'Darkness very darkness is sectional' - Gertrude Stein

Rating: 10/10 (19 May 2012)

American PSYCHO, 12 years after its release as a film, retains its power as a very dark human comedy. Based on the popular Bret Easton Ellis novel and adapted for the screen by Guinevere Turner and director Mary Harron it has the effect on the surface of being a brutally disgusting horror story but if the viewer stops there the point of the tale is missed. This is a parody on human behavior pushed to extremes and one of the main reason if works so immensely well is the fine performance by Christian Bale as the title character.
Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) is an obsessive compulsive, style driven, ego maniacal successful wealthy Wall Street figure, working for this father's company. The film wisely dwells on the manner in which Patrick starts every day - doing abdominal crunches and weight lifting (the resulting boy Bale built is stunning eye candy!), every lotion and potion he puts on his face to keep his youthful appearance, dressing in the most expensive clothes and concentrating on reservations in the most expensive and exclusive restaurants for lunches and dinners with his associates (Justin Theroux, Josh Lucas, Bill Sage). Critical of even the appearance of the outfits and shoes of his secretary (Chloë Sevigny) and polished like a gleaming Tiffany diamond, he is as shallow as those around him in the 'look at me' 1980s. He is dating a would-be fiancée (Reese Witherspoon) but pays little attention to her. Instead, at night Patrick murders people: he picks up hookers, kills them and mutilates them, hiding them in plastic bags like so much discarded clothing. He also murders street people for no reason and then begins a killing spree that reveals how completely psychotic he is, pretending to be a person he has already killed (Josh Lucas). The only law enforcement person on the scene (Willem Dafoe) but so little that he can be overlooked.
American PSYCHO is a film that packs a wallop and Christian Bale gives a bravura performance. It is becoming a cult classic and that designator is well deserved.
Grady Harp