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American Psycho

Play trailer 2:02 Poster for American Psycho R Released Apr 14, 2000 1h 43m Comedy Mystery & Thriller Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
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68% Tomatometer 156 Reviews 85% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
In New York City in 1987, a handsome, young urban professional, Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale), lives a second life as a gruesome serial killer by night. The cast is filled by the detective (Willem Dafoe), the fiance (Reese Witherspoon), the mistress (Samantha Mathis), the coworker (Jared Leto), and the secretary (Chloë Sevigny). This is a biting, wry comedy examining the elements that make a man a monster.
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American Psycho

American Psycho

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Critics Consensus

If it falls short of the deadly satire of Bret Easton Ellis's novel, American Psycho still finds its own blend of horror and humor, thanks in part to a fittingly creepy performance by Christian Bale.

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Critics Reviews

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Wendy Ide Times (UK) ... A ferociously intelligent, horribly violent and darkly funny parable of greed and violence. Apr 25, 2023 Full Review Lisa Alspector Chicago Reader The slick satire cleverly equates materialism, narcissism, misogyny, and classism with homicide, but you may laugh so loud at the protagonist that you won't be able to hear yourself laughing with him. Mar 28, 2011 Full Review Desson Thomson Washington Post It's hard to summon up enthusiasm for a performance so rooted in bloody banality. I mean, as Patrick, Bale's most emotionally pressing dilemma is: Chainsaw or butcher knife? Mar 28, 2011 Full Review Grant Hermanns Screen Rant Mary Harron's American Psycho is still a masterclass in suspense and faithful adaptation, though Christian Bale's performance is still the highlight. Rated: 8/10 Jan 3, 2025 Full Review Brian Bisesi Horror Movie Club Podcast The film’s crisp and controlled style is immediately appealing, but things become repetitive in the film’s second act. Luckily the open-ended and frenetic conclusion makes for an even more compelling examination of the film’s themes. Rated: 3.5/5 Nov 13, 2024 Full Review Chuck Klosterman Akron Beacon Journal I will not give away the ending to American Psycho, but I will say this: The last three scenes are implausible and unnecessary (and totally unrelated to the book) and the ending includes the cheapest, most manipulative trick in filmmaking. Rated: 2/4 Oct 28, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Wyatt K I just love being able to see old movies in the big screen. Being born too late for the great bands is a drag, but it's great to be able to see old movies in the way they were supposed to be seen. Love retro days. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/07/24 Full Review Sid I love this movie! That chainsaw seen on the big screen was everything! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/01/23 Full Review Tagen K Everybody has to see this movie at least twice or more! It’s great it may not be for everybody but it is for me. I understand why some people may hate this movie because it’s gruesome and full of sex. It’s quite unique as it is told from the killer’s perspective so you never know if the things that he says or does actually happens. Anyway I wanted to keep this short but I love this movie to bits and I 100% recommend it. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/09/25 Full Review Blu B All Time Classic. The music is excellent and so clever. It always relates to the actions in a scene and is super catchy as well really immersing you in the 80's era. The acting is excellent as well highlighted by Bale who gives the performance of a lifetime as Patrick. The satrical line delivery, dark humor, and truly self absorbed disturbing performance by Bale is amazing. Dafoe is excellent also along with a really good supporting cast. The cinemaotgraphy is excellent also with great direction, extremely memorable kills, disturbing and funny scenes all with a low budget feel. The editing is really good and excellent pacing. It's very obvious this is a satire but also a disturbing horror film as well. You laugh, you get creeped out, rinse and repeat. Patrick is almost impossible to turn away from because of the charisma he has and a truly fasinating train wreck to see unravel. The twist is really good too and really clever. There are clues hidden all thorughout the film looking back and makes perfect use of the comedic tone. While it can see like it has a bit of an episodic feel and a lot goes on it does a really good job linking things to other scenes loosely with one action linking to the next to set things up. It's a truly unique kind of horror comedy that relishes in it's dark disturbing setup. It's commentary may escape people and this probably requires multiple viewing to truly absorb everything but it's so well made and unique I can't imagine someone not be interested on some level with this. Everyone should give this a try once. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/04/25 Full Review Lorraine P Having just watched this film for the first time I was blown away by it and its now one of my all time favourite films.Christian Bales best performance in my opinion and thank goodness he got the role in the end otherwise it wouldn't have been such a masterpiece Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/03/25 Full Review Augustine H Christian Bale won an Oscar but with the wrong film. Definitely his best performance. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/29/25 Full Review Read all reviews
American Psycho

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American Psycho

American Psycho: Official Clip - Ed Gein's Philosophy of Women American Psycho: Official Clip - Ed Gein's Philosophy of Women 1:00 American Psycho: Official Clip - Sussudio American Psycho: Official Clip - Sussudio 2:37 American Psycho: Official Clip - Die Yuppie Scum American Psycho: Official Clip - Die Yuppie Scum 2:10 American Psycho: Official Clip - The Greatest Love of All American Psycho: Official Clip - The Greatest Love of All 1:21 American Psycho: Official Clip - No More Barriers American Psycho: Official Clip - No More Barriers 1:12 American Psycho: Official Clip - Dinner Reservations American Psycho: Official Clip - Dinner Reservations 2:20 American Psycho: Official Clip - Feed Me a Stray Cat American Psycho: Official Clip - Feed Me a Stray Cat 1:52 American Psycho: Official Clip - A Pretty Sick Guy American Psycho: Official Clip - A Pretty Sick Guy 2:38 American Psycho: Official Clip - Hip to be Square American Psycho: Official Clip - Hip to be Square 2:26 American Psycho: Official Clip - I Gotta Return Some Videotapes American Psycho: Official Clip - I Gotta Return Some Videotapes 2:03 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis In New York City in 1987, a handsome, young urban professional, Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale), lives a second life as a gruesome serial killer by night. The cast is filled by the detective (Willem Dafoe), the fiance (Reese Witherspoon), the mistress (Samantha Mathis), the coworker (Jared Leto), and the secretary (Chloë Sevigny). This is a biting, wry comedy examining the elements that make a man a monster.
Director
Mary Harron
Producer
Christian Halsey Solomon, Chris Hanley, Edward R. Pressman
Screenwriter
Bret Easton Ellis, Mary Harron, Guinevere Turner
Distributor
Lionsgate Films
Production Co
P.P.S. Films, Lions Gate Entertainment, Edward R. Pressman Film Corp., Muse Productions, Quadra Entertainment
Rating
R (Language|Drug Use|Strong Violence)
Genre
Comedy, Mystery & Thriller, Horror
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 14, 2000, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 13, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$15.0M
Runtime
1h 43m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Dolby A, Dolby Digital, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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