American Psycho
By Charlotte Dekle
It's hip to be square, the Huey Lewis and The News song. That seems to be the anthem of this iconic movie about a charming psychopath. Patrick Bateman's has sadistically enchanted audiences since his inception in Bret Easton Ellis's novel. As Bateman states, “[Hip To Be Square is] not just about the pleasures of conformity, and the importance of trends, it's also a personal statement about the band itself.” This is exactly what Bateman wants his life to portray. He is the ideal person, attractive, intelligent, well-paying job, and well versed in many political topics. But also a serial killer, or is he? He prides himself on being superior to everyone around him. The small minutiae of dinner reservations and business cards are seen as the most important thing in the world. Bateman enjoys that he has a slightly better haircut than his co-workers. I love this movie for many reasons. It is a wonderful satire about the shallow consumer lifesyle of the 1980s and it all boils down to business card stock and fancy restaurants. I love this movie because it can be seen from so many different lenses. Some hail it as a feminist masterpiece for dismantling the toxic male archetype. Some see it as glorifying these same toxic archetypes. Both stances are accurate. This entire movie can be left up to interpretation, especially the ending. WARNING: This movie is very graphic and violent.
logline: A wealthy New York City investment banking executive, Patrick Bateman, hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his co-workers and friends as he delves deeper into his violent, hedonistic fantasies.
Source: IMDb
My Favorite Characters:
Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman: Bateman's status obsessed anti-hero. Scratch that. His status obsessed villain is wonderful to watch. Bale balances Bateman's perfect facade with a deep anger that's just bubbling benath the surface in one of the greatest film performances of all time. On the set, people didn't think he was a good actor. Boy, were they wrong! He plays this psychopath to perfection and almost makes you root for him. It also definitely makes you forget that Bale is British, a fact I forget too often. He disappears into Bateman's mask (both psychically and metaphorically, Bateman really cares about hygeine). If there's one thing to praise about this movie, it's Bale's performance.
Reese Witherspoon as Evelyn Williams: she's barely in the movie but she definitely makes an impact. That's a class Witherspoon role. Evelyn is Patrick's fiancee, much to his disappointment. She is almost as obsessed with status as he is which is saying a lot. Witherspoon adds her typical flare to a character that could've just been vapid and shallow. But now she's vapid and shallow but in a Reese Witherspoon way, and that's so much better.
This movie is rated R. Here’s why:
Severe Sexual Content and Nudity
Extreme Violence and Gore
Extreme Language
Drug and Alcohol Use
Frightening and Intense Scenes
Something I liked: SPOILERS AHEAD. I love that everyone is caught up in their own lives in this movie. When Bateman "murders" Paul Allen, he stuffs his corpse in the back of a cab and no one notices. Even when co-workers walk by. This apathy is also apparent when Bateman was discussing his job and he says 'murders and executions.' Basically confessing to murder but the people he's with hear 'mergers and acquisitions.' Even when Bateman blatantly confesses to murder, people laugh it off as a joke. It all makes you wonder, did Bateman really kill anyone or was it all a ruse orchestrated by his mind?
Where to Watch:
For rent or purchase on all major platforms
Image source: IMDb