American History X

I guess I'm the only guy that didn't like this film. While I appreciated the message, I thought the story was weakly written, etc. It just didn't do anything for me (and I wanted it to. It was a movie that I was looking forward to seeing. I even made sure to catch it on opening day at the theater. I guess I was just expecting more than what was delivered).

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I really loved American History X but that was one of the very few movies I have ever seen that I wished were longer. I think most movied are overdone (esp hoolywood blockbusters) and have too many "filler" scenes.

I would place American History X on my top 10 list if only it were about half an hour longer and they devoted that time to explaining Norton's character changing. To me the conversion was too sudden. It was like "racist white guy works with black guy and all of a sudden it's all good". There should have been a more gradual progressin in my opinion. If they had shown that convincingly it would have been an amazing movie. As it is it's merely a very good movie in my mind.



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I see your point, dylan. But to me, the scene in the infirmary after Norton's character has been raped by the Nazi's was enough. If I was in that dude's place, 6 huge guys who were once my "friend" raping me is quite enough to make me reevaluate my political and racial beliefs. Norton made me believe that he had changed just in the way he acted that scene in the infirmary speaking to the English teacher.

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I'm in trouble for the things I haven't got to yet.
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Runnin', Ravin', Endin', Out.

 

Yep, and when he saw the Nazi do business with other races, he knew what a load of crap the Nazis were about.


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"norm, would you like to buy an indian scalp ? This deal isn't gonna make or break me Norm, so don't jerk me around." Harry Carey "Norm, if I had a mohawk scalp, I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you."

 

You aren't the only one Paige. I don't think the movie lived up to the praise that it was given. Also, the ending was weak and predictable.

As far as Norton not making a bad movie, Keeping the Faith is one of the worst, most boring movies i've seen in a long time.


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Crisco:

I found the opposite to be true. The ending was very surprising: He *didn't* manage to save his little brother. In your typical hollywood feel-good blockbuster, he would have, and they'd have moved to the suburbs.

I found the conversion to be the best I've ever seen in a movie. His ideas worked when the only blacks he'd ever been exposed to were the guys that vandalized his father's truck... but stereotypes didn't hold up for an intelligent man under dire circumstances. What was key to me, was the fact that he *was* a very bright fellow, even as a racist. The movie explained *why* he was a skinhead, and why it no longer fulfilled him.

He was a true believer, and learned that those ideals were empty. Works for me.


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Lacking inspiration at the moment...

 

haven,

it may have been a surprise ending for you and some others, but i saw it coming way ahead of time. It was clear from the start it wasn't a "feel good" movie, and they wanted to do something at the end to make it tragic. You see, to me, they could have ended the movie at several points, but they kept draging it on, and on, and on. The slow motion shots were annoying, and the actors outside of Norton weren't very convincing.

Its not a bad movie, but it isnt a classic.

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