American Psycho

Released 2000
Stars Christian Bale, Willem Dafoe, Jared Leto, Reese Witherspoon, Samantha Mathis, Chloe Sevigny
Directed by Mary Harron

This movie is not for the squeamish. It's a wickedly funny satire of the "me"-generation yuppies of the late 1980's. Considering the fact that the main character is a serial killer, it's surprising how funny this material is as we watch Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) descend into sheer homicidal mania. Patrick is a 27 year-old vice-president of a Wall Street firm, whose friends are his fellow thirty-something co-vice-presidents of the same firm (isn't it odd how there's no limit on how many vice-presidents companies have?). The men don't actually seem to do any work. Instead, they obsess over their lunch and dinner dates at the trendiest restaurants, their designer suits, who has the best apartment, and best of all who has the classiest off-white business card. Don't underestimate the importance of business card envy as it leads to one character's beheading.

What sets this movie apart from other satires of superficial, vacuous yuppies is its horror aspect. Patrick is a psychotic serial killer, who really just wants to be normal but can't control his ever-growing urge to kill. Is it because he's in a position that carries a lot of respect but is actually powerless? Is it his vapid lifestyle that has no meaning whatsoever? Is it his obession over bad '80s pop music? Is it because he's insane? Obviously, it's all those things and others, but the story's purpose is to bash men and our ever-present need to compete and dominate each other. When someone has all the tools and desire to win but doesn't know how to win, I guess you get Patrick Bateman.

Summary by Bill Alward, December 16, 2002