(2000) **
American Psycho is a glimpse into the life of Patrick Bateman, a wealthy man who works (or sits in an office not working) for his father's Wall Street company. Patrick is a psychotic narcissist with some major obsessive compulsive tendencies and a penchant for violent killings. He is also very competitive with his colleagues when it comes to business cards and restaurant reservations.
I feel dirty after watching this film--and its not because of the blood and sex and violence. Those scenes were pretty fun. It's more the fact that I've only ever heard people sing this films praises, and I just kinda thought it sucked. I wanted to like it. I really really wanted to like it--but I just didn't. I only squirmed during one scene involving a cat and an atm. I found the flick's inconsistencies distracting and they disrupted my ability to find the character believable or get into the movie. Hell I was bored during a number of parts--and who wants to be bored in a psycho thriller horror flick? So after years and years of hearing how freaking wonderful American Psycho is, I feel dirty and wrong for my reaction to it: purely disappointed.
Then again, maybe people just liked Christian Bale's body. I know that was one of the redeeming qualities for me.
yup, pretty hot
So how do I break down this movie?
One star for the months of preparation Christian Bale did to get his body into that shape. Plus another star for the blood, sex and violence, minus one star for the stupid perfectly timed chainsaw hitting the target multiple stairs below. Plus one star for the intense business card competitions. Plus one star for the cast. Minus two stars for the boring heavy handed commentary about 80's wall street greed and self absorption that made me regret my time spend watching the film. Plus one more star for the other redeeming features including how Patrick's character imparted some major wisdom to the audience: a good work out routine and beauty regimen is imperative. Also important, good taste in music (Patrick likes Huey Lewis and the News, Genesis, and Whitney Houston as they make a great soundtrack for murder), and keeping your torture and killing utensils neat and orderly and how to cover furniture with plastic sheeting before any major blood letting and good taste in music. Leaving what I consider to be a generous 2 stars.
even then, he wanted to be Batman
