The story is told through the eyes of Danny Vinyard (Edward Furlong) who idolizes his racist older brother Derek (Edward Norton). Derek is sent to jail for murdering one of a group of black guys who come to his house in the night.

(The title American History X is the name of a school report Danny is writing for an enlightened black teacher attempting to get Danny to confront his view of the world).

While in jail for aggravated murder (three years) Derek is raped by a group of white supremacists. He finds friendship with a black guy with whom he works in the laundry room. It is this relationship that is ultimately revealed as being the reason the blacks don't attack Derek in prison, despite plenty of provocation including a large swastika tattooed on his often waved about left pec.

On coming out of the prison, Derek has reformed his ways. However he finds his younger brother, Danny, and a rag bag of old friends, looking to him to confirm his old white supremacist ideals.

Derek tries to break the ties with his old life, and explain to his younger brother the error of his ways. He finally does it.

But it's too late. In pay back for past racist crimes, Danny is killed by a black guy.

OK. On the one hand this is a depressing, racist, story which will have audiences running away at full speed... but on the other, marketing, hand, Edward Norton has his shirt off and he's pumped...

"Had Elvis Presley been Norton's age when this movie was made he would have been its star."

"O-h m-y G-O-D. This is the most depressing movie I have ever seen. I hope he came to his senses by the end: I haven't a clue how it all turned out, after the first 15 minutes I went off to read the newspaper and then watched a documentary on serial killers, it was far less distressing."

"Don't be fooled by the TV taster for this movie where Norton has his shirt off. Whilst undoubtedly there are moments of triumphant in-prison homo erotica, that is the high point. Get ready to have your depression muscles rocked."

"Is this the most depressing movie ever made?"

"None of the fun of the fair."

Gruel. Gruelly gruel gruel, and a glass of liquidized gruel.

"That was real sweet!"

"Hate is baggage. Life is too short to be pissed off all the time. It's just not worth it."

Yep. A gay skinhead carnival with lots of drums. (Cut the swastikas out tho guys, huh?)

In the face fully covered in hands position.

Oh me, oh my. On one level this is a worthwhile story to be told, but my, oh me, I have rarely felt so depressed!

Could they not have made this as a two minute public information film? Or just have Edward Norton looking straight into camera saying: "Just don't do it guys! Don't be a lard assed racist. It's too much effort to be intolerant." Now, how long did it take to say that? 15 seconds max.

From the whispers I have heard, this movie had a lot of trouble in its making. It is truly depressing on so many levels. OK the ending is tragically acceptable on the karmic scale of things, but the journey is quite hard work and I doubt I would have bothered watching it all the way though had I not been reviewing it.

No laughs, no spoonful of sugar anywhere here. Just grit, a little gruel, and then a whole truck full of gruel you could never eat even if you tried for the rest of your life.

You may want to see Shrek as an antidote to this movie, or at least to help you cheer yourself up afterwards.

A moment of machine-gun style rabbit boinkiness in bed, just before the shoot'en starts.

We have heard real depression described as an overcoat which you cannot take off. If that is true, then this is the DVD sewed in to the pocket of that overcoat.

There is a basketball scene which will entertain most dogs who dream of being able to join in ever since they saw Scooby Doo do it once. Word of warning: their worst nightmare is that the ball gets stuck, bouncing under their chins (they saw it in a Jerry Lewis film once).

Cats are a pretty racist bunch and may enjoy this movie too much. According to our Conspiracy Department, Adolf Hitler has been reincarnated about 3 times so far, coming back each time as a fat black tabby.

Crushy type snakes may forget themselves and suffocate any living form they were cuddling fondly at the start of this movie. Ensure enough snake stun repellent is on hand throughout.

No awards, unless there is an award for the use of the f-word in a gruelly hard racist movie. Rarely in movie history has the f-word been used so much and yet so artlessly.