Wonderfully Acted and Tightly Directed

Rating: Null/10 (14 April 2000)

From the clever title sequence until the disarming but rather ambiguous climax, "American Psycho" is compelling entertainment. While entertainment hardly seems to be the appropriate word for a film that delves into the mind of a psychopath, its as fitting as one of the lead character's designer suits. Patrick Bateman is the film's antihero- a power hungry, woman hating, coke sniffing, hardcore porn enthusiast and Phil Collins fan. As well as a serial killer. With these less than admirable qualities, why is Bateman so damn likeable? Because he's been brought to life by Christian Bale, a Brit actor sporting a flawless American accent, infinite expressions, great comedic timing, and a six pack. Bale, best known as the little boy in Spielberg's "Empire of the Sun," but also very good in 1998's "Velvet Goldmine", is a star waiting to be born. No obvious comparison to another actor springs to mind. That's what makes him so interesting, and his performance so unpredictable. While Bale alone is enough to carry the movie, he's also surrounded by a stellar supporting cast, some who appear briefly, but to good effect. Willem Dafoe (watch out for him in the upcoming "Shadow of the Vampire") has a lot of fun as the detective questioning Bateman, who may or may not be one step ahead of him. Reese Witherspoon (whose lower half is mostly kept out of frame due to her pregnancy), as Bateman's bitchy fiancee, is very good as always, and has her best moment when she breaks down late in the picture, realizing her beloved Patrick is "inhuman." In the role of Bateman's mousy secretary, Chloe Sevigny is perfect. She has this quiet intensity about her, and if she hadn't been played as so sensitive, or looked as delicate, there would hardly be the sense of dread that there is when Bateman lines up his industrial strength nailgun to the back of her head. All these performances cannot be praised without acknowledging the director, Mary Harron, who very well could have channeled Stanley Kubrick before stepping behind the camera. The visuals are striking without being in your face, the editing is seamless, and the violence is never used for cheap shock value. Most importantly, the audience is not manipulated by a twist ending for the sake of a surprise, but is given a carefully calculated finale that has had quite some build up, which will leave you thinking for days afterward... like all great movies.