AMERICAN PSYCHO
Patrick Bateman is...not right in the head. He tries to fit in as best he can, being a major contributor at a Wall Street business, and going to regular lunch meetings and club nights with his co-workers, but underneath it all, he is a cold, ruthless, psychopathic killer. As Patrick struggles to contain his blood lust, he also struggles to cover up his tracks, as a private detective is hired to investigate the disappearance of one of his victims.
Now I really do not know where to start this review, because my head is still full of how amazingly brilliant this film was! I guess we shall start at the beginning then, with Patrick Bateman, played expertly by the new Batman, Christian Bale, discussing restaurants, cocaine and who's handling different accounts at their business. The thing that immediately strikes me about the film is how pitch perfect the dialog is. There are several scenes that showcase how great it is, but I think the scene that perfectly sums up the clever dialog and pretty much every other great thing about this film is the Huey Lewis scene. If you've seen the film you'll know what I'm on about, but for those who don't know, you may want to get worried whenever Bateman starts discussing music. Very worried.
There's a lot to love about this film, and for me, that's always a problem when it comes to reviewing it, because when there's a great film, it's hard to praise it without sounding half-crazed. It's always easier to point out flaws in a film and discuss those than try and creatively discuss the good points of any film. American Psycho is a film that I have watched countless time over the past year and there are so many things I love about it, so I really do have no idea where to start.
I guess maybe we can start at Christian Bale. We've all seen the new Batman trilogy and Bale has become an even bigger superstar because of it, but I would argue that the subtle humor, charm and sophistication of Bales performance is at least a hundred times better than his work in the new Batman trilogy. The way he goes from a sensible businessman barely keeping it together to a deranged lunatic is not exactly the most gradual descent into madness ever seen in movie history, but it is certainly one of the most convincing and terrifying I've seen on film. The supporting cast is rounded off nicely with Reese Witherspoon as Batemans supposed fiance, Jared Leto as the slimy Paul Allen, and Willem Defoe as a weirdly unsettling detective.
If there's another thing to notice immediately about the film, it's the visual style. Everything is lavishly designed and looks fantastic, right down to the bizarrely small portions of overpriced food they have in the restaurants. The suits, the apartments, everything looks fantastic and it all helps to draw you in to Batemans weird and violent world. As the film goes on and Bateman unravels, so does everything else in the film. The music becomes more erratic, the styling loses its sheen and becomes more gritty, and the bizarre script just helps to amplify the surrounding elements, making this an engrossing and chilling experience that will be hard to forget in a hurry.
Score: 9.0/10
Ok I know that's a short review, but like I said, I've got more pressing matters to attend to. It might be like this for a while, but rest assured you'll still be getting the reviews, so really, there's no reason to complain. Is there? Anyway until next time internet!
There's a lot to love about this film, and for me, that's always a problem when it comes to reviewing it, because when there's a great film, it's hard to praise it without sounding half-crazed. It's always easier to point out flaws in a film and discuss those than try and creatively discuss the good points of any film. American Psycho is a film that I have watched countless time over the past year and there are so many things I love about it, so I really do have no idea where to start.
I guess maybe we can start at Christian Bale. We've all seen the new Batman trilogy and Bale has become an even bigger superstar because of it, but I would argue that the subtle humor, charm and sophistication of Bales performance is at least a hundred times better than his work in the new Batman trilogy. The way he goes from a sensible businessman barely keeping it together to a deranged lunatic is not exactly the most gradual descent into madness ever seen in movie history, but it is certainly one of the most convincing and terrifying I've seen on film. The supporting cast is rounded off nicely with Reese Witherspoon as Batemans supposed fiance, Jared Leto as the slimy Paul Allen, and Willem Defoe as a weirdly unsettling detective.
If there's another thing to notice immediately about the film, it's the visual style. Everything is lavishly designed and looks fantastic, right down to the bizarrely small portions of overpriced food they have in the restaurants. The suits, the apartments, everything looks fantastic and it all helps to draw you in to Batemans weird and violent world. As the film goes on and Bateman unravels, so does everything else in the film. The music becomes more erratic, the styling loses its sheen and becomes more gritty, and the bizarre script just helps to amplify the surrounding elements, making this an engrossing and chilling experience that will be hard to forget in a hurry.
Score: 9.0/10
Ok I know that's a short review, but like I said, I've got more pressing matters to attend to. It might be like this for a while, but rest assured you'll still be getting the reviews, so really, there's no reason to complain. Is there? Anyway until next time internet!
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