Directed by Mary Harron
Lions Gate Films
On general release and available on video
Rating: 4/4

American Pscyho is a dark comedy focusing on the life of mass murdering yuppie Patrick Bateman. The film's central theme is the conflict between individuality and the demands of society. Bateman's yuppie lifestyle requires absolute conformity. Appearance is all important; the right suit and shoes make or break an individual. To ensure acceptance Bateman's social group all dress alike. Thus clothes become uniform, preventing expressions of individuality and denying Bateman an identity as he is frequently mistaken for other businessmen.

In Bateman's world communication is almost impossible. The yuppies spend their evenings in noisy bars and clubs - killing conversation. Bateman's social group is stupefied by valium, halcion, cocaine, and champagne. What Bateman says is thus often misinterpreted, leaving him cut off from meaningful contact.

Against this tide of isolationist conform. ity Bateman becomes dehumanized - "there is an idea of Patrick Bateman but no real me" - and stifled. Bateman's killings seem like acts of rebellion and twisted expressions of individuality - one of the first murders we witness is of a businessman who Bateman is repeatedly mistaken for. Bateman also strikes back at his society's obsession with appearance by murdering and disfiguring beautiful young women.

But, even murderous insanity cannot free Bateman from the meaningless con. formity of his life. A taped confession to his lawyer is brushed off as a practical joke. The apartment he uses for killings is quietly cleared up and sold by its owners. Society's desire to generate wealth is placed above the needs of individuals. Bateman's father is the owner of a Wall Street bank. His murderous attempts at individuality would unsettle the establishment's money machine and so are ignored - leaving Bateman to disintegrate and take others with him.

In American Psycho we see society as the true monster, trapping rich and poor alike in unwanted roles and grinding individuality away to ensure the collective "good." The ultimate horror is that under the conformist greed of the American dream it is Bateman - and not his victims - with whom we sympathise.