American Psycho

[Phaser]

I actually do not think American Psycho is Bale's best performance to date. Yes, it was a theatrical and bombastic display of his talents which was immensely entertaining and yes, he did carry the whole film throughout...But his most nuanced role has to be as Borden in The Prestige, especially considering he had the crushing job of selling his part as [BLACKOUT]two same characters that were actually very much different from one another without ever really tipping off the audience before the final reveal[/BLACKOUT]. Honestly, one of the most enduring elements of The Prestige is [blackout]how distinct Borden and his twin are in mannerisms and characterization, and on repeat viewings you can clearly make out which one he is playing in any given scene.[/blackout] Jackman may have been the showman in The Prestige, but Bale was the real magician. All this post Terminator Salvation negativity doesn't put a scratch on the fact that the man is a truly amazing actor, and one of the finest performers alive in the industry today, internet fickleness be damned.

 

[Catman]

Two pages and no one has mentioned Equilibrium yet. Boy, how times have changed.

 

[Octoberist]

i forgot all about that movie !

 

[bullets]

Christian Bale doesn't deserve the negative backlash he has been getting because most of his performances are top notch or above average.
After American Psycho I wasn't sure how much his career would take off but after he stole the show in Shaft I knew.

 

[S.A.A.D.]

American Psycho,Equilibrium,and The Machinist are Bale's best movies imo.

 

[Compi716]

Ah, American Psycho. My permanent 8th favorite film.

Definitely changed my movie tastes, and probably me as a person. I got into clothes-stuff and all kinds of other nutty things. Plus, it made me read every Bret Easton Ellis book, thus discovering the amazingness that is the AP novel and Lunar Park. Brilliant.

 

[batman11]

I actually do not think American Psycho is Bale's best performance to date. Yes, it was a theatrical and bombastic display of his talents which was immensely entertaining and yes, he did carry the whole film throughout...But his most nuanced role has to be as Borden in The Prestige, especially considering he had the crushing job of selling his part as [BLACKOUT]two same characters that were actually very much different from one another without ever really tipping off the audience before the final reveal[/BLACKOUT]. Honestly, one of the most enduring elements of The Prestige is [blackout]how distinct Borden and his twin are in mannerisms and characterization, and on repeat viewings you can clearly make out which one he is playing in any given scene.[/blackout] Jackman may have been the showman in The Prestige, but Bale was the real magician. All this post Terminator Salvation negativity doesn't put a scratch on the fact that the man is a truly amazing actor, and one of the finest performers alive in the industry today, internet fickleness be damned.

Definitely man. Bale's role in The Prestige is right up there with his finest work. Very subtle, very nuanced and very intricate role indeed. Love it.

 

[Marx]

Has it been 10 years already!?!?!

 

[Catman]

After American Psycho I wasn't sure how much his career would take off but after he stole the show in Shaft I knew.

Yup. And to think that people thought it would Busta Rhymes who would steal the show.

 

[ImWithTeamConan]

Actually IMO Jeffrey Wright stole Shaft.

I had read the book because it was part of a list of books I had to read for a class. I was amazed at how much I enjoyed it and I heard that it was being made into a movie. At the time I wasn't old enough for R rated movies so I had to wait until it was on DVD. Me and my best friend got it from Blockbuster using his mom's card and we watched it at my house late at night. I didn't enjoy it as much as the book but that's when I was introduced to Christian Bale and I really enjoyed his performance.

Then there was the idea of him being Batman floated around and everything fell into place for me.

 

[Doctor Jones]

So I guess playing Bateman was what got people into thinking he could make a great Batman? It's fanboy casting at its finest which is a rarity.

 

[PowersOfMind]

Try and get a reservation at Dorsia now you ****ing stupid bastard!!

LOL!! I love that scene.

 

[Franklin Richards]

I thought Empire of the Sun started the love affair?

 

[Brother Jack]

So I guess playing Bateman was what got people into thinking he could make a great Batman? It's fanboy casting at its finest which is a rarity.

It was that and Equilibrium.

I thought Empire of the Sun started the love affair?

I actually hadn't seen Empire until sort of recently, but it's a very underrated film and Bale gives an amazing performance in it. In fact I'd go as far as to say that his is one of the best performances from a child actor period.

 

[Tron Bonne]

Actually IMO Jeffrey Wright stole Shaft.

I had read the book because it was part of a list of books I had to read for a class. I was amazed at how much I enjoyed it and I heard that it was being made into a movie. At the time I wasn't old enough for R rated movies so I had to wait until it was on DVD. Me and my best friend got it from Blockbuster using his mom's card and we watched it at my house late at night. I didn't enjoy it as much as the book but that's when I was introduced to Christian Bale and I really enjoyed his performance.

Then there was the idea of him being Batman floated around and everything fell into place for me.

You read American Psycho for a class in High School, or you weren't eighteen when entering college? I ask because that does not seem like a book you would find in a lower education class.

 

[Catman]

So I guess playing Bateman was what got people into thinking he could make a great Batman? It's fanboy casting at its finest which is a rarity.

It was that and Equilibrium.

I joined SHH in 2002. From that year till 2004 all you read in the Batman forum was, "BALE DAMMIT!!! Watch American Psycho and Equilibrium as prove!"

I thought Empire of the Sun started the love affair?

It was his claim to fame, but it didn't start any love affairs. Especially since Bale was overwhelmed by the media attention and didn't work again till Henry V in 1989. I once saw an interview that he did for Empire of the Sun and it looked like he was about to cry. He really hated doing press.

You read American Psycho for a class in High School, or you weren't eighteen when entering college? I ask because that does not seem like a book you would find in a lower education class.

Unless you have a radical teacher.

 

[Dr.Dude]

Great film, great satire. The business card scene is my personal favorite.

Regarding the ambiguous ending; my interpretation is that it's somewhere in between the "he just imagined it" explanation and the "it was all real" explanation. Obviously, many of the events in the movie have to be completely imaginary - the whole "Feed me a stray cat" ATM and his subsequent destructive rampage, for instance - but others need to be real for the story to work.

As far as Bale's best performance, though American Psycho is definitely up there (and Batman Begins, I would say) I think his best performance was, by far, in The Machinist, where he really just blows it out of the park. Not because of the weight loss, either, though that adds something. Bale really transformed himself for that role, to the point where it's almost hard to believe that it's even him.

 

[Ace of Knaves]

I think Bales performance in Harsh Times is SEVERLY underrated. Don't see many people talking about it but i thought he was brilliant in it. Right up there with this, The Machinist, The Prestige and BB for me.

 

[ross2287]

So I guess playing Bateman was what got people into thinking he could make a great Batman? It's fanboy casting at its finest which is a rarity.

Actually, American Psycho made me think Bale could pull off a damn good Joker.

 

[Doctor Jones]

edit

 

[Crook]

I don't think Bale would have been as brilliant in the Joker role as Ledger, but I definitely think he would have likely been a much better Joker than Batman (for me).

 

[Ace of Knaves]

Agreed Crook.

 

[Doctor Jones]

Imagine Bale's potential Joker against his Batman. That would be awesome. Like two completely different people.

And my favorite scene in American Psycho is probably the business card scene. That or when he kills Paul Allen. Oh, and his confession, that too!

"I uhhh... haha. I just had to kill ALOT OF PEOPLE!

 

[ImWithTeamConan]

Bale would've been a horrible Joker.

 

[Ace of Knaves]

His performance in this movie suggests otherwise.