Quick Movie Review: American Psycho

7/10

An imperfect adaptation of a REALLY weird book it may be, but Christian Bale is superb as the worlds least stable trader. Actually, I'm not sure about that. After all, he doesn't do a lot of trading in this film, though if memory serves he did a bit in the book.

What he does is sit about listening to some of the most godawful music, spouting pseudo intellectual reviews of low rent pop albums as if they're great works of art.

This is pretty much the point - Patrick Bateman has no life (or opinions) of his own - the pinnacle of the world for him is to have a better business card than his colleagues. In fact, the only opinion he displays is popular opinion, hence his mantra like music reviews (I even get the impression they are verbatim repeating of reviews he has read).

And his mania is truly clear when he calls "Duke" the best Genesis album. If that doesn't show he's a menace to society, I don't know what would.

I have to tread carefully past his actual acts of violence for two reasons - one will become apparent as you get to the end of the film, the other is that they're really not that important. Sorry, but that's just the way it is - the film is about the compromising of your soul in the pursuit of wealth and accepted "success".

Thing is, Bateman has lost any ounce of humanity he once had and is, by his own admission, an empty suit - a facsimile of a businessmen, but wihout anything close to normal human emotions or feelings. He spends the time his Fiancée is talking about the wedding listening to Robert Palmer for goodness sake!

If all the performances seem caricatures this is because that is what they have become - the process of success has turned them into these barely human creatures.

What Bateman can't accept is that he is, on the face of it, incredibly successful - but STILL gains no respect from his peers and decides to take it out on those below him.

Of course, it's not quite that simple, but what is, really?

A

P.S. IMHO, the best Genesis album is Foxtrot. Watcher Of The Skies, Can-Utility, Get Em Out by Friday and Supper's Ready? Easy choice.