synopsis:

see literature for a comprehensive synopsis of the story. although some big scenes were left out and some names were changed ('timothy price was changed to 'Timothy BRYCE' and 'Paul OWEN' to 'paul ALLEN'), this movie quite closely follows the story of the book.

on this movie:

in this movie, starring Christian Bale, Reese Witherspoon, Willem Dafoe, Chloe Sevigny, Samantha Mathis and Jared Leto, director Mary Harron has infused Bret Easton Ellis's tale with so much twisted and neo-farcical psychosis that she's turned a psychothriller novel tinged with comedy into a ribald satire tinged with thrills. The murders in 'American Psycho' aren't particularly gruesome, as in the book, it's the glee with which Patrick Bateman [person] carries them out that makes him a true villain. Even the novel's most gruesome killing has been cut from the film.

mary harron has often described this story as a work of feminism, like i shot andy warhol, another movie directed by her, and sees bateman as a guy who's prey to the usual male drives and compulsions, rather than as a psychopath.