American Psycho
All team (84)
Short description
Patrick Bateman is a wealthy investment banker in 1980s New York who appears to be a well-dressed, status-conscious professional like those around him. Underneath that surface he nurses violent urges, and by night he acts on a contempt for the people in his circle and for those outside it, especially women. As he drifts further from any clear line between his fantasies and what he actually does, the police begin to take an interest. The film is based on Bret Easton Ellis's novel.
Mary Harron directed and co-wrote the screenplay with Guinevere Turner. It was her second feature, following I Shot Andy Warhol (1996), and it preceded The Notorious Bettie Page (2006), Charlie Says (2019) and Dalíland (2022). Christian Bale plays Patrick Bateman, with Justin Theroux, Josh Lucas, Bill Sage, Chloë Sevigny and Reese Witherspoon among the supporting cast. The production involved Universal Pictures, Lionsgate, Muse Productions and Pressman Film, with Edward R. Pressman among the producers.
Made for a modest 7 million USD, the film went on to take roughly 34 million USD worldwide, a clear multiple of its cost. On IMDb it holds 7.6/10 from around 830,000 votes, and on TMDB 7.4/10 from over 12,000 votes. A critics' rating of 6.8/10 from 251 reviews places it somewhat below those audience scores, though all three indicate a generally favourable reception.
What's left behind the scenes
- A group of Canadian activists in Toronto sought to ban the film, as a trial of serial killer Paul Bernardo had recently taken place there, during which he stated that he had been inspired to commit the murders by Bret Easton Ellis' novel.
- Bateman is shown watching "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" (1974) on television.
- Bateman tells his lawyer on the phone about events that took place in Bret Easton Ellis' novel, but not in the film itself.
- The role of Bateman was also offered to Edward Norton.
- Bateman mentions a certain Cliff Huxtable. This is the name of Bill Cosby's character in the TV series "The Cosby Show" (1984-1992).
- The role of Patrick Bateman in "American Psycho" was originally intended for Leonardo DiCaprio. Bale was personally invited to the role by the film's director, Mary Harron, and Bret Easton Ellis, the author of the novel on which the film is based.
- Bateman works at the fictional firm "Pierce & Pierce." Sherman McCoy from the film "Bonfire of the Vanities" (1990) also worked at this firm.
- Oliver Stone also showed long-term interest in the project.
- The film is based on Bret Easton Ellis's novel "American Psycho" (1991).
- In one scene, Bateman watches the pornographic film "White Angel" (1998).
- Gloria Steinem, a feminist activist and Christian Bale's stepmother, vehemently protested against the publication of Bret Easton Ellis' novel and even wrote numerous articles criticizing the writer. When Bale was asked in a 2007 interview with «GQ» if he had agreed to participate in the film out of spite towards Steinem, the actor replied that, although people very much want to see a connection between his personal life and career decisions, the reason was not that at all. There is also a rumor that it was Steinem who persuaded DiCaprio not to star in «American Psycho», convincing him that such a role would alienate his fans. Interestingly, DiCaprio's refusal led to Bale's return to the project.
- Despite the fact that the film is set in 1987, Ronald Reagan appears on a late 90s model Sony Trinitron television at the end of the film.
- When Leonardo DiCaprio became interested in the role of Bateman, the film's budget sharply increased, and both Christian Bale and director Mary Harron were asked to leave the project. Fortunately, DiCaprio was persuaded not to set a bad example for his numerous fans with this role, and Bale and Harron returned to the project.
- David Cronenberg would have been happy to direct the film if Brad Pitt played the main role and Bret Easton Ellis wrote the screenplay himself.
Similar movies
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
