Courtney Rawlinson: Listen Patrick, can we talk?
Patrick Bateman: You look... marvelous. There's nothing to say.
In this condemnation of 80s materialism, Patrick Bateman is a wealthy, upper class investment banker who is obsessed with appearance. His world revolves around looking better, wearing better clothes, having better business cards, and getting better dinner reservations than all his equally superficial social peers. Of course, his killer instincts become doubly apparent at night when his kills homeless men, prostitutes, and even the occasional business associate. But after an all out killing spree causes him to confess his crimes to his lawyer, Bateman discovers all traces of the murders have disappeared, proving that his peers would rather turn a blind eye to his true nature than be forced to examine their own lifestyles.
What makes this film so much better than an average serial killer film is the dark, understated sense of humor that accents it. Christan Bale's performance as Patrick Bateman is amazing at conveying his narcissism and complete lack of empathy. His explanations about his favorite musicians before his murders are hilarious as well as an eerie juxtaposition to the following carnage. And the business card scene with everyone exchanging slight variations on the same design is truly an amazing show of the trivialities that are so important in Bateman's world. If you can take the sex and violence, it's a highly entertaining film and a nice commentary on the extremes of materialism.
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