American Psycho
Rating - 18
Runtime - 96 mins
Director - Mary Harron
Written by - Mary Harron and Guinevere Turner
Based on the 1991 novel ‘American Psycho’ by Bret Easton Ellis
Starring - Christian Bale, Willem Dafoe, Jared Leto, Chloë Sevigny
American Psycho is a 2000 horror drama, directed and co-written by Mary Harron, whose other works include I Shot Andy Warhol, Charlie Says, and the upcoming film Daliland.
Set in 1987, the film story is told from the perspective of its main character, Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) - an investment banker on New York’s Wall Street whose murderous appetite starts to bleed into his work life after he murders his co-worker Paul Allen (Jared Leto). His problems worsen when he is investigated by Detective Donald Kimball (Willem Dafoe) on suspicion of Allen’s murder. Patrick's actions are driven by his narcissism and ego. He is clearly aware that he is a psychopath and has no true emotions or remorse towards any of his victims. He is very focused on his appearance, the way he presents himself and the way people perceive him. It becomes clear through the movie that Patrick doesn’t care about anyone else apart from himself. As he tries to keep up his act and blend in with the people around him, Bateman’s ‘hobby’ becomes harder to conceal and starts to take a toll on his sanity as his murderous desires grow.
Among the supporting cast of American Psycho are Reese Witherspoon, Justin Theroux, Josh Lucas, Samantha Mathis, and the film’s co-writer, Guinevere Turner. The musical score is provided by John Cale, a former member of the Velvet Underground and prominent avant-garde musician.
The movie’s based on the 1991 novel American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis. The character of Patrick Bateman has appeared minerally in other novels by Ellis including The Rules of Attraction, Glamorama, and Lunar Park. Compared to the original novel, the violence is less frequent and graphic but the film manages to keep the darkly satirical tone of the novel throughout. Though it has these humorous moments scattered throughout, they are not aimed at the expense of the people around Bateman but rather at Bateman himself. Instead of laughing with the character, we are laughing at him.
The director of American Psycho, Mary Harron, wanted him to play Patrick Bateman since she started working on the movie. But Lionsgate Entertainment wanted Leonardo DiCaprio to play the lead as he was more well known at the time and Harron was replaced by Academy Award-winner Oliver Stone. Soon after, DiCaprio and Stone left the project due to creative differences and Harron returned as director along with Bale playing Patrick Bateman.
There was an indirect sequel to the movie released in 2002 starring Mila Kunis called American Psycho 2. Originally titled The Girl Who Wouldn’t Die, the film was expected to be Kunis’ breakout role on the big screen after playing series regulars on That 70’s Show and Family Guy and it originally had no connections to its predecessor. These links weren't added to the script until halfway through the film's production and it became a sequel. It was released direct to video and currently holds a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Bret Easton Ellis has disowned the supposed follow-up stating it is not canonical.
On first release, American Psycho received mixed reviews, being met with confusion from both audiences and critics alike. But over the years it has become a cult classic over time and a classic movie in the horror genre. The film has also regained popularity through internet meme culture in recent years.
The movie’s ending can be interpreted in several ways by the viewer - could the murders that Patrick committed be a figment of his imagination? Are we seeing it the way he sees it, in a more romanticised light? Or was it all true? We, the viewers, are left to decide.
The script, co-written by Harron and Guinevere Turner, matches the tone of the book wonderfully, but also manages to bring so much more to its cinematic counterpart. The scene where Bateman kills Paul Allen is probably the best scene in the movie as it hits every note and has a practically flawless balance of horror and comedy, making it both unnerving and humorous. Paired with Harron’s direction, they make the film feel frighteningly ominous but lean into an mainly minimalistic and simple look.
Willem Dafoe is only on screen for around 8 minutes but still gives a stellar performance. The scenes with Dafoe’s Donald Kimball are edited from three different takes each scene. One where Donald doesn’t suspect Bateman as the killer, one where he is doubtful, and one where he knows Bateman did it. These were all stitched together, giving these scenes their uneasy feeling.
And, of course, Christian Bale’s performance is the standout part of this film. The commitment and effort he puts into his roles show in each of his performances and this is a prime example. This is one his most well-known roles from his over 30-year career and it is clear why when watching this movie.
American Psycho may be underestimated by some who have not seen it as just another slasher flick, but it’s much more than that. The film’s underlying theme lies in conformity (as Patrick Bateman explains during the ‘Hip to be Square’ scene) and egocentricity. Patrick’s main goal throughout the movie is to conform and be the same as every other man working on Wall Street in the 80s, trying not to show the empty husk of a man he really is, devoid of any emotion or empathy. Even when he blatantly tells someone about his double life as a serial killer, it is shrugged off as a joke, as much as he may try to convince them. Therefore, he is left doomed to live a life of misery, stuck in an endless cycle of meaningless social interaction and frequent homicides, for which he deserves no sympathy.
Score - 10/10
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