American history can be an ugly thing, and American History X is widely lauded for its refusal to shy away from that ugliness, specifically the ugliness that is racism and racial violence. Movies that try to deal frankly with race are a difficult endeavor to pull off, and so while I don’t find the movie as strong as many others seem to, I give it immense credit for attempting to address one of America’s most taboo subjects in a direct way.
The central fraternal figures of the movie, Derek and Danny Vinyard, are interesting samples of the racist mind. Their familial bond is strong, evidenced not only by the movie’s bittersweet conclusion, but the fact that their prejudice is, to a large extent, hereditary. The philosophies they inherit from their father, being passed down through conversation and observation, is driven deeper by the circumstances of his death. This makes hatred of one particular group an even more emotional pillar of their being, which makes the steps toward abandoning such a deeply ingrained way of thinking a source of hope.
It’s a consciousness-raising movie that I wish was a little better, but is admirable for the notion that racial antagonism is unconsciously learned behavior that can only be combatted with greater consciousness.
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