10 Almost Perfect Movies (With One Terrible Scene)
6. Derek's TV Interview - American History X
American History X, for the uninitiated, is a visceral, challenging, and horrendously gritty movie that explores powerful themes like hatred, racism, and redemption. It also features a leading performance from Edward Norton that many cinefiles would argue is his best. Sadly, there is one scene that will leave you giggling unintentionally.
The moment in question shows an old TV recording of an interview with the movie's lead, Derek. It depicts him talking to a news reporter right after his father's death and sews the seeds for his path to becoming a neo-Nazi.
Unfortunately, rather than hiring a younger actor to play young Derek, the filmmakers just took Norton and stuck a backwards cap on his head, and it sure does look silly.
Norton is, quite clearly, an adult man wearing ill-fitting, stereotypical teenager clothes. While it's not as bad Steve Buscemi's "How you doing fellow kids meme," it's not too far off. This is woefully distracting in an otherwise pitch-perfect sequence.
The next time you see slightly awkward digital effects used to de-age actors, don't forget how far things have come.