(rated R, 100 mins.) Based on the controversial novel by Bret Easton Ellis, this story tells of a yuppie New York City stockbroker’s obsession with material goods and his parallel acts of brutality, rape, torture, and murder, during a time (the 80s), when image is everything.
Featured players include Christian Bale “Velvet Underground” who gives an Oscar worthy performance as Patrick Bateman. One has to wonder what Leonardo DiCaprio was thinking when he passed on this role for his recent flop, “The Beach”, although there is no way the pretty faced boy could have pulled this role off. Lionsgate films made the right decision going after the half Tom Cruise half Matt McConaughey look alike. Also starring Willem Dafoe as the questioning private eye, Jared Leto of “Fight Club”, Samantha Mathis as his fling, and Reese Witherspoon, “Pleasantville,” as his society fiancée who spends his bottomless expense account.
Come equipped with a vivid imagination for this one. Christian Bale delivers O.C.D. characteristics with lunacy, in his sick drive to suck up to a world where currency rules. He and his fellow Wall Street boys play ‘Masters of the Universe’, except stockbroker Bale gets off on chopping up his house guests. Mary Harron delivers a film minus the surgical stomach turning descriptions found in the book, with instead hip, stylized visuals that will remind you more of Kubrick’s “The Shining.” Harron says “Mel Gibson’s ‘Braveheart’ is more violent.” Think the in-control character of Hanibal Lechter in “Silence Of the Lambs” but not as much a drama as a black comedy. A ‘cut above’ no pun intended and the business card scene will have you running to your nearest printer’s office.