American Psycho
| release date | January 21 2000 |
| studio | Lions Gate Films |
| director | Mary Harron |
| writer | Bret Easton Ellis, Mary Harron |
| starring | Christian Bale, Jared Leto, Reese Witherspoon, Bill Sage |
| rating | R |
| tagline | Killer Looks. |
| trailer 1 | Trailer #1 |
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4 Comments
Based on a briliant book this movie is amazing! The acting is so good it makes your mouth water (or was that CHRISTIAN BALE’S abs?) The story is above average and so is the script the acting the directing everything about this movie makes it a masterpeice!!!! 10 out of ten!!!!!!!
“I HAVE TO RETURN SOME VIDEO TAPES” LOL
This movie was indeed fatastic. It was full of dark humor and sadistic slaughter. This movie has a bit of everything great in a serial killing movie including a big “screw you” to high society. This movie is a needed fresh look at this genre and it comes through with complete success. Nothing like dropping a chainsaw downa flight of stairs on a fleeing victim or confessioning your crimes to def ears.
wonderfully underated masterpiece of a film, unlike any other horror film villian ive ever known, very interesting elements, very very well cast, this movie made christian bale taken serious as an adult actor, and shed what was remembered of him as a child actor in empire of the sun, great film this was, very entertaining and a fun take on the 1980s…feed me a cat
This movie was awesome! I particularly like his “Hip to be Square” take. It made me laugh even when I probably shouldn’t have been. I had never seen it before but this ones going on my “to buy” list!
To be a truly intelligent, bitter and twisted individual; you have to see this movie and revel in it’s layers of insight and insanity. I highly recommend the book for even more grotesque escapades (Cheese and rats, Dear God..) and rants on Whitney Houston. Christian Bale makes psycho, sexy and Reese Witherspoon isn’t playing Sweet Home Alabama in this one. I only wish there was more time given to what exactly was done with the hanger and two girls..strange curiosity I know. In the end, it’s nice to look across a random bar playing “Sussudio”, “Hip To Be Square”, or ‘Simply Irrestistible” and notice the grins on a few faces knowing you’re both thinking the same deplorable thoughts and scenes.
Disturbed.
Unexpected.
Maniac.
Brutal.
Twisted.
Horrifying.
Insane.
All this with a sense of style!
Brilliant performance from Christian Bale.
If there is a single movie that suffuses as the poster-child for the countless “What was the point of that?” movies, it’s American Psycho. It’s not necessary bad, it’s just boring and pointless. It’s the kind of movie that will leave the average person thinking about their laundry when the credits roll rather than the movie itself. In other blunter words, the movie is wholesale forgettable from opening to closing. If you know anything about real-life serial killers, or have seen any other cliché serial killer movie, you’ve seen this. Hundreds of times.
It opens up just like every other first-person narrative movie, and some lines even made me wonder if they were copied directly from Fight Club. Regardless of when the two original novels were written, I think this just proves the insane unoriginality of both.
Speaking of unoriginality, American Psycho is nothing but one long, bloated serial killer cliché with nothing to differentiate it from the countless others just like it. The main character is a mix of Hannibal Lector and your average no-name B-movie serial killer. He does exactly what every other serial killer ever does: kill, have sex, and kill having sex. He’s a dull cliché with legs. (And a butt, if you want me to mention the constant immature use of rear nudity that has no point but to make the 13-year-old girls horny.) There is no real plot, just, as I said, kill and have sex, and that’s the “brilliant, masterful” plotting that everyone is speaking of. Kill, sex, kill, sex–I think we know what sells in America. That’s why American Psycho is just so safe. It’s a safe idea that has been used hundreds of times–kill, sex–and was destine to get great reviews because it plays so safe. I think we’ve learned by now that safe movies get the critic’s good scores, and safe movies sell. Am I really the only one who gets it? American Psycho is a movie for safe pansies who’s idea of a “brilliant, masterful” plot is: kill, sex, kill.
But with all the killing, I was left wondering: where is all this gore everyone is speaking of? How is this gory? Every single kill is off-screen. I’ve seen low-budget 60′s horror movies that show more gore on screen. There isn’t a single moment of brutality. There is less blood on screen than your average TV show. Did I mention this movie plays it all 100% safe?
If everything I just mentioned wasn’t bad enough, let me move on to the boring factor. The entire run time is a long, drawn-out talking scene. It goes from one conversation scene to another, with less action than your average drama. Maybe that’s because, no matter what you want to believe, American Psycho is a drama. It isn’t a horror movie–just the idea of typing that makes me laugh–and it isn’t an action movie. It’s just a cliché, dull drama.
The only good I can manage to scrounger up:
- Bale knows how to act.
- The chainsaw scene was interesting.
Now, back to the bad for my conclusion. American Psycho is a safe, boring, cliché drama and nothing more. It has some humor, but it’s all humor you’ve heard before. There is no intellectual meaning, unlike what some seem to think, and it isn’t entertaining. It’s so forgettable the exact thing I thought when the credits came on screen was: “I need to order some pizza . . .” and didn’t even remember I watched it until I sat down to write this reveiw the next morning. There are countless movies out there exactly like this, and I sometimes wonder if I’m the only person alive who even gets that there actually ARE interesting, entertaining, original movies out there to watch. Why did I waste my time on American Psycho?
This is one of my absolute favorite horror movies of all times. Incidentally, it is also one of my favorite comedies of all time. Patrick Bateman is quite possibly the greatest character in horror history. Everyone who calls themselves a fan of horror films needs to see this.
‘Huh?’ is what I muttered after seeing this extremely polarized film. This has got to be the best example I’ve ever seen of a ‘love it or hate it’ flick. I should mention that American Psycho is by no means a horror movie…at all. It’s a psychological thriller with elements of drama. It feels too long, and Christian Bale just isn’t a good enough actor to pull his weight in the role (though I will admit, I was impressed with him in this movie). Gorehounds should get away and never look back…there is almost no gore in the entire movie.
If you watch this film as a drama or a character study, you might get a kick out of it – but American Psycho is no more a horror movie than I am Santa Claus…
Great movie….
A pretty good adaptation of the book considering the novel is pretty horrific and the majority of it ‘unfilmable’. Read what happens when Bateman stuffs a pipe into a women’s vagina and lets a rat crawl up it!!! Instead of focusing on the brutality of bateman’s crimes the movie focuses more on the excesses and shallowness of the 80′s ‘greed is good’ attitude but it still is pretty disturbing, take the ‘hip to be square’ scene. If this movie was directed by a less experienced person, or a male, it would have been a balls to the wall gore fest so congratulations to Mary Harron for making something intelligent out of the grimy sick source material. Christian Bale, the fantastic actor he is truly absorbs and becomes Patrick Bateman, this guy is such a pleasure to watch on screen. His portrayal is funny and terrifying but really shows Bateman as the sad,pathetic self absorbed asshole he really is. Sick, disturbing book, pretty good film.
I really enjoyed this film, I will admitt I expected a little bit more of the red mushy stuff, from what I had heard about the novel anyway. But hey, when don’t I? It wouldn’t have necessarily gotten the point across any more, but it wouldn’t have satisfied us gore hounds a bit more adequately. Although, this was beautifully filmed, and acted… the length was a bit tedious… no prob though. I still loved this bad boy.
Brilliant performance by Christian Bale.
I love Christian Bale in anything! But this movie stands out, loved it!
Love this. So mind twisting and not a flat out horror. Amazing and scary.
My favorite horror movie. Patrick Bateman is the best. I love his personality and how he must be the best and image of perfecton. Great music and great kills.
- must note i haven’t read the book yet
I’m very torn on this movie.I love it and hate it at the same time.Christian Bale was great and so was the rest of the cast although Reese Witherspoon didn’t do much here.The whole chainsaw sequence ROCKED! And they were some other nailbitting scenes too.I also like how it starts off and tells his side.Rare in a film for the killer to be the lead and narrorator.My biggest complaint is the way it ended.It seemed very drugg out at times and then it ends like that!?Maybe one day they will make a sequel WITH Patrick Bateman.
By Far my Favorite Christian Bale film ever! It was full of dark humor and sadistic slaughter. Nothing like dropping a chainsaw downa flight of stairs on a fleeing victim or confessioning your crimes to def ears.
Christian Bale is so flawless and freaky in this movie! Totally feel bad for all the women killed in this feature. One of the best horror movies ever, but I would’ve liked to see more gore, I know I know, imagination is key..but regardless, a GREAT performance and AMAZINGLY flawless movie.
for a horror film this movie is not that good, but as a look through Bateman’s eyes this movie was amazing…
this was a great movie.
bateman was an awesome serial killer.
christian Bale played incredible.
this movie was actually very scary.
any horror fan should check this movie out.
Loved it Christian Bale was great in this role….it was a smart movie with great dialog also.
I saw this movie when it ran in the theaters and i was really impressed. Christian bales acting was brilliant, he deserved an oscar and the dialogue was superb. I really liked the Ed Gein thing he told his friends about and when he told his secretary that Ted Bundys dog was named Lassie, “Who’s Ted Bundy?” “never mind”. One of the most memorable death scenes is when he kills one of his co workers “Try getting a reservation at Dorsia now you f*@#ing stupid bastard!”. That death scene belongs among the tops with Captain Rhodes and the Omen photographers deaths.
Bales preformance really scared the shit out of me and five years after seeing this when i was watching Batman Begins i could not stop thinking about his American Psycho preformance (Batman=Bateman???).
Full Score!
Excellent very original
Fucking awesome
not scary but I did like this movie..I liked Christian’s acting…
Awesome movie up until the entirely shitty ending that makes the first half of the movie pointless.
One of my favorite films of all time. Bale is flawless and amusing. An interesting story line that keeps you guessing and wanting more.
TRY GETTING A RESERVATION AT DORSIA NOW YOU FUCKING STUPID BASTARD! YOU, FUCKING BASTARD!
Christian Bale is amazing in this. :] x
piece of SHIT!
before I saw this movie someone told me that it was one of those that either you love it or hate it. I must say I am not sure who to feel about it, it was engaging but so weird at the same time. None the less I thought it was a pretty good film
when i first seen this movie i think on hbo awhile back i was alittle freaked out i didnt know if the movie would turn out to be that good after seeing alot of gore but as i watched this movie over and over i realized that this movie is traight classic i like how christian bale who’s now famous for his role as batman played the role of the psycho in the movie and the other guy william dafoe was badass too i ended up loving this movie so much that i got the vhs myself i watched this shit everyday for like 4 weeks lol all in all its a pretty damm good movie that leaves guessing at the end of it all.
there is only one word to describe Christian Bale’s acting,the murders,the ending and generally the whole movie: excellence !
I went into this flick with pretty high expectations, and although they were not met fully, I did enjoy this piece. Patrick Bateman is fun to watch and gives us a very original serial killer. He reminded me a lot of about 90% of Jim Carey’s characters, but made even better by welding an ax or a chainsaw. He makes the film comical with his habits and actions, his memes are hilarious and show us just how messed up the guy really is. We never get a real reason as to why he does what he does, and that in my opinion worked well for this film. Bravo to Christian Bale for his performance in this film, I was surprised and impressed.
The direction in this film is positive, and it paces well. The kill scenes were pretty damn awesome, and did not stray away from the gore. I personally wish we would have had more kills on screen, it would have made this film a more enjoyable watch and helped it’s pacing a bit given we go for great lengths at times between kills. The writing is well done, and I applaud the film’s screenwriters for adapting this very well from it’s novel by Bret Easton Ellis. The way writer/director Mary Harron used actor Willem Dafoe as Det. Donald Kimball was genius, with us never knowing if he knows Patrick Bateman’s crime, he if thinks Bateman committed the crime, or if he has no clue of Bateman committed the crime or not. She went so far as to film each scene with Dafoe three times, with him portraying each one of the three elements I just mentioned each time, and then editing all three together, keeping the viewer in limbo. Genius.
There is not much I did not like about the film, only that I wish we would have had more kills which would have improved the pacing of the flick.
Overall, this is a good watch that I recommend to all, even non-fans of the horror genre. This flick works as a drama as well, so great character performances ensue. Be prepared for one of the most unique serial killers to grace the screen.
this is a really good movie. Bale is at his best i think. it’s very funny. the murder scenes are all pretty good. definately a must see!!!
christian bale was hot in this movie best movie he made and then the machinist
makes me feel….dirty
Great adaption of brets novel.The kills are better in the book but to be fare I don’t think they can show patrick cook and eat someone.
P.S. because it pisses me off so much yes the murders did happen.How do I know?The derictor said so in the commentary.Ha
Good adaption of the novel, the film loses a little on the kills, but gains a little on the business card scene. Overall it’s a good movie, but not a great one.
Excellent.
You know those movies that you love so much, when others say that they suck, you can literally feel the rage pulsing inside you and you have to stop yourself from repeatedly pistol whipping them? That’s this movie for me. IT’S PERFECT. My favorite movie of ALL TIME. If you don’t like this movie I just flat out judge you. Christian Bale deserved AT LEAST an Oscar Nomination for his performance because it was AMAZING.
There isn’t much in the world that I love as much as this movie. I can watch it a million times and still enjoy it. It is perfect filmmaking, best movie ever!!
Christian Bale’s best performance until this day.
Wow. The scene with the Huey Lewis song was epic.
“Hey Paul! AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!”
People seem to miss the movies message so let me clarify.The book was a satire about how consumerism and greed makes ones life empty.In the book patrick can’t help talking about what people are wearing but he doesn’t really know anyone on a emotinal leval.In the book like the film people constanly confuse him with other people.The reason for this is because no ones really paying attention to anything except there greed.The reason people don’t pay atteion when he does or says things is because they don’t want to “deal with it”.