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Our take
American Psycho follows Patrick Bateman through a world of status, cocaine, sexual exploitation, and bloody murder. The guide describes axe attacks, gun violence, nudity, prostitution talk, and frequent strong language. The satire does not make the cruelty easier to watch. We put it at around R 18+ and up, in line with the displayed R 18+ 18+ classification.
Uplifting themes
A critique of greed hides inside the gore, yet the runtime luxuriates in materialism. Any lesson needs heavy parent framing No one healthy to emulate. Even bystanders enable vanity Older students might study satire and 1980s culture in class. Not a family teaching tool on its own
Story (may spoil tone)
A wealthy New York investment banking executive hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his co-workers and friends as he escalates deeper into his illogical, gratuitous fantasies.
What we flagged
Details
Violence Beatings, stabbings, shootings, and chase kills play on screen with rel…
Beatings, stabbings, shootings, and chase kills play on screen with relish. Bateman describes torture in calm voice-over. The body count is high and often graphic
Language The f-word dominates, with b-word, b-word, and cruel sexual insults aim…
The f-word dominates, with b-word, b-word, and cruel sexual insults aimed at women and rivals. Language is aggressive and constant in boardrooms and bedrooms
Sex / nudity Threesomes, nudity, prostitution, and crude boasts fill several sequenc…
Threesomes, nudity, prostitution, and crude boasts fill several sequences. Sex is tied to status and cruelty more than romance
Drugs / alcohol Cocaine, wine, and club drugs lace the yuppie lifestyle. Use is frequen…
Cocaine, wine, and club drugs lace the yuppie lifestyle. Use is frequent and largely consequence-free on screen
Frightening Sudden rage, chase music, and bloody apartments create a sustained unea…
Sudden rage, chase music, and bloody apartments create a sustained uneasy mood. The unreliability of Bateman's mind adds dread
Self-harm / suicide Self-destruction is implied through emptiness and rage, without a focus…
Self-destruction is implied through emptiness and rage, without a focused suicide scene
Bullying / discrimination Sexist and antisemitic remarks come up in the bankers' conversations. T…
Sexist and antisemitic remarks come up in the bankers' conversations. The film presents them as part of the characters' ugliness
Gore / death / weapons Blood spray, dismemberment talk, chainsaws, and axes show injury in clo…
Blood spray, dismemberment talk, chainsaws, and axes show injury in close detail. Corpses and cleanup scenes linger
Dangerous behaviour Drug use, casual cruelty, and weapon handling look slick. Satire may no…
Drug use, casual cruelty, and weapon handling look slick. Satire may not land for teens chasing edgy cool
Mental health Psychopathy, delusion, and numbness drive the plot. The film explores b…
Psychopathy, delusion, and numbness drive the plot. The film explores breakdown without offering help or recovery
Grief / bereavement Death happens, but mourning is absent. Victims are treated as props
Death happens, but mourning is absent. Victims are treated as props
Flashing lights We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
Family watch notes
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Talk after watching
- The film mocks 1980s greed, but Bateman still looks cool at times. How do you spot satire when the hero is stylish?
- Why can ambiguous endings about murder leave viewers unsure what was real?
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American Psycho
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