American Psycho (R) No Rating
Director Mary Harron adapts Bret Easton Ellis' controversial novel
concerning serial killer Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) who acts
out his male rage by killing women ... or does he?
Story
Bateman is young, handsome, successful ... and homicidal. This Reagan-era yuppie-gone-mad portrait is not a savory story. Fortunately, much of the
violence is off screen, and some of the more gruesome elements of Ellis'
novel were not in the script. Though Wall Street's 1980s excesses seem
dated, this black satire is oddly fascinating.
Acting
"American Psycho's" standout is Welsh actor Bale, whose convincing performance as a chainsaw-wielding sociopath is matched only by the pure delight of watching
Bale's sculpted physique. Willem Dafoe, Reese Witherspoon, Samantha Mathis and Guinevere Turner are at turns humorous, tragic and touching in the supporting roles, but who notices? Throughout the movie, Patrick flexes, poses and preens in all his tighty-whitie glory.
Direction
Harron, rather than concentrating on the murders, focuses on the excesses of Patrick's lifestyle -- expensive meals at exclusive restaurants, designer facial products and business cards printed on the finest paper. What could have been a run-of-the-mill serial killer pic is instead a mesmerizing account of the mystery behind a murderer.
Bottom Line
If you long for Reaganomics and hot bodies (and don't those two go together!), you'll like "American Psycho."
To get the full Quicklook Films experience, uncheck "Enable on this Site" from Adblock Plus
box office top 10
Civil War Released: April 12, 2024 Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura 11.1M
Abigail Released: April 19, 2024 Cast: Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens 10.2M
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Released: March 29, 2024 Cast: Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry 9.5M
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare Released: April 19, 2024 Cast: Henry Cavill, Eiza Gonzalez 9M
Spy x Family Code: White Released: April 19, 2024 Cast: Takuya Eguchi, Saori Hayami 4.9M
Kung Fu Panda 4 Released: March 8, 2024 Cast: Jack Black, Viola Davis 4.6M
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Released: March 22, 2024 Cast: Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon 4.4M
Dune: Part Two Released: March 1, 2024 Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson 2.9M
Monkey Man Released: April 5, 2024 Cast: Dev Patel, Sikandar Kher 2.2M
The First Omen Released: April 5, 2024 Cast: Nell Tiger Free, Bill Nighy 1.7M