American Psycho / American Psycho II

Overview

American Physco by Bret Easton Ellis was published in March of 1991 and ended up receiving quite a bit of bad press. Feminists declared it as a 'cookbook' for people wanting to degrade / torture / kill women. The book is a morbid satiric tale about rich life in the 80s. I never read the book, but a movie was released in 2000.

In an attempt to head off the bad press that the book received, the movie studio got women to write the screenplay and direct the movie. The movie was created as a period piece, trying to capture the essence of the 80s. When I think of period pieces of always think of trying to replicate something happening so long ago, not something that happened in my lifetime. They did a good job as the period piece.

The movie excels at creating a creepy atmosphere, as we follow the 'adventures' of wealthy executive Patrick Bateman, through a few days of his life. It is unclear whether this guy is a deranged murder (who gets away with it), a figment of someone else's imagination, or a guy with a rather morbid imagination. Did the murders really happen? It is unknown. There is also a strong undercurrent in which people getting confused for each other; and everyone is made up to look alike. Despite the fact that "person A" is killed in the beginning; other characters in the "merger and acquisition" scene claim that they kept eating with him. The movie is creepy and will leave you walking away with an uncomfortable feeling in your gut.

The book never had a sequel, but Hollywood doesn't go that way. Every movie must be done at least twice. The sequel is nothing like the original. It isn't a period piece; it isn't creepy; it isn't sarcastic; and it isn't nearly as confusing. It isn't a bad movie either. Instead of the black comedy style of the first, the second leans toward the "slasher film" genre. It has better acting than what you'd expect from most slasher films, and significantly less gore. It starred Mila Kunis as the 'only survivor' of Patrick Bateman's murder spree. The flashbacks to 'Patrick' were surprisingly well done, and matched well enough with the style of the first movie. Whether good or bad; I couldn't get past the fact that "Jackie Burkhart" was killing people. I'd love to see them make an American Physco 3 with the whole cast of That 70's Show.

Watch it Again

Probably not.

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