American Psycho is a thriller about an upper class New York investment banking executive who keeps his secret alternate psychopathic personality from his friends and co-workers. Patrick Bateman appears as a wealthy working man, educated and intelligent, charming and attractive. He spends his days working at the office, exercising at home, spending time with his fiancé, and the women he is cheating on her with. Although his life seems normal and luxurious, Patrick’s anger and frustration, hidden during the days, erupts at night through horrendous murders and homicidal activities. Although on the surface American Psycho fits the profile of a slasher movie or thriller, the deeper image of the movie identifies differently. American psycho is a portrayal of modern man’s struggle to fit into society, while balancing the state between sane and psychotic. The film has also taken competition into account, and the common man’s fight to keep his stance in a capitalistic society. Christian Bale’s character represents both the realistic and fantasizing minds through with one battles another in hopes of achieving the American Dream. In order to remove or overpower competition, one must “stab in the back,” “kill likely opponents,” and simply “destroy everyone who gets in the way,” both metaphorically and literally. Patrick Bateman shows signs of his double life using symbolism, all throughout the film. By providing commentary, the audience not only views his appearance and actions, but also gets inside his mind, allowing the possible understanding of his actions throughout the film. (specific quote). In the introduction of the character, Bateman provides the audience with a figurative image as he slowly tears off an applied skin peal, therefore symbolizing the later obvious “mask” worn by Bateman as his anger grows deeper and deeper throughout the movie. In addition, the frequent appearance of the buisness card and its symbloic image towards competition between Bateman and his co-workers, creates a metaphoric and somewhat humorous representation of what causes his anger and hatred towards others. The film provides specific close up camera angels and eerie music during these scenes to specify that these buisness cards, although appearing relatively the same in every aspect, are important demonstrations of how aggressive the corporate world can be. Yet, the buisness itself is not the only agressive action needed to take place in order to socially fit into a corporate world. Many instances durin the film, the idea of reservation making seems to add on more to Bateman's frustration. The concept that if one cannot successfully make reservations at a certain restaraunt, they are simply inferior to those who can. The restaraunt Dorsia, which is mentioned many times throughout the movie, is the one place Bateman could not get a reservation into. After Bateman's first failed attempt, merely the word "Dorsia" would trigger Bateman's anger. This anger was embellished after Bateman's buisness rival, Paul Allen, mention his own reservation at the restaraunt, therefore undermining Bateman's own egotictical mind and later leading him to Allen's brutal murder.

Paul Allen's character also plays a vital role in demonstrating the cutthroat competition  

            Set in the 1980s, American Psycho centers its characters around selfish cutthroat competition and workers. The lack of consciousness created by the characters provides the audience with an understandable corporate cultural setting. The creation of the movie and the time period which is was set (1980s) and released in (1990s) constructs this understanding if stabbing in the back, simply to get to the front.