The People's Review of American Psycho
scrooge
score = 60
Having read the book a number of times I was intrigued by the
possibilities before actually seeing the movie. It was interesting but I
was not impressed. Christian Bale was very good as Patrick Bateman but the
rest of the cast had little substance. Why was it thought necessary to
change the character's names? Paul Owen/Allen - Timothy Price/Bryce. The
events were also taken out of sequence. Paul Owen was killed 2/3 of the
way through the book long after Bateman's first encounter with 'Christie'.
Bateman tells Jean to go home because he didn't think he could control
himself but this happened with a girl called Daisy whom he picked up in
Nell's. The girl he meets at the dry cleaners was later a victim of
torture and murder in the book but she disappears without trace in the
movie. Overall the movie did not remain true to the book and failed to
capture the true essence of Bateman. The violence could not be easily
depicted but they did their best. As it was mostly implied (come back
Hitchcock!) there was no shock value. Seeing the movie without knowing
anything about the story would habe been a strange experience.
essence
score = 90
don't you understand, there is nothing to get. it's all in you're head.
there is no right or wrong answer or interpretation. it is NOT about
psychology. it is a fictional story and you will get from it what you get.
symbolism is not something that is solid. you cannot describe something
that is personel and significant to an individual without contamination.
this move stands on its own and although you may try to explain it
in your own selfish, hypocrytical and egotistical ways you will never
detract from the significance of this deeply intellectually sustaining
movie.
scallbad@yahoo.com
score = 90
mary harron correctly dissects the self indulgent chum that ellis is wont
to overemphasize and cuts to the bone. while being dead-on as a
satire of the 80s with some of the funniest scenes put to film (the
business card envy scene), harron manages to show us patrick bateman's
brutal daydreams without once winking at the camera. it takes
courage to produce a film with no discernible moral compass and even more
so to feel confident enough in herself as a storyteller to not spell
everthing out to the audience. we appreiate it much more once we get
it. and although i immensely enjoyed fight club, 'psycho' was able
to pull off a coup by not succumbing to the multilex mindest and umbing
things down for the lowest common denomiator. brett easton ellis
could be well served to take note of harron's adeptsense of subtlety.
Jessy
score = 20
comments = Although it kept me interested, it ended abruptly w/ no real
resolution and i didnt think this movie was worth my time
Nick
score = 60
The film is brilliantly made, but the Director either
completely misunderstood the book, or chose to add on the little 'did he
or didn't he' bullshit to pacify american viewers. The bit when the lawyer
says "But I had lunch with him the other day..." is just yet
another example of the world of yuppydom where noone remembers eachothers
names, and noone really cares. It is there to show that Bateman will never
get caught because nobody will miss the people he kills - not a suggestion
that he didn't kill them. Read the book and you will see there is no such
suggestion. He is a brutal psycopath who lives in a such a characterless
faceless, nameless world he will continue to get away with his murders
whether he wants to or not. He feels a compulsion to own up to these
crimes, but how can he ever achieve the recognition he craves when even
his lawyer doesn't remember his name.
a stylish film - watch it.... but quite simply a MUST READ book.
Dimitris Staikos
score = 90
comments = Simply put it's a great movie. One of the few
out-of-the-ordinary movies. Just loved that finale :)
MLS
score = 100
For those of us who have read the book, this movie certainly does the book
justice. Christian Bale is PERFECT as Patrick Bateman, portraying a
morally empty, self-absorbed being of the morally empty, self-absorbed
80's. No one could have brought this much electricity and intensity
and glib perfection to the role as Christian has--and certainly NOT
Leonardo DiCaprio. And as a cold-blooded killer--well, did he or
didn't he? Again, this is one of those movies where if you haven't
already, you have got to read the book to gain a little more insight--we
look for one answer in movies and we want it to be handed to us, clean and
simple, no confusion, the end (like the Sixth Sense for example)--but
really, they hand you this plausible answer, that Patrick's killings were
only his fantasies meshing with reality--but let's take a step back and
remember what this story is based on--the morally empty and self-absorbed
80's. Yes, it is a lot easier to swallow that he only imagined these
killings--much harder to stomach that in such a time, in such a world,
selling a premium apt. is much more important than reporting a
murder--that the real estate lady actually cleaned the apt., removed the
bodies, so she could rent the space--I mean, who would rent the space
knowing that dead bodies once inhabited the apt.? A comical and dark
comment on the 80's by the author. Just my opinion, of course :)
Alienor
score = 60
Yes that's right, Americans are not ready for this film as it highlights
the main defects of their society ... i guess they don't get the big
criticism there is behind everything in the movie .. But i agree that this
movie is a little bit disappointing... well the plot doesn't
"catch" you and when watching it you can't really be
"in" the movie. There's something kind of boring in it .. oh and
i didn't understand the end also .. was it completely a dream ? it's weird
cause there are many things that prove he was dreaming but also that it
was real ... thats it i guess .. sorry for my english, which isn't perfect
at all, I am french ... :)
Angel
score = 20
This film promised so much yet delivered so little. Christian Bale
was correctly cast as Patrick Bateman and handled the character very well
indeed (and kind of reminded me of a cross between Jim Carey and Tom
Cruise!)but the plot was missing and the supporting cast was a bit lame in
comparison. This was enjoyable if only for the black comedy.
Nick: I think it was all going on in his head to display how thin the line
is between sane and insane, but i didn't get the fact that Evelyn was
going through his diary - if it didnt actually happen what was she so
suspicious of?
Nick
score = 80
I really liked the movie and I tried hard to understand the ending, but I
guess I'm one of those people that just didn't get it, but I still liked
it. Not just for the blood and sex but because it was a funny movie. Could
someone please tell me what exactly happened at the end and how he didn't
get caught?? At first I thought that some parts of it were a dream or
something, because that was the only explanation I could think of for it.
But I liked it very much
Joe
score = 10
Can't believe the reviews. How could a movie with no real plot and a
weak theme be rated so high? I no longer trust these sites that
review movies. There were more people laughing in the theater than
anything else. I don't think it was a comedy, but it was so bloody stupid
you had to laugh.
Unknown1
score = 10
What a terrible movie. What's the plot? What the point?
Dr. Cutchercocov
score = None
the flick was a bit "artsy-fartsy", but it still held up well,
but would've been better if it used mored of the novel's key elements. it
was, though, a great idea not letting leonardo dicaprio in the starring
role.from a scale o' 1-5, i give this flick a close 4
One
score = 90
This was one of the most amazing movies I have ever incountered. There
will be 2 people that will comment on this movie, those who understand it
at the end, and those that don't. This simple distinction defines the
human race between those that understand the mind and those that don't.
This movie was an amazing portrayal into the mind of Americana. To say
there is no plot and no point is not understanding the society you live
in. The main character is much more brilliant then they make him in the
movie, but most people won't see that because of his homocidal tendencies.
They won't understand the psychology of it all but its the most amazing
image of our desensitized country. A Must See!!
Pat B.
score = 80
I liked the movie... it was ...something different...the american
audiences might not be ready for it...but it was a good movie i think
Collins
score = 20
I gave this movie a 20, it was interesting, but had no plot, no theme and
no direction
yo mama
score = 80
I think i have to agree, there are people who got it and people who didnt.
this film is a satire on all criminally insane and how we perceve them.
this film is supposed to strike thought, it was supposed to be funny- that
is what a satire is! he isnt supposed to have a personality or a strong
plot. if you are not ready to think for once when you see a film dont see
this. i agree, most americans are not ready for this film.
Gab
score = None
This movie is a thinking movie. If you're looking for a mindless horror
flick like "Jason", this isn't for you. This movie is funny and
thought provoking at the same time. It is worth seeing if only for
Christian Bale's performance as Patrick Bateman.It is scary and intense.
Go
Back To Smartcine.com
|
Bret
Easton Ellis' "American Psycho" was perhaps the most
controversial and hotly-debated novel of the last decade. Inciting all
manner of protests for its graphic violence, its intensely dark tone made
both the book and its author the subject of intense criticism. But the
novel was not without its defenders. Christopher Lehmann-Haupt of The New
York Times noted that "it's as if 'American Psycho' had returned us
to some bygone age when books were still a matter of life and death
instead of something to distract us on a flight between JFK and LAX."
And, Lehmann-Haupt may have best conveyed the essence of the book in his
description of its central character: "Patrick Bateman lives in a
morally flat world in which clothes have more value than skin, objects are
worth more than bones, and the human soul is something to be sought with
knives and hatchets and drills."Few characters have personified an
era as disturbingly as Patrick Bateman. In the same way that FRANKENSTEIN
gave us a monster for its time, AMERICAN PSYCHO gives us a monster for the
late 20th century. Showing contemporary urban life through the eyes of a
serial killer -- forcing readers to enter his mind and understand his
motives -- the book sets forth a vision that is both terrifying and
chilling. © 2000 Lions Gate Films
