Film Friday: American Psycho

As much as I prefer highlighting films I truly love, beginning to end, inside out, I feel it necessary to shed light on some aspects of others, that although I don’t wholly enjoy, contain moments of which are more than worthy of a call out.

American Psycho is just this kind of movie for me. This piece had so much promise, but somewhere along the lines (cough chainsaw scene cough) it lost its legitimacy for me. It strayed from good, purposeful and intentional character development and writing, which is essential in my opinion, to creating a well grounded picture. This movie just fell short I think.

Yet, there are elements of this movie of which I have found myself thinking on since watching it. Which is always my gauge for a good film (or a good scene in a film).

First, the music and many of the shots paid such beautiful homage to Hitchcockian cinema, I can’t help but swoon even now upon remembrance. But further, Christian Bale’s performance as a genuine psychopath, is really wonderful. It’s the gold of this movie.

While I think closer to the end the writing for his character strayed from the purity of a psychopathic personality, Bale himself so obviously took this role to heart.

It might be a good time to tell you I’m a crazy true crime fan, thus my obsession with staying true the a real psychopathic nature. And I have to say I haven’t seen a performance quite like Bale’s that has made me feel like I got a glimpse into a real psychopathic persona.

All in all, art should never be thrown out entirely when you don’t like it. For most times, even if certain pieces don’t speak to you, others parts might. That’s just the nature of art!