Best EVER Movie Performances - Christian Bale in American Psycho

Christian Bale is an Academy Award winner, having collected the honour for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in The Fighter.

However, he is certainly more known for two iconic performances - as Bruce Wayne in The Dark Knight trilogy and as Patrick Bateman in American Psycho.

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The latter is based on one of the most controversial novels of all time, written by Bret Easton Ellis. It focuses on Bateman, a yuppie wall-street moneyman in the 1980s who happens to have psychopathic, uncontrollable, murderous tendencies.

Undoubtedly, the movie of American Psycho is much, much less severe in its violence than the novel, some of which is arguably unfilmable.

However, director Mary Herron and Bale collaborated to capture the essence of the book so that it makes for a truly fascinating movie.

What makes Bale's performance as Bateman so good?

In an interview with Black Book Mag, Herron explained how Bale took inspiration for Bateman through an interview he saw with Tom Cruise on David Letterman.

"It was definitely a process," she said, when asked about her collaboration with Bale.

"We talked a lot, but he was in L.A. and I was in New York. We didn’t actually meet in person a lot, just talked on the phone. We talked about how Martian-like Patrick Bateman was, how he was looking at the world like somebody from another planet, watching what people did and trying to work out the right way to behave.

"And then one day he called me and he had been watching Tom Cruise on David Letterman, and he just had this very intense friendliness with nothing behind the eyes, and he was really taken with this energy."

Whether or not you are a fan of Cruise, you cannot deny the persona similarities between the interview and Bateman.

Bateman, whenever he is not in a murderous rage, smiles and smirks to the point where it looks like Bale's jaw hurts.

Bale is in impeccable physical shape and is obviously a handsome man, while he is tailored in suits that are the very best New York City has to offer. This makes him overwhelmingly charming when he wants to be. In fact, it is this charm that allows some of his victims to let their guard down.

However, the viewer, knowing that Bateman is a psychopath, is left terrified for these victims as we know the truth. It is that which makes the performance so remarkable, as Bale can exchange pleasantries face to face, while the viewer knows he is thinking of how to dissect a prostitute.

He lets the mask slip a few times (or does he? that is up to the viewer).

READ MORE: Best Ever Movie Performances - Gary Oldman in Leon

Like the novel, American Psycho is full to the brim with pop culture references and the most famous surrounds Huey Lewis and the News. In the scene, Bateman dances around to Hip to be Square while preparing to axe murder colleague Paul Allen, played by Jared Leto.

The combination of the comedy dance, the music, and the eventual spray of blood over Bale's face puts the viewer through a mix of emotions.

Another iconic scene involves the presentation and exchange of business cards. Bateman and his yuppie friends put stock in the most shallow things, so it means a lot to them as to how their business card is perceived.

When the group prefers Paul Allen's card to Bateman's, the fury behind his eyes is terrifying.

Just look at how he mutters "impressive". Right there, and then, Bateman decides Allen must die.

As with all of his acting performances, Bale goes all out for this one and immerses himself in the character.

Though, thankfully, de didn't undertake any method acting!

What have people said about Bale in American Psycho?

Veteran film critic Roger Ebert sale of Bale:

"Christian Bale is heroic in the way he allows the character to leap joyfully into despicability; there is no instinct for self-preservation here, and that is one mark of a good actor."

What is Bale's best scene?

"Do you like Huey Lewis and the news?"

Did Bale win any awards for his performance?

Bale did not receive any notable awards for his performance.