The neatest film of all time

Rating: 8/10 (15 April 2019)

A performamce that launched Christian Bale's career like a rocket into the sky, that also proves what an astonishing and adaptable actor he is. Playing the main role as Patrick Bateman he carries the show forward through murder and despise, in a film that is set to cause horror amongst viewers.
Even though Bale is the standout performer, other small roles like Willem Dafoe's character Donald Kimball and Stephen Bogaert as the lawyer Harold Carnes, all help to create the unsettling and tense nature of the film. It's an aura that constantly keeps the watchers at unease, making them feel the same way as Patrick about his cowerkers: That they indeed are pretentious self-focused phonies.
Another great thing about this film is the neat and clever use of sound effects, such as the famous scene where Patrick and his coworkers compete over who has the finest business card, where you can her small "whooshes" and flings as they show each other their cards. And even the neat sounds coming from their expensive shoes as they walk down the street. Neat is a great word to summarise thia film, and it is neat in more ways than the sound effects. From the previously mentioned nice looking business cards and the shiny leather shoes, to Patricks shower routines and his and his cowerkers visits to keen restaurants.
The cinematography and lightning of this film is also very good, making every scene that much more frightning and that much more good looking. The tone of lightning in this film is consistent and also the tone of the film itself, further emphasising the neat feeling of the movie.
The most spectacular thing about this movie though, is the uncertainty placed in Patricks visions and behaviour. It is clear that he is not psychologically well, and carries som clear anger issues. But is he really capable of murder? Does everything really unfold as he perceives it? The viewer only ever gets to see his perspective and one begins to wonder how much of it is actually real. This uncertainty is great, and in the end, the viewer is left wondering who Patrick Bateman really is, and what actually happened.
The downside of this film is perhaps that it didn't hit as hard as it could have. It touches the edge of a masterpiece, but just falls short due to the way it impacts the viewer; not as much as it could have. It is true that it is a great story, with great acting, but it didn't make you feel that discombobulated or perplexed or astound, especially the ending, which is no way bad, infact it is really great, it just didn't impact the same way other movies have, such as Martin Scorsese's Shutter Island or Christopher Nolan's memento.
Nevertheless, this is a fine piece of a movie, with great acting, a great story, and a great conclusion, making for the perhaps neatest film of all time. Well that played to Mary Harron!