Reeling Backward: American Psycho (2000)
“American Psycho" is known for its popular memes, but in reality it’s filled with creepy horror and twisted humor.
More than likely if you're between the ages of 18-25, you've come across the "sigma male" content.
Memes featuring characters in films who play the lone wolf character are what every young man supposedly aspires to be. While there are tons of characters these men love, some characters tend to be more popular than others.
The most popular happens to be Patrick Bateman, played by Christian Bale in "American Psycho." Bateman is an investment banker on Wall Street who has everything you can imagine. Looks, money, and status.
But here’s the catch. Bateman is a psycho. Literally.
Under the professional mask, Bateman is a monster and is well aware of it. Being completely surrounded by a world full of materialism, misogyny and narcissism.
Bateman hates every aspect of Wall Street life. But decides to stay in it to “fit in,” which leaves him no choice but to…
Murder.
When I first saw the rise of "American Psycho" memes, I thought they were funny, even though I hadn’t watched the movie.
I wanted the wave of popularity to die down so I could watch it without being influenced by the hype. And even though I always had it on my list but never got around to it.
When I saw Netflix was streaming it, I decided to give it a try and see where it goes.
When I tell you what the memes show is completely different from what I expected, I mean it. The film completely grossed me out in every aspect. My impression was that "American Psycho" was about a charming man who goes around killing.
Which it is.
But the way Bateman's sadistic, mind is described and his premeditated murders. Are what makes this film so horrifying to me.
It completely caught me off guard and shocked me. The blood, the acting, the breakdowns, and even the dialogue were all shocking.
As someone who’s never been a big horror fan, I can definitely say that "American Psycho" is one of the scariest films I’ve watched. Maybe it’s because of the reality that "finance bros" might have a similar mindset. Combined with how brutal the movie is.
It's definitely a ride.
Something about seeing Christian Bale act like a complete lunatic while still being classy. It’s hilarious and frightening.
Willem Dafoe also puts up an amazing performance. Jared Leto makes a 10-minute appearance that is fun.
Even the side characters do an incredible job, and the combination of iconic scenes will make this movie unforgettable.
In other words, if you’re into horror and loved "The Wolf of Wall Street," "American Psycho" is a movie you’re going to love. But if you're just looking for something to leave you shocked and grossed out, this movie is most definitely something to watch.