Bateman's "nightly bloodlust" involves the brutal murder of homeless people, colleagues (notably Paul Allen/Owen ), and prostitutes. The Climax:
Bateman discovers that his lawyer believes the confession was a joke and claims to have seen Paul Allen recently in London. This introduces the possibility that Bateman is an unreliable narrator and that some or all of the murders were hallucinations. Key Themes Parents guide - American Psycho (2000) - IMDb
The most iconic scene in the film involves no blood. It takes place at a restaurant table where Bateman and his colleagues—Paul Allen, Timothy Bryce, and David Van Patten—lay their business cards on the table. american-psycho
The narrative follows Patrick Bateman’s daily life in Manhattan. The plot is non-linear, repetitive, and episodic, mimicking Bateman’s disintegrating psyche.
Manhattan, New York City, during the late 1980s Wall Street boom. Protagonist: Patrick Bateman Bateman's "nightly bloodlust" involves the brutal murder of
For the uninitiated, American Psycho follows Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale), a 27-year-old Harvard graduate and Vice President at the fictional investment firm Pierce & Pierce. On the surface, he is the 1980s ideal: wealthy, fit, engaged to a beautiful socialite (Reese Witherspoon), and obsessed with reservations at the latest restaurants.
The genius of the narrative lies in its ambiguity. By the final act, Bateman confesses everything to his lawyer, only to be dismissed with a laugh and a mistaken identity. "I'm on the verge of tears by the time we arrive at the restaurant, since I'm positive we won't have a table," Bateman narrates. "But we do. And we realize that no one cares about our reservation. We simply blend in." Key Themes Parents guide - American Psycho (2000)
"There is an idea of a Patrick Bateman," he tells us in the voiceover. "Some kind of abstraction. But there is no real me. Only an entity. Something illusory."
Bateman has no identity. He mimics emotions he sees on television (tearing up at The Patty Winters Show ). He is frequently mistaken for other men (Paul Allen, Marcus Halberstam). His “self” is a collage of brand names and pop culture references. As he says, “There is an idea of a Patrick Bateman… some kind of abstraction. But there is no real me.”