dealer's house. This does not improve Derek's mood. In spite of his intelligence and leadership qualities he can suddenly lose control, and become violent, and this leads to actions out of all proportion to the situation - killing two black men who were breaking into his car - that put him in prison for three years.
In prison is where Derek reverses course, but the reasons seem rather shallow. It boils down to being exposed to and befriending one funny likeable black guy that he works with in the prison laundry and two other very prison specific situations. Given the ardent nature of Derek's racism, it is hard to believe that this alone would turn him around or keep him turned around once he left prison and is out in the world again among his old influences.
Its good points? It shows that such virulent racism can happen in normal families, to pretty normal looking people who have met with some tragedies and want to blame the "other". It also shows that change can occur through education - Once out of the Aryan brotherhood group in prison, Derek spends his time reading. I'd recommend this one, just understand there is lots of violence, sexual content, and strong language. It will never be on TV - It would only be 20 minutes long!
I really loved Norton's performance here as Derek, but when it comes to the film's exploration of racism, its reasons, and why someone might turn away from it, I felt I wasn't learning anything new. In the scenes that provide background for why Derek is a skinhead, the blacks are portrayed as, overall, not characters I'd define as admirable (the basketball scene, breaking into his car, the general tone and feel of his introduction to prison).
When Derek is a skinhead, he is articulate in defense of his views, which are quite detailed. His firefighter father is killed by a black drug dealer in the line of duty - He was putting out a fire at the dealer's house. This does not improve Derek's mood. In spite of his intelligence and leadership qualities he can suddenly lose control, and become violent, and this leads to actions out of all proportion to the situation - killing two black men who were breaking into his car - that put him in prison for three years.
In prison is where Derek reverses course, but the reasons seem rather shallow. It boils down to being exposed to and befriending one funny likeable black guy that he works with in the prison laundry and two other very prison specific situations. Given the ardent nature of Derek's racism, it is hard to believe that this alone would turn him around or keep him turned around once he left prison and is out in the world again among his old influences.
Its good points? It shows that such virulent racism can happen in normal families, to pretty normal looking people who have met with some tragedies and want to blame the "other". It also shows that change can occur through education - Once out of the Aryan brotherhood group in prison, Derek spends his time reading. I'd recommend this one, just understand there is lots of violence, sexual content, and strong language. It will never be on TV - It would only be 20 minutes long!