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Comment by ysavir | Hacker News Reader

Interestingly, American Psycho isn't on that list. Nor should it be.

It's easy to come up with a few theories as to what sets it apart, but I would love to see a proper analysis of how it tackles the subject matter without glorifying the lifestyle unnecessarily--and what other films should learn from it if they aim to accomplish the same

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Aside from Patrick Bateman committing gratuitous murders on screen, the major difference is that he hates his life and he never looks like he's having fun.

Jordan Belfort might be doing terrible things (although not as bad as serial murder), but he looks and acts like he loves every minute of it. Bateman doesn't.

You could also compare The Hangover and Leaving Las Vegas. One makes a drug-filled weekend in Vegas look sort of fun, and one does not.

This a great film genre: juxtaposed double-headers. Any other pairings to recommend?

Hard to think of good examples. Bad Lieutenant and Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans are very different takes on the same theme.

You're super hopeful if you think people don't idolize Patrick Bateman, but they do. People don't see the story, they see a young, good-looking Christian Bale with a powerful suit on walking the streets of NYC with headphones on. People want that image, and the message is lost or separated entirely.

The word "Psycho" has such a blatantly negative connotation, that it's pretty clear that he is not supposed to be a hero.

Also all the murdering.

Except "edgy" people view some bastardization of nihilism as a cool thing to aspire to. To this end they view Patrick as an ideal character. Powerful (at least more so than Steven nobody), and the psychopath concept intrigues them because it separates a person from their emotions, which for many people seem like an improvement, as not feeling would hurt less.

These films of destructive and unhealthy people are usually aspired to because even when the characters hit their rock bottom, they still have more money, power, control, and agency than the average viewer.

The Bateman character in the film was directed and shot by Mary Harron. See her other work to get an idea of what made him different.

I've heard designers talk about the business card scene in tones of deep respect.

Belfort made it look effortless. Bateman made it look hard.

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