In the 2000 film 'American Psycho' female director, Mary Harron, delivers the perfectly constructed yuppie specimen - - Patrick Bateman. Bateman as a character is played with an unconstrained precision by Christian Bale. He employs not only the madness, but the disconnect - the sterility.
A specific scene that sticks out in the film is usually the ax murder (and i don't mean to give anything away here, so if you've never seen it and want to stop reading here). When Patrick Bateman murder rival Paul Allen in his NY upscale apartment it is both arresting and opulent. It becomes difficult to look away. What made the scene even more impressive was the way Patrick prepared for the murder. After bringing Paul into his home, which was coincidentally covered in news paper, he begins to espouse about the genius of Huey Lewis and the News. Now this is an essential part of the "idea that is Patrick bateman." He is a connoisseur of popular culture, specifically music. And whenever he starts to talk about music - you know he is either going to kill or something unpleasant is about to happen. The contrast of such a violent - and incidentally by default of the weapon, more 'country' murder in a swank, polished, sterilized apartment was new & exciting. Director Harron made a specific point to sterilize Patrick so that everything around him becomes difficult to consume as an audience member. While you're initially weary of Patricks eccentric routine you slowly become teamed with him. His only identifiable emotions are "except for greed and disgust," making his admitted raw composure simply irresistible. You're made, very clearly, to feel Patricks disgust with the world.
Another memorable scene is when Patrick kills Al, a homeless man in the back alley. It is here that i believe director Harron is delivering a complex but fluid idea. We have Patrick Bateman, who is a white, upper class, (presumably) 'well bred' male murdering a homeless, black, lower class, and (Presumably due to racial constructions specifically in the 80's) not 'well bred' male. This is bold. A woman director who isn't afraid to conquer predominantly (in the film world) male subjects such as drugs, sex, pornography, prostitution, greed, wealth, insanity, murder, violence, gore, and emptiness in connection to all of thoes things.
