Review of American Psycho (2000) by Halfwelshman — 20 Jan 2012

American Psycho is one of the most deranged yet enjoyable stories ever committed to film. A satire of the "yuppie" lifestyle of the 1980s, and a warning against the corrupting power of money, it's expertly told, well-scripted, somewhat disturbingly funny, and grusomely thrilling.

The entire film pretty much hinges on one performance, that of Christian Bale's increasingly disturbed Wall Street trader-by-day and serial killer-by-night Patrick Bateman. Bale doesn't disappoint, delivering the performance of his career, and in the process creating a horror villain to rival Norman Bates, and an anti-hero and chillingly disturbing narrator to rival Alex DeLarge.

Comparissons to such films as Psycho and A Clockwork Orange are inevitable, and American Psycho could be seen as an affectionate tribute to both, but with its own ideas to add to the bubbling cauldron of depravity.

All these films use madness as a metaphor for something wrong with society - in Psycho it's misogyny, in A Clockwork Orange it's the corruption of government, and in American Psycho it's the evils of capitalism.

The films are similar in many ways, amd vastly different in others, but all three communicate a powerful message to their audience extremely effectively. American Psycho certainly deserves equal recognition as a film - the performances are just as good, the story just as engaging, the underlying themes just as dark and compelling.

Even director Mary Harron shows great flair in her art, though sadly as a cult film director she is unlikely to be classed in the same league as so-called "masters" as **** and Kubrick. If you enjoy the film, cult icon as it is, then feel free to be smug in the fact that you and a select group of others appreciate a truly fine, though criminally underrated film.