New Patrick Bateman. What do you think? Oho. Very cool. Let’s seeAustin Butler’s Patrick Bateman.Look at that subtle, off-Memphis Elvis Presley accent. The tasteful thickness of it. Oh my God, it even has an Oscar nomination.Yes, that’s right, the Oscar nominated star ofBaz Luhrmann’s has been tapped to star as the iconic serial killer in acclaimed directorLuca Guadanigno’s new take on the iconicBret Easton Ellisnovel,American Psycho.Butler beatJacob Elordito the role,according to Variety, who reported the news, and it’s funny because both of them playedElvis Presleyrecently. However, their views onHuey Lewis and the Newsare not yet known.
The film, which will be scripted byScott Z. Burns(The Laundromat),isn’t going to be a remake of thememed-to-deathChristian Baleclassic, but rather a new version of the novel. Bale starred as Patrick Bateman, an entitled, spoiled yuppie working on Wall Street who became a serial killer out of boredom, and despite his best efforts, was still utterly invisible to everyone around him. The novel is full of eroticism and Guadanigno is no stranger to the sensual following his work inCall Me By Your Name,ChallengersandQueer, so we could see a bit more of Bateman’s dirtier sides, presumably after a lovely dining experience at Dorsia.
Is the First ‘American Psycho’ Worth Seeing?
It’s a cult classic. It begs to be seen. Bale’s performance is absolutely magnetic, and so many of the lines from the film, particularly the infamous business card scene, have become staples of popular culture. Collider reviewed the movie 25 years on, and hailed the direction ofMary Herron, who fought hard to cast Bale.
Mary Harron directs the piece with a sharp and very particular view to framing it all as quite ludicrous. It’s not unlikeFight CluborThe Wolf of Wall Street, in thatit presents a very damaging form of masculinityand, through clever writing and direction,urges the viewer to see it as dysfunctional, delusional, and really quite pathetic.Bale can say a thousand words with a simple gesture, and never once holds himself back from what could be embarrassing or uncomfortable to a less skilled or confident actor. He puts himself up there with the likes ofJack NicholsonandAnthony Hopkins, whosemost powerful weapon when playing madmen is their unpredictability.
American Psychois streaming on Netflix in the U.S. Stay tuned for more updates on the Austin Butler adaptation.
American Psycho
In New York City in 1987, a handsome, young urban professional, Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale), lives a second life as a gruesome serial killer by night. The cast is filled by the detective (Willem Dafoe), the fiance (Reese Witherspoon), the mistress (Samantha Mathis), the coworker (Jared Leto), and the secretary (Chloë Sevigny). This is a biting, wry comedy examining the elements that make a man a monster.
Watch on Netflix
