Review of American Psycho (2000) by Aaron C — 17 Jul 2018

Christian Bale's performance as a sociopathic serial killer here is one which manages to both make the audience laugh at him for his dry and sarcastic comments to others, yet also inspire an element of fear at the same time.

The music choices are excellent through the film in reflecting the inner workings of Bateman's mind and the film manages to create and build a real sense of tension both in its lead ups to each murder as well as a build up of tension within Bale's performance as well.

Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the film is the way in which the dark humour displayed by Bateman and his desires to appear normal in the face of friends who really know nothing about him. This aspect of his character is somewhat moreso seen in the modern day with people crafting a perception of themselves through social media, and his dark humour is also something more prevalent in the modern day, making him almost a relatable character which may possibly reflect the true self that often is kept hidden from others.

Overall the film is well worth a watch being funny, intense and thought-provoking and contains a fantastically entertaining performance from Bale who carries the film almost entirely on his own.