I watched this movie for one reason alone ... Edward Norton ... I remember the movie entirely... I watched it once .. but never felt bored... The movie has a racist thing attached to it. It starts with Edward Norton playing a neo nazi.. he hates black and does everything to channel his hate . He is really respected in the circle. He follows the teachings of one Dr. Sweeney. He is his golden pupil. He has a family, in which his younger brother wants to be like him, a future neo nazi in the making.
Things go from worse to ugly when some black people try stealing something from his car. He comes out and shoots some of them. Now there is one remaining and he is wounded, there is police siren coming from nearby, he asks the black to bite the pavement and then smashes his skull with his feet. He is convicted of manslaughter. The prison isnt exactly the place for a neo nazi. So he decides to ’’ wave the flag’’ flaunt his swastika tattoo ... he finds some friends. He goes around with them till he finds out that they are not interested in his fundamentals, they just use it as an excuse to form a group, indulge in violence and drug pedalling. He decides to abandon that group. He has a laundry duty and guess what it is with a black. He slowly befriends him, he is a nice guy, who is in jail for a long time. There he realises what atrocracies are borne on the black. The guy is in jail for assaulting a police officer on duty. While all he did was drop the TV he just stole on the foot of the officer when he was asked to face the ground. He has help from unknown quarters when the principle who happens to be black helps him out.
Thats his story, now onto his brother. He has racism fed into him, infused in his blood. He indulges in petty fights at school. He is noticed by a black as a potential threat. The boy holds his brother very high. The priciple gives him an assignment to write in one night. The assignment is titled ’’ american history X’’. His brother is being released today. There is a party held by his old friends.
Now the real story begins. At the party, he asks the doc to not to involve his brother. He wants out. The Doctor thinks otherwise, he hits the doctor. The party ends, his friends turn against him, his brother is aghast... he follows his brother. when they meet up, he confronts him, tries to vent his anger on him. Then Edward norton tells him every thing. This changes Danny. Now he is a changed person. He didnt know all these things and promises to be a changed person. He finishes his assignment and goes to school the next day. His brother leaves him at the school. Then in the bathroom danny is shot and killed by the black boy he had taunted. The scene is very touching. His assignment drenched in his own blood is by his side. He is still narrating the opening lines of his assignment. The movie ends. Well ... what can I say, the movie had a deep message in it, and the direction was very good, and story was continuos, explaining everything! I think this movie is definitely worth a watch!