Director Mary Harron of "American Psycho" expressed her bewilderment at how the 2000 film has been "warmly adopted by Wall Street bros," as she recently engaged in a conversation with Letterboxd Journal. The discussion delved into the "sigma male" social media craze and the curious phenomenon of men viewing Christian Bale's portrayal of Patrick Bateman as a beacon of inspiration.
"I'm perpetually puzzled by this," Harron remarked. "Neither Guinevere [Turner, the writer-actress of 'American Psycho'] nor I anticipated it would resonate with Wall Street bros in any capacity. It was never our intention. So, did we somehow fall short? I'm uncertain why this occurred, given that Christian's character is quite evidently mocking them… But people interpret the Bible and decide to embark on massacres. They read 'The Catcher in the Rye' and contemplate assassinating the president."
However, the director of "The Notorious Bettie Page" further noted that these "Wall Street bros" had actually overlooked the film's core message. The narrative centers around Patrick Bateman, a wealthy investment banking executive in New York City who conceals his alternate psychopathic persona from colleagues and friends as he succumbs to his violent, hedonistic fantasies.
"It was patently evident to Guinevere and me, who is gay, that we envisioned it as a satire on masculinity crafted by a gay man," Harron elaborated. "[Author Bret Easton Ellis'] homosexuality allowed him to discern the homoerotic rituals embedded within these alpha males, a dynamic prevalent in sports and Wall Street, among other male-dominated realms where extreme competition and the elevation of prowess are highly valued. There's an undeniably gay undercurrent to the fetishization of appearance and the gym culture."
In Ellis' novel, Patrick Bateman reveres Donald Trump, who is currently serving his second term as President of the United States. Although "American Psycho" is set amidst the Reagan era of the 1980s, when the AIDS epidemic ravaged the LGBTQ community, Harron expressed astonishment at how the narrative has aged, considering the Trump administration's assault on transgender rights.
"It depicted a predatory society, and now, 25 years hence, society has deteriorated further. The rich have amassed even greater wealth, while the poor have become even poorer," she lamented. "I could never have envisioned a celebration of racism and white supremacy emanating from the White House. I never thought we'd witness such an era."
As "American Psycho" commemorates its 25th anniversary this year, Luca Guadagnino is poised to direct a fresh film adaptation for Lionsgate.
