In American History X, however, Derek flips in a mere two hours and Norton executes this with immeasurable skill. But in these cases, the characters were afforded considerably more time to change, Michael being granted three separate movies and Walter White five whole seasons. Consider Michael (Al Pacino) in The Godfather Trilogy (1972 – 1990) or Walter White ( Bryan Cranston) in Breaking Bad (2008 – 2013). On the contrary, there have been many instances in film and television where the protagonist has undergone similarly vast transformations. That’s not to say that such a reversal of character is something unique to this movie. It’s nothing short of astonishing that we, as viewers, are now encouraged to identify with Derek. His beliefs and values align with our own, and we are eager for him to succeed in taking his family as far away from their violent environment as possible. As an audience, we now have completely different feelings toward the character. During a gathering that his former comrades are holding, Derek physically attacks his old mentor Cameron ( Stacy Keach) in an attempt to save his brother Danny ( Edward Furlong) from falling under the spell of the same racist party that he once did. No longer does he believe in “white power,” but rather recognizes that his former prejudices have brought nothing but misery.
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After being freed from prison, he now sports a full head of hair and readily conceals the swastika tattooed on his chest. However, this version of the character is a far cry from the man he is in the present. The following sequence is a truly uncomfortable watch, as the skinheads storm the store and violently beat its employees.Īrguably, it’s very easy to hate Derek in these moments. In one key scene, he delivers an impassioned speech about how the country they live in is being stolen from them, immediately before he orders them to raid a once-white-owned grocery store now run by a Korean migrant. As the frontman of a group of frightened, confused, and impressionable white youths, Derek manages to convince them that all of their suffering is the result of immigration. He is, essentially, the worst of the worst and Norton plays it brilliantly.
And because of this, Norton is therefore expected to play two very different characters who just so happen to occupy the same body.
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While American History X maintains a linear story where events unfold in chronological order, the film is split into two halves - the past that details Derek’s life before and during his prison sentence, and the present, where he is a free man and seeks to leave the neo-Nazi community. In short, American History X is the quintessential Edward Norton film. And it’s this ability to go from despicable thug to sympathetic hero that arguably makes this his greatest moment. Earning critical praise upon release, the actor was nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of a neo-Nazi leader who gradually turns his back on his skinhead brethren. And yet, if there was one performance that best exemplifies Norton’s range it is arguably his turn as Derek Vinyard in Tony Kaye’s 1998 crime drama American History X. From his breakout role in Primal Fear (1996) to Fight Club (1999), Keeping the Faith (2000), The Illusionist (2006), The Incredible Hulk (2008), Moonrise Kingdom (2012), Birdman (2014), Motherless Brooklyn (2019) and beyond, time and time again the man has consistently proven himself as one of Tinseltown's most versatile artists. However, one could argue that very few have stretched themselves as far and wide as Edward Norton.
In fact, many of today’s most celebrated names have continued to demonstrate this skill over and over again, from Hollywood icons such as Al Pacino and Meryl Streep to more recent talent like Jennifer Lawrence and Tom Hardy. This will usually relate to the star’s ability to effectively embody vastly different characters, each with their own personalities, mannerisms, beliefs, values, and ways of expressing themselves and communicating.
When cinephiles dissect and examine on-screen performances, they will more often than not consider an actor’s range.
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