american history X (1998)
director: Tony Kaye
Writer: david McKenna
Starring: Edward Norton & Edward Furlong
genre: crime & drama
year: 1998
watched: Dec 17, 2024 (1st time after 10 yrs)
“Hate is baggage. Life's too short to be pissed off all the time”
- Derek Vineyard, American History X
I recently listened to an Edward Norton podcast interview, and was reminded of a movie I watched when I was in high school called American History X. A classmate recommended it to me after I told him that I liked Quentin Tarantino movies.
American History X is about two brothers from Los Angeles involved in the Neo-Nazi movement. Ever since their father was shot by a Black drug dealer, Derek Vineyard made it his life’s work to perpetuate white supremacist beliefs through violence. He loses his beliefs after serving time in prison for three years and tries to prevent his younger brother, Danny, from going down the same road.
When I first watched this film, I nonchalantly thought, “This isn’t real.” An army of skinheads with white power tattoos preaching the same things as Hitler didn’t seem legit to me. It felt like something from a different time space. I also don’t remember having too many strong reactions toward any of the problematic monologues and conversations. None of them sounded convincing.
I kind of miss that naivety. Now that I’m older, it hits differently.
Everything about the movie was intense. The dialogue, costumes, and props were as convincing as they were terrifying. I couldn’t watch certain scenes because they were too violent.
The film was set in Venice, California. Venice is one of my favorite places in L.A., but how they depicted it in the film wasn’t the neighborhood I know—that’s vibrant, hip, and full of life. Instead, it looked rugged, sketchy, and dangerous. I’m now scared to go back there.
I also had never seen racism so up close and personal until I saw this film. Even the minute details were uncomfortable to look at, like Derek’s room decorated with neo-Nazi paraphernalia and the swastika tattoo on his chest. Edward Norton’s character lived and breathed white supremacy. I don’t know how he managed to play that role so convincingly without throwing up.
American History X is a controversial film that many critics have accused of being morally dangerous. In this essay, I’ll discuss my reflections on the film, as well as how I feel about it morally.
Racism
We often view racists as narrow-minded and ignorant assholes. We wonder, how could anyone be so stupid as to buy into such hateful beliefs? Even a kindergartner knows it’s common sense to condemn violence.
In reality, people do buy into these ideologies. However, it’s ignorant to say that all racists are dumb. there are two kinds of people: people who follow the herd and people who think for themselves.
Derek falls under the category of the latter. So in this case, the danger isn’t that the person is stupid. It’s that the person is so smart that he can justify racism to make it seem rational.
That’s exactly why Derek’s father was able to convince him.
But just because you’re smart doesn’t mean you’re right. Even if you’re right, you’re still not right if you’re choosing violence.
Derek’s arc shows this. No matter how many facts he knows about illegal immigrant criminals, U.S. border policy, and crimes committed by Black people, his perspective wasn’t giving him the peace of mind he was seeking.
Derek’s Redemption Arc
Something bad had to happen for Derek to become a Neo-Nazi. Just as bad an event had to occur for him to turn away from it. He chose white supremacy after his dad was shot by a Black drug dealer. He chose to abandon it after being gang-raped in jail by his own people.
At the end of the day, Derek was a confused dude looking for answers. He was always in pursuit of the truth. With all that he’d been exposed to, racism made sense to him.
Many critics say that Derek’s transition out of being a diehard Neo-Nazi was too short and drastic in the film. While there’s something to be said about exploring his internal struggles and dilemmas more deeply, it’s not a matter of beliefs anymore, as much as it was about correction. At this point, he just wants to do the right thing, and it didn’t matter how it looked. The pain was already too much, and he was running out of answers.
Everyone is entitled to redemption, including criminals. But it doesn’t mean there aren’t any consequences. Even if he left jail a changed man, Derek had hundreds of skinheads worshiping him and a younger brother who looked up to him. As far as paying dues was concerned, his time was nowhere near done.
The film (and its ending) is a brutal depiction that what goes around comes around. If you promote violence toward others, expect the world to be violent toward you too.
Did Derek deserve an unfortunate ending? Nobody deserves to suffer, but that’s what happens when you buy into harmful propaganda. I do wish him the best and grew to care for him. I hope he makes it out alive on the other side of his pain.
Conclusion
American History X is one of those films that are hard to watch but has an important message.
Do I think this movie is morally dangerous because it idealizes fascist beliefs? I didn’t exactly come out of this movie wanting to be a Neo-Nazi, so no. I understand why it could be considered dangerous because it doesn’t hold back on its depictions, but it needed to be as unfiltered as it was to be believable.
I recommend American History X if you’re looking for a story that tells it like it is. It’s a raw and visceral piece of work that I believe every film lover should watch.
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