Capsule Film Review: American Psycho (2000)

Based on the controversial best-selling novel by Bret Easton Ellis, 2000 drama American Psycho has plot set in 1987 New York. Main character, played by Christian Bale, is Patrick Bateman, 27-year old vice president of investment banking firm who is immensely wealthy, but whose life of luxury and excess creates emptiness that will be filled only when he starts murdering people. Although American Psycho was reasonably successful at box-office and although Christian Bale delivered one of his early iconic roles, this film is far from satisfactory. This mostly due to director and co-writer Mary Herron who missed the point of Ellis’ novel and removed most of the references to Reagan’s America, including the interesting idea of psychopathic yuppies being not so different from serial killers. The result is a confusing film that was made both long before and after its time.

RATING: 2/10