In an age when most movies are trying to appeal to the masses with blood, sex, and mass marketing, American History X stops to try to make a statement. It's a movie that takes a new look at ignorance and hate in America. While today we're all too likely to write off hate groups as uneducated rednecks, American History X points out that many are in fact intelligent individuals who for one reason or another have chosen to follow a hateful ideology.
I know it's cliche, but American History X is very powerful. It's honest and real with its characters, neither glamorizing nor simplifying their lives and personalities. You're never left feeling like you're watching cardboard characters, or characters you've seen in dozens of other movies.
This movie is supposed to be Edward Norton's finest. I don't know about that, but he does turn in an amazing performance as an ex-Neo Nazi who realizes he's been living a lie and is horrified to see his younger brother going down the same path. Plus, he's just as convincing as his old Neo Nazi self in flashbacks.
I wouldn't recommend this movie to everybody, since its portrayal is so brutal and vivid. It has one scene that's especially graphic, and several others that portray hate and violence. Still, if you're mature enough and open-minded enough to watch this movie, I think you should consider giving it a shot.