Synopsis

After serving three years in prison for murdering two Black men, a reformed neo-Nazi returns home determined to keep his younger brother from embracing the same racist ideology. As the family confronts the damage caused by his former beliefs, he struggles to break the cycle of hatred, violence, and manipulation that once controlled his life.

Factoids & Trivia

• Screenwriter David McKenna drew on experiences from his childhood and observations of violent behavior in the punk-rock scene.

• Principal photography took place in Los Angeles between March 17 and May 21, 1997.

• Edward Norton turned down a role in Saving Private Ryan to make the film.

• The film became known for a difficult post-production battle over its final cut. An early version ran approximately 95 minutes, while the released version was substantially longer.

• The finished film's black-and-white flashbacks distinguish Derek's earlier life from the color-present-day sections, reinforcing the contrast between memory, ideology, and attempted change.

• New Line Cinema released three deleted scenes on DVD, including material involving teenage skinheads, Cameron and Seth discussing Derek's transformation, and the aftermath of an attack on them.