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Home , Christian Bale, Jared Leto, Mary Harron, Patrick Bateman

(2000)

Patrick Bateman: Ask me a question. Club Patron: So, what do do? 2000 Bateman: I’m into, uh, well, murders and executions, mostly. Patron: Do you like it? Bateman: Well, it depends. Why? Patron: Well, most guys I know who are in Mergers and Acquisitions really don't like it.

Set in 1980’s , American Psycho follows the day-to-day life of wealthy Wall Street yuppie , brilliantly portrayed by . Bateman spends his days indulging in expensive dinners, keeping up with the latest trends in popular music, parading around New York with his fiancée Evelyn (played by a young Reese Witherspoon) and his equally snobby Wall Street partners. After dark, however, Bateman sheds his fake persona and leads a secret life as a serial killer, murdering countless people to satisfy his monstrous urges. Throughout the film, the audience gets an inside look into Bateman’s mind, with his narration revealing his constant internal struggle to fit in with society and impress his fellow yuppies, American all while trying to restrain his murderous instincts. As time passes, Bateman slowly becomes less capable of controlling his homicidal tendencies and begins to lose his grasp on sanity. Everyday interactions begin to set Bateman off, with something as simple as a

/GETTY IMAGES /GETTY STUDIO: (2000) DIRECTOR: Bad Business STARRING: Christian Bale, Reese Witherspoon, Chloë Sevigny, Justin By Garrett Kim Theroux, , PHOTOS BY HULTON ARCHIVE / HANDOUT HULTON BY PHOTOS

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coworker’s superior new business card plunging him into a murderous rage. 2000 As Bateman teeters on the brink of a rampage, NYPD detective Donald Kimball (Willem Dafoe) starts asking questions about his involvement in a recent murder, and causes Bateman to question just how thoroughly he hid the criminal evidence. What sets American Psycho apart from other terrifying fare is the quick humor sprinkled throughout, creating very dark comedy at some points. The film satirizes Wall Street yuppies, symbolically equating their materialism and status seeking with other, much darker obsessions.

■ Watch for it: Throughout the film, Bateman constantly misidentifies his friends for one another, showing how little individuality there really is in his dark, horrifying Wall Street world. DARK STREETS

Brett Easton Easton Ellis published his third novel, ■ Watch for it: Many times, it seems American Psycho, in 1991—just a few years after the almost obvious that Bateman is “Black Monday” stock market crash that brought the committing his crimes, yet everyone go-go 80s to a screeching halt and made everyone around him is too self-centered to leery of dangers lurking in ’s financial notice or care. district. Many viewed the book as an indictment of "I live in the American Gardens Building on vicious capitalism and shallow materialism. Due to the book’s heavy violence and sexual ■ Question to ponder: Has Bateman W. 81st Street on the 11th floor. My name is content, American Psycho was universally dismissed, really killed anyone at all? Could it be that Patrick Bateman. I'm 27 years old. I believe in and in some countries, it was sold only if shrink- his crimes are simply his imagination taking care of myself and a balanced diet and wrapped. It’s no surprise that the film adaptation was running wild? rigorous exercise routine. In the morning, if met with similar controversy, instantly earning an NC- 17 rating for its excessive violence, sex, and my face is a little puffy, I'll put on an ice pack disturbing content. while doing stomach crunches. I can do 1000 The film, directed by Mary Harron, was released on now. After I remove the ice pack I use a deep April 14th, 2000 at the . Upon pore cleanser lotion. In the shower I use a the film’s first showing, it split audiences and critics in SERIAL-KILLER COOL two, with some expressing endless praise for the film, SPIN-OFF SPREE water activated gel cleanser, then a honey and others showing a disdain for the film’s disturbing violence and sexual content. While Christian Bale was creating the character of Patrick Bateman, he looked at a American Psycho’s cult-like popularity almond body scrub, and on the face an number of different real life serial killers for mannerisms he could adopt for the character. has inspired numerous spin-offs, such as exfoliating gel scrub. Then I apply an herb- Bale eventually found someone perfect to model his character after, although it wasn’t a a direct-to-video sequel in 2002 titled, mint facial mask which I leave on for 10 The Late Show With serial killer. One night, when Bale was going through old episodes of American Psycho II: All American Girl, minutes while I prepare the rest of my routine. David Letterman, he stumbled across an interview with fellow actor , and went starring Mila Kunis. More recently, a CAREER SUICIDE on to base Bateman off of Cruise’s eccentric mannerisms. According to director Mary musical adaptation was produced, I always use an after shave lotion with little or Harron, Bale noticed a “very intense friendliness with nothing behind the eyes.” debuting in London in December 2013, no alcohol, because alcohol dries your face out Many different actors were tied to the project before with Doctor Who actor playing IMAGES /GETTY and makes you look older. Then moisturizer, Christian Bale was cast as the lead. Leonardo DiCaprio, , and were all at one the role of Bateman. Currently, FX is then an anti-aging eye balm followed by a final developing an American Psycho point signed on to play Patrick Bateman, but dropped “Duct tape. I need it for ... television series. Set in present day, the moisturizing protective lotion." out due to the film’s controversial nature. Many of series will feature a 50-year-old Patrick —Excerpt from Brett Easton Ellis’ 1991 novel, Bale’s friends urged him to do the same, telling him —Patrick Bateman American Psycho taping something.” Bateman training a young protégé to American Psycho. that a film like would be career continue his dark legacy. suicide. However, these worries only made Bale even TOP: PHOTO BY JANNISWERNER / ISTOCK / THINKSTOCK IMAGES THINKSTOCK / JANNISWERNER / ISTOCK BY PHOTO TOP: PHOTO BY HULTON ARCHIVE / HANDOUT HULTON BY PHOTO more eager to pursue the role.

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