American Psycho (2000)

Director:

Mary Harron

Writers (WGA):

Bret Easton Ellis (novel)
Mary Harron (screenplay) &
Guinevere Turner (screenplay)

Release Date:

14 April 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

No Introduction Necessary.

Plot:

A wealthy New York investment banking executive hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his co-workers and friends as he escalates deeper into his illogical, gratuitous fantasies.

Plot Keywords:

Fear | Materialism | Violence | Jealousy | Watermark

Awards:

4 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Christian Bale	...	Patrick Bateman
Justin Theroux	...	Timothy Bryce
Josh Lucas	...	Craig McDermott
Bill Sage	...	David Van Patten
Chloë Sevigny	...	Jean
Reese Witherspoon	...	Evelyn Williams
Samantha Mathis	...	Courtney Rawlinson
Matt Ross	...	Luis Carruthers
Jared Leto	...	Paul Allen
Willem Dafoe	...	Det. Donald Kimball
Cara Seymour	...	Christie
Guinevere Turner	...	Elizabeth
Stephen Bogaert	...	Harold Carnes
Monika Meier	...	Daisy
Reg E. Cathey	...	Al, the Derelict

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence, sexuality, drug use and language.

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish | Cantonese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:R21 | Brazil:18 | USA:NC-17 (original cut) | Philippines:R-18 | USA:R (Certificate #37205) | Argentina:18 | Australia:R | Canada:18A | Chile:18 | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-16 | France:-16 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:III | Iceland:16 | Ireland:18 | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:15 | Peru:18 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:R(A) | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:18 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:18 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | USA:Unrated (uncut DVD version)

Filming Locations:

Boston Club - 4 Front Street East, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Am Psycho Productions

Trivia:

Guinevere Turner, co-writer and actor of this film, has publicly stated that she hates the novel American Psycho and even threw a glass of water at the novel's author Bret Easton Ellis' face when she first met him, yelling at him, asking why he wrote such a "disgusting" book and has even called the book "trash". She herself has admitted to being offended by the graphic nature of the book and often asked 'Mary Harron' how could she make a film of such a "sexist" novel. Harron would argue that she doesn't find the book sexist and that she found it to be a satire of the behavior of men and the upper class. Turner has also admitted to only agreeing to write and actor in the film mainly because she couldn't find other work at the time and her Bettie Page project she was working on with Harron fell threw (Harron and Turner would eventually make The Notorious Bettie Page (2005) five years after American Psycho).

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: As Jean is leaving Patrick's apartment, she reminds Patrick of his lunch appointment the following day, but the second-half of Jean's line appears to have been dubbed. It is unclear what the actress was actually saying.

Quotes:

Patrick Bateman:Do you know what Ed Gein said about women?
David Van Patten:The maitre 'd at Canal Bar?
Patrick Bateman:No, serial killer, Wisconsin, the '50s.
Craig McDermott:So what did he say?
Patrick Bateman:"When I see a pretty girl walking down the street, I think two things. One part wants me to take her out, talk to her, be real nice and sweet and treat her right."
David Van Patten:And what did the other part think?
Patrick Bateman:"What her head would look like on a stick... "
[laughs]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Lunar Park (2011)

Soundtrack:

Suicide

A must see

Having read the novel by Easton-Ellis a year ago I was intrigued to find out how it could be made into a movie.

Whilst turned off by the totally uneccesary details of Batemans crimes in the book, I felt that Easton's insight into superficial 80's yuppie culture made it a classic.

Who could play a credible Bateman? Leonardo Di Caprio? I think not.

How would Mary Harron deal with those controversial torture scenes?

What we got was one of the finest movies I have seen for some time. Of course, those of closed minds will slate this film without even bothering to see it, simply because of the book's notoriety.

I was impressed to see how closely Harron followed the book, replacing the un-filmable seens with suggestion, aka ear-cutting scene from resevior dogs, so that you believe you have seen more than you have. There are more parallels with Tarantino, such as the use of classic (& non classic ) 80's pop to create a stylised feel to the movie, that has not been seen since Pulp Fiction.

Casting was superb, with Cristian Bale giving the performance of a lifetime, We, the audience, saw the souless monster within, Batemans superficial aquaintences, saw another faceless human being.

Just like the book, you are never sure wether Batemans crimes are real, or just imaginary, but his slide into insanity is clearly real and paced expertly by Bale.

Rheese Witherspoon as Evelyn was disappointing, "Election" showed what a great actress she is and although this role called for an airhead performance, it was clear that she was cruising.

Mary Harron deserves the credit for creating an excellent film, that could have so easily been just another slasher movie.