Movie adaptation

The movie adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ novel American Psycho was released in 2000 and is directed by Mary Harron. Ellis was also involved in writing the script for the movie. The film stars Christian Bale in the lead role of Patrick Bateman, Reese Witherspoon as Patrick’s girlfriend Evelyn, Justin Theroux as Timothy Bryce (Price in the novel), Jared Leto as Paul Allen (Owen in the novel), and Willem Dafoe as detective Kimball. 

One of the standout aspects of the movie is Christian Bale’s chilling and memorable performance as Patrick Bateman. He was a not a very well-known actor prior to the release of the film but he fully immersed himself in the character, portraying Patrick’s icy, detached demeanor and inner turmoil convincingly. Bale’s dedication to the role is often praised, and it remains one of his most memorable performances.

Much like the novel, the film faced controversy due to its graphic violence and sexual content. Some scenes had to be toned down to secure an appropriate rating so the film could be shown in cinemas. Despite this, the film retains a dark and disturbing tone yet it was still largely praised. Over time, it has gained a cult following and is regarded as a significant movie in the psychological thriller genre.

Plot differences

There are several differences between the plot of the novel and that of the movie adaptation. Overall, scenes have been cut out due to time constraints. Some of these were key scenes in the novel, such as Patrick’s date with Bethany or his meeting with his brother and mother, and others were simply repetitive scenes that create the overall atmosphere of the novel and highlight its main themes.

The novel is also much more explicit and graphic in its descriptions of violence and sexual content than the movie. The book goes into greater detail about the gruesome murders committed by Patrick and devotes many pages to showing the sexua...