User:TheJoebro64/drafts/AmericanPsycho
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American Psycho is a 2000 independent horror film directed by Mary Harron, who wrote the script with Guinevere Turner. It stars Christian Bale, Willem Dafoe, Jared Leto, Josh Lucas, Chloë Sevigny, Samantha Mathis, Cara Seymour, Justin Theroux, and Reese Witherspoon. Based on Bret Easton Ellis' 1991 novel American Psycho, the film follows Patrick Bateman (Bale), a New York City investment banker who leads a double life as a serial killer. The satirical film blends horror and black comedy to mock 1980s yuppie culture and consumerism, exemplified by Bateman.
American Psycho | |
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Directed by | Mary Harron |
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Based on | American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis |
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Starring | |
Cinematography | Andrzej Sekuła |
Edited by | Andrew Marcus |
Music by | John Cale |
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Running time | 102 minutes |
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Language | English |
Budget | $7 million |
Box office | $34.3 million |
Ellis considered his controversial novel potentially unfilmable, but producer Edward R. Pressman was determined to adapt it and bought the film rights in 1992. Several filmmakers considered directing before Harron and Turner began writing the screenplay in 1996. They sought to make a 1980s period film that emphasized the novel's satire and excised most of the violence. The pre-production period was tumultuous; Harron chose Bale to play Bateman, but distributor Lions Gate Films was so adamant to cast Leonardo DiCaprio—then considered the world's biggest actor—that it fired and replaced her with Oliver Stone. After Stone and DiCaprio left due to creative differences, Harron was rehired and Lions Gate begrudgingly let her cast Bale. Principal photography began in February 1999 in Toronto and New York City with a $7 million budget.
Like the novel, American Psycho generated controversy before its release due to its graphic depiction of violence against women. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 21, 2000, and was released theatrically on April 14, 2000. The film grossed $34.3 million worldwide but polarized critics. While some praised the writing and Bale's performance, others criticized it as excessively violent and were divided over whether its satire was successful. Ellis expressed mixed opinions, feeling the adaptation was unnecessary but helped clarify his satiric intent. American Psycho heralded Bale's transition from a child actor to a leading man; he became one of the world's most popular and highest-paid actors in subsequent years, starring in high-profile films including Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Trilogy (2005–2012).
In the subsequent years, American Psycho developed a cult following and has been reappraised as one of the greatest horror films of the 21st century. Retrospective reviewers consider American Psycho a rare adaptation that is better than its source material and the social satire ahead of its time. The film exerted considerable influence over popular culture, inspiring internet memes, homages, and parodies. A direct-to-video sequel, American Psycho 2, was released in 2002, although it has little relation to the original and was denounced by Ellis before its release.