American Psycho

USA 2000, 98 minutes
Dir. Mary Harron
English
Rating: [R18]
Genres: Suspense/Crime / Controversy

Topics: Period 1980s.

Feat. Christian Bale, Willem Dafoe, Jared Leto, Samantha Mathis, Chloe Sevigny, Reese Witherspoon

Aroview: Mercifully sanitised adaptation of Brett Easton Ellis' controversial novel, that wallowed in the depraved mind/antics of a homicidal Wall Street yuppie in the mid 1980s.

The female adaptation team take a satirical approach, which while making it more palatable, can't offer much more than heavy-handed irony or escape the feeling that it was just made at least a decade too late. And like the novel, too, it finds itself with nowhere to go once it's shown its limited, axe-wielding hand. Plus points are the striking 80s production design and Christian Bale's charismatic profile in the lead role. Music by John Cale.

NZ International Film Festival 2000

Member Reviews

Average rating (Good Enough). Showing 1-3 of 5 member reviews.

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1 star (Turkey) Perhaps I need to read the book, but this just came off as rather stupid satire about a delusional psychotic, completely shallow, investment banker who may or may not be a homicidal maniac. Yawn. ~GenXGirl
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4 stars (Very Good) Brilliant adaptation of an even more explicit novel, with a perfect role for the egocentric Bale (who plays a brilliant psychopath), you'll never be quite sure what Bateman will do next. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to return some videotapes. ~Tom H
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4 stars (Very Good) Seems to be saying that Bateman's tragedy is that his transgressions (his only hope of self-definition) count for nothing in the heartless world he inhabits. Excellent, disturbing. "Now try getting a &#$%! table at Dorsia!". ~HiFi