Great Acting, Graphically Violent, Near Miss Overall

Rating: 7/10 (3 September 2002)

"American Psycho" is purportedly a satire of the 1980s Wall Street culture of greed, but sadly, I don't understand what is being satirized. The characters seem cartoonish, and impossibly venal and corrupted. Is this really the culture of America's big investment banks and its running dogs? After this year's corporate scandals, maybe "American Psycho" would be an improvement.
Politics and sociology aside, "American Psycho" is an uneven film. The acting is superb and Christian Bale's portrayal of the sociopathic young banker, Patrick Bateman, drips cold menace even while ordering dinner. The first two-thirds of the movie are very effective, walking a narrow line between horror and satire. But during the final third, the film changes direction, loses focus, and doesn't finish well.
I'm conflicted whether to recommend this movie. The film is graphically violent and misogynistic (and as a consequence, disturbing). If you can handle rough films, you might give it a try. But in my opinion, "American Psycho" is a near miss.