American History X (1998)

All Critics (84) | Top Critics (24) | Fresh (69) | Rotten (16) | DVD (20)

Norton is an amazing actor, a hot-dog whose delight in transformation is infectious.

August 19, 2011 Full Review | Comment (1)

David Edelstein

Slate

Top Critic

Two things hold the interest: Norton's astounding performance, and a feeling for the male reality of reactionary working class environments.

June 24, 2006 Full Review

Geoff Andrew

Time Out

Top Critic

What partly redeems American History X from its most preachy excesses -- and makes it worth seeing -- is a brilliant, career-high performance by actor Edward Norton.

April 12, 2002 Full Review

Liam Lacey

Globe and Mail

Top Critic

Though well-intentioned, turns out to be a simplistic and unconvincing look at a serious problem.

February 14, 2001 Full Review | Comments (2)

Kenneth Turan

Los Angeles Times

Top Critic

The film is always interesting and sometimes compelling, and it contains more actual provocative thought than any American film on race since Do the Right Thing.

January 1, 2000 Full Review | Comments (2)

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Top Critic

This jolting, superbly acted film will draw serious-minded upscale viewers interested in cutting-edge fare and the latest outstanding performance by Edward Norton.

January 1, 2000 Full Review

Todd McCarthy

Variety

Top Critic

American History X advocates that "those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it"? It's a powerful social document and should be part of your film watching curriculum.

May 16, 2012 Full Review

Blake Howard

2UE That Movie Show

A well-made, well-acted and often violent film that offers a compelling portrait of redemption and the destructive nature of racism.

August 19, 2011 Full Review

Film4

This dark drama is not for kids.

December 14, 2010 Full Review | Comments (25)

Charles Cassady

Common Sense Media

If didactic and overwrought at times, it's also powerful and persuasive. [Blu-ray]

May 25, 2009 Full Review

Peter Canavese

Groucho Reviews

...thought provoking, yet unsettling...hard-hitting, yet compassionate. (Blu-ray Edition)

April 16, 2009 Full Review

John J. Puccio

Movie Metropolis

...a violent film on a weighty topic...frank and honest, its characters, actions, and ideas compelling the viewer to look further and become involved.

April 16, 2009 Full Review

John J. Puccio

Movie Metropolis

Any idiot can make us wince at the ugliness of beatings and shootings.

July 23, 2007 Full Review | Comments (30)

Rob Gonsalves

eFilmCritic.com

Well-intentioned and well-acted but unconvicning, this saga provides an instructive example to the simplistic approach taken by movies when tackling the social problem of racism.

February 26, 2006 Full Review | Comments (2)

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

American History X is flawed, yes, but is a worthwhile film that covers territories not dealt with in recent years.

April 9, 2005 Full Review

Robin Clifford

Reeling Reviews

Pesado e incômodo, discute o racismo com inteligência e conta com uma interpretação absolutamente impecável de Edward Norton.

August 29, 2004

Pablo Villaca

Cinema em Cena

Derrick's journey to hell and the one back are portrayed organically and gradually.

December 8, 2002 Full Review

Ron Wells

Film Threat

It is Edward Norton's riveting performance as a smart kid seduced by horrible ideas that makes the story real.

October 15, 2002 Full Review

Margaret A. McGurk

Cincinnati Enquirer

The problem is that Kaye, who's used to selling cars on TV, shoots Derek the Hater as lovingly as he would a new Volkswagen.

October 7, 2002 Full Review | Comments (8)

Manohla Dargis

L.A. Weekly

• 1. Danny Vinyard: So I guess this is where I tell you what I learned - my conclusion, right? Well, my conclusion is: Hate is baggage. Life's too short to be pissed off all the time. It's just not worth it. Derek says it's always good to end a paper with a quote. He says someone else has already said it best. So if you can't top it, steal from them and go out strong. So I picked a guy I thought you'd like. 'We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory will swell when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.'
  – Submitted by Samira O (10 months ago)
• 1. Danny Vinyard: I'm sorry, Derek. I'm sorry that happened to you.
  2. Derek Vinyard: I'm not. I'm lucky. I feel lucky because it's wrong, Danny. It's wrong and it was eating me up, it was going to kill me. And I kept asking myself all the time, how did I buy into this shit? It was because I was pissed off, and nothing I ever did ever took that feeling away. I killed two guys, Danny, I killed them. And it didn't make me feel any different. It just got me more lost and I'm tired of being pissed off, Danny. I'm just tired of it.
  – Submitted by Samira O (10 months ago)
• 1. Danny Vinyard: Hate is baggage. Life's too short to be pissed off all the time.
  – Submitted by Samira O (10 months ago)
• 1. Bob Sweeney: There was a moment, when I used to blame everything and everyone for all the pain and suffering and vile things that happened to me, that I saw happen to my people. Used to blame everybody. Blamed white people, blamed society, blamed God. I didn't get no answers 'cause I was asking the wrong questions. You have to ask the right questions.
  2. Derek Vinyard: Like what?
  3. Bob Sweeney: Has anything you've done made your life better?
  – Submitted by Samira O (10 months ago)
• 1. Danny Vinyard: We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory will swell when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.
  – Submitted by Samira O (10 months ago)
• 1. Danny Vinyard: Hate is baggage. Life's too short to be pissed off all the time. It's just not worth it.
  – Submitted by Chad E (11 months ago)

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