American Psycho is a novel written by Bret Easton Ellis in 1991. The story follows the descent into total insanity of the main character and narrator, Patrick Bateman, an elite, narcissistic investment banker in Manhattan. The book portrays his daily life as skewed within a path of murder and crime, a vice in which he partakes in his free time. Released as a film in 2000, the movie recreation of the book depicts more of an underlying criticism of white-collar, high-society beings forced to adapt to everyday life, as portrayed by actor Christian Bale. Although Bateman’s mental deterioration prevails from the beginning of the film, would eventual downfall soon come to what he had implanted through his merciless actions on others, or would society allow for his actions due to his status? The events throughout the book and film paint Bateman’s path, leaving the reader to read attentively and reflect on modern-day criticisms of the social gap.

The book is paced in a slow-burn manner, juxtaposing Bateman’s methodic intellect with his abrupt, explosive judgment—an unreliable narrator having solely followed his own interpretation of situations. In contrast, the film has unanticipated moments which highlight the absurdity of situations brought on by Bateman. The film almost takes a more comedic approach, mixed with dark undertones. While the film loses many aspects specifically outlined by the situational placement and descriptions of Bateman’s insight, the performance of Christain Bale, mixed with selected and purposefully-placed scenes, conveys the central idea wholeheartedly to the viewer. From the book's perspective, the message could easily get lost due to the unreliable narrator and the prolonged sequences of events: the world and characters are shaped by Bateman, and his biased observations are at the forefront. Christian Bale was the perfect actor to have taken the role of Patrick Bateman, using method acting to display a psychopath's mindset in his role on the big screen. Although mostly cut in the film (briefly shown in a few scenes from the movie), Bateman has contradictory views from what he attempts to portray to others, like racism and especially sexism.

This book is a good read for late teens, young adults, and adults in general, covering more mature topics which could be controversial or inappropriate for younger audiences. Although the book's descriptive, slow pace is hard to follow for a younger demographic, it is perfect for those who are into psychoanalysis and character interpretation.

Review by: Angelica A.

Angelica is a virtual volunteer at Sylmar Branch Library. She is an 11th-grader at Van Nuys High School.

—Dana Eklund, Sylmar Branch Library