Great idea, great book, not enough movie

Rating: 4/10 (22 October 2001)

The concept behind American Psycho is an original one, and it is THAT concept that encouraged most people to see it, but it's just so underdeveloped. There IS some development as far as our "one" character is concerned, but most of his ramblings don't explain his strange condition anymore than his actions do (if that makes sense). Those seeking explanation and understanding of the main character are left with much to be desired, while people just sitting through the movie are left totally confused (but forget those people, this is an artsy flic). The last line of the movie tries to explain it all in a single blow cutting to the credits even before you really get a chance to consider what he just said. American Psycho takes the format of a thriller or horror with lulls in between scenes of climactic events. Basically, while most of these movies put the viewer through a series of situations furthering the plot making you think more, only to be resolved (or somewhat resolved) in the end, this feature sends the mood up and down while explaining nothing. You never understand what the motivation is behind the murders at ALL, which is understandable if that was the intent, but NO motivation can sometimes translate to the viewer as NO plot, and that is simply the case. The movie ends with a line that should knock you in the gut and make you love the movie and understand the character, but rather makes you shake your head and want to start the whole thing over to find something tangible. It is beautifully filmed, and the confession scene is oscar worthy, but overall, the movie shoves itself across the boundaries of "artsy" and right of the cliff into nothing. Definitely worth the watch, but it's not life changing.