American History X (1998) R - 4 Stars

This movie got to me as it takes a disturbing look at hatred in America today and skin heads. Neo-Nazi Derek (Edward Norton), who's looked up to by his young brother Danny Vinyard (Edward Furlong) gets himself put in jail for shooting a group of young black boys who were breaking into his car. In jail he has a lot of time to think about his old habits and ways of looking at people. He has to work along side of Lamont (Guy Torry) a black man, and eventually the two become friends. When Derek gets out of jail, he finds his his brother Danny has shaved his head and begun to follow in his footsteps.

In school, Danny excels at writing about Hitler and finally his principle puts him in charge of a new assignment writing about his older brother. Derek tries to show Danny the wrong that's been done in his life because if the way he acted before. But can he save Danny from himself before it's too late?

New Line Cinema
Director: Tony Kaye
Writer: David McKenna
Producers: John Morrissey, John Morrissey

I viewed 10/06