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American History X
CAST & DIRECTOR
Directed by Tony Kaye. With Edward Norton, Edward Furlong, Beverly D'Angelo.
8.3/10
MOVIHERO RATINGWHAT IT'S ABOUT
Derek Vineyard is paroled after serving 3 years in prison for killing two African-American men. Through his brother, Danny Vineyard's narration, we learn that before going to prison, Derek was a skinhead and the leader of a violent white supremacist gang that committed acts of racial crime throughout L.A. and his actions greatly influenced Danny. Reformed and fresh out of prison, Derek severs contact with the gang and becomes determined to keep Danny from going down the same violent path as he did.
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8.3/10
MOVIHERO RATINGYOUR WATCHLISTDerek Vineyard is paroled after serving 3 years in prison for killing two African-American men. Through his brother, Danny Vineyard's narration, we learn that before g…
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RELEASE SNAPSHOT
Release snapshot for American History X.
MoviHero lists July 1, 1998 as the release date for American History X. Tony Kaye is the listed director. The listed cast includes Edward Norton as Derek, Edward Furlong as Danny, Beverly D'Angelo as Doris, Jennifer Lien as Davina. A trailer and 5 stills are available on this page.
Release dateJuly 1, 1998
GenresDrama
Runtime1h 59m
DirectorTony Kaye
CastEdward Norton as Derek, Edward Furlong as Danny, Beverly D'Angelo as Doris, Jennifer Lien as Davina
TrailerAvailable on this page
Images5 stills
BEFORE YOU PRESS PLAY
Is American History X right for tonight?
Pacing, attention and emotional impact are estimates from the current MoviHero Watch Profile, not verified scene-by-scene reviews.
How much time should I set aside?
American History X runs 1h 59m. Allow extra time for breaks.
Is it slow or fast?
The current MoviHero pacing estimate is 4/10: a more patient pace.
Is it a good choice when I am tired?
The attention estimate is 5/10. Expect to follow the story rather than use it as background viewing.
How emotionally intense is it?
The emotional-impact estimate is 8/10, suggesting a stronger emotional experience. This does not tell you whether the ending is happy or sad.
CHANGE ONE THING
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MOVIE RATING
MoviHero Rating
MoviHero Rating: 8.3/10 from 13,115 votes. Updated Nov 8, 2026.
Rating data supplied by TMDB, shown on a 10-point scale. MoviHero audience ratings are calculated separately from scores submitted here.
MOVIHERO AUDIENCE RATING
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WHAT WATCHING IT FEELS LIKE
Watch Profile
Seven estimates of the viewing experience, based on the stored Watch Profile. These are separate from the movie rating and are not verified scene-by-scene assessments.
Pacing4/10
Emotional Impact8/10
Mind-Bending2/10
Scary1/10
Violence5/10
Rewatchability6/10
Attention Required5/10
VIEWER REVIEWS
What viewers say about American History X
Selected viewer reactions, in their own words. These excerpts reflect individual opinions, not an overall verdict.
Viewer reaction
“Despite having a somewhat weak cast, this is an incredibly poignant drama of one man's struggle to live a new life.”
Viewer reaction
“There's really no point to the movie. Just a lot of violence. That's pretty much it.”
Viewer reaction
“"Danny" (Edward Furlong) isn't making much progress at school so his teacher "Sweeney" (Avery Brooks) gives him a project.”
More reactions (1)
Viewer reaction
“You could use this as a skinhead recruitment film because it failed so miserably in the message it was trying to push, and it failed…”
Selected review excerpts supplied by TMDB. Opinions belong to their original authors.
A CLOSER LOOK
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CAST & CREW
The people who make it land.
CHARACTERS IN THIS MOVIE
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SIMILAR GENRES & STORY THEMES
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