Taking one of the most violent novels ever written and transferring it to the big screen was always going to be a big ask. One of the big unfilmables that included Naked Lunch and M Butterfly, American Psychos journey from page to screen saw several directors, writers and even a brief Leonardo DiCaprio flirtation before Christian Bale cemented his adult screen credentials and, in essence, provided a hundred minute Batman audition. Patrick Bateman is an empty husk of a human being. Real emotions pass him by and his friends are a parade of sharp suits and Prada dresses. His biggest obstacles each day are to decide which slasher films to work out to and the colour of his business cards (Bone). With the appearance of Paul Allen (Jared Leto) a rival who think hes someone else, Batemans world descends into murder, blood and Huey Lewis and the News. From there, homeless men, high class women and vulnerable prostitutes are murdered. All this heads towards an ending where the past might not be real and Bateman realises this is not an exit. The film is awash with what appears to be misogynistic violence but in the hands of director Mary Harron and screenwriter Guinevere Turner, Bateman is always the butt of the joke. This is a man who thinks he is the centre of everyones universe and is different inside whereas he is the same as the anonymous male morons who litter his life discussing which club to go to and which suit to wear. The sex and violence is often shot with such a ludicrous hue of eighties slashers that when the final revelation comes, although it annoys many viewers, you find it sort of makes sense. As for the blood? Well, its awash in Wall Street, obviously during the naked chainsaw chase but also when Jared Leto gets an axe to the back as Bateman cries, Try getting a reservation at Dorsia now, you f*****g stupid b*****d!.
