Day 21: American Psycho

“Ask me a question.”

“So what do you do?”

“I’m into, uh, well murders and executions, mostly.”

“Do you like it?”

“Well it depends. Why?”

“Well, most guys I know who are in Mergers and Acquisitions really don’t like it.”

The music video “Love Lockdown” by Kanye West, was inspired by American Psycho. Check it out because it gives the same vibe, visually as the film being mentioned. There’s something to like about Patrick Bateman. He’s true to himself. He has homicidal thoughts and goes through with them without thinking of any consequences, and it leaves him with no remorse at all. We are brought into a world where he’s allowed to be able to do this, and experience his life as he goes through with the psychotic misdeeds throughout the film. It’s a dark comedy with a view on the yuppie culture its set in, as Patrick Bateman commits his inner most thoughts. 

We learn that the main protagonist, Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) has everything a young man could want. He has the money, good job, the beautiful fiancée, and the high class friends, but he wants more. His lust to be better  and his violent tendencies lead him to perform vile acts of murder throughout New York. Bateman’s lust of perfection and violence only gets stronger throughout the film, and it only compels him to commit worse acts. I’m not going to go into the final act of the movie, as it would contain major spoilers for anyone who has not seen the movie, but it’s take on the yuppie culture, people were so involved with themselves that no one cared what anyone said or did, that really stood out pertaining to our main character.

The amazing thing is how well Director Mary Harron turned this movie, being the novel was more about blood lust, and the movie more about men and vanity. Instead of a psychotic serial killer, Bale has portrayed Bateman as a man who seeks what all men want, just more to the extreme. It’s funny, because in Bateman’s profession, they are considered “killers” in their respective business, doing anything to get their deals done, and make their profit. For years this movie was passed around. Oliver Stone was set to direct, with Leonardo DiCaprio as the lead before ending up with Harron and Bale as the star. Harron has able to find a different Bateman in this movie; He’s narcissist driven by ego and fueled by greed. The best scene within the film is when Bateman and his colleagues are showing off their business cards, discussing all aspects of it, as if it were a competition to see who was the better man. What the book is most known for is the shocking way Bateman goes through with his acts of violence. The movie isn’t trying to show you how gory it is, but how a male can become so frenzied when his will is frustrated enough. What makes Bale so effective is that he portrays Bateman as someone who does all this so willingly and joyfully, without any thought of self preservation and what might happen if he is to be apprehended by the authorities. When he commits his acts of violence, it’s not like any other slasher movie. He does it like it’s his hobby, that its his everyday thing , and the world turns by, as it doesn’t really care.

Trailer: