American History X
A European-American man is released from prison and now a changed man and hopes to prevent his younger brother from following in his footsteps.
Directed by Tony Kaye · Crime · Drama · 119 min · 1998
Trailer
Director
Tony Kaye
Writer
David McKenna
Studio
N/A
Release
20 Nov 1998
Runtime
119 min
Genres
Crime, Drama
Full Plot
Derek Vineyard is paroled after serving 3 years in prison for brutally killing two black men who tried to break into/steal his truck. Through his 14 yr old brother's, Danny Vineyard, 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.
Cast & Characters
Did You Know?
Made on an estimated budget of $20.0M, American History X has grossed $23.9M worldwide — about 1.2x its budget.
Source: TMDb API · verified 2026-08-02
American History X premiered in Los Angeles on October 28, 1998, and on the same week in New York.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-03
Screenwriter David McKenna wrote the screenplay for American History X and sold the rights to New Line Cinema when he was 26.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-03
Critical Assessment
American History X holds 8.5/10 on IMDb (1,271,167 votes), 84% on Rotten Tomatoes, 62/100 on Metacritic.
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of August 11, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
India
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on aggregated scores (8.5/10 on IMDb (1,271,167 votes), 84% on Rotten Tomatoes, 62/100 on Metacritic), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is American History X's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
American History X holds a 84% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What is American History X's IMDb rating?+
American History X has a 8.5/10 rating on IMDb from 1,271,167 votes.
What is American History X's Metacritic score?+
American History X has a Metascore of 62/100 on Metacritic.
Is American History X good? What are critics saying?+
American History X holds 8.5/10 on IMDb (1,271,167 votes), 84% on Rotten Tomatoes, 62/100 on Metacritic.
How long is American History X?+
American History X has a runtime of 119 min.
Who directed American History X?+
American History X was directed by Tony Kaye.
Where can I watch American History X?+
American History X is available to stream, rent, or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max, Rakuten TV, Sky Store.
Fan & Critic Buzz
The public reaction to "American History X" is largely negative, with some critics feeling that the movie was too violent and insensitive. The film's message of hatred and violence has also been criticized for being poorly executed and misguided by its intended audience, who it failed to convince or engage.
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
Despite having a somewhat weak cast, this is an incredibly poignant drama of one man's struggle to live a new life. Probably too violent and close-to-home for some.
tmdb15435519 · 9/10There's really no point to the movie. Just a lot of violence. That's pretty much it.
Andre Gonzales · 5/10You could use this as a skinhead recruitment film because it failed so miserably in the message it was trying to push, and it failed miserably because they were too concerned about pushing the message that they forgot how they were framing the film. So a bunch of skinheads win a…
GenerationofSwine · 1/10"Danny" (Edward Furlong) isn't making much progress at school so his teacher "Sweeney" (Avery Brooks) gives him a project. He is to document the life of his elder brother "Derek" (Edward Norton) whom he adores. "Derek" was a neo-Nazi - and an active one at that who has only recen…
CinemaSerf · 7/10
From the trailer's comments
“Has anything you’ve done made your life better.” 10/10 Who cares about Oscars
@OnlyusemyBlade420 · 942 likesI think the black kid at the end had the same story as Derek the whole point of this movie is hatred only gives birth to more and more hatred.
@kilansgames556 · 2377 likesThe movie was more like a life lesson...
@Dumakingthembeats · 287 likesEdward Norton role here is one of the best performances in cinema history
@tonigeorg7652 · 81 likesThis movie is an absolute masterpiece and it shows how easily one can twist the mind of young people by filling them with hatred and negative ideas. I highly suggest you not to judge it by the trailer and to give it a try. It's honestly one of the best movies ever made..
@asmaaamy · 1256 likesWhat an absolutely incredible, powerful, astonishing film. Edward Norton should have WON an Oscar for his performance. Truly outstanding.
@amjh4lah · 103 likesI feel like this is one of the most important movies of all time
@glitchin1233 · 1613 likesHow did Norton not win an Oscar for this?!?! How??????
@coffeetea8577 · 2348 likes
