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Films have evolved over time with improvements in visual quality, sound, and script writing but how do they affect people? American Psycho and The Silence of the Lambs (SOTL) are both movies with main or crucial characters diagnosed with mental disorders. Although the movies differ in main character perspective, American Psycho and The Silence of the Lambs both have similar interesting content that affect the overall story such as the sexism that Clarice Starling experiences, the toxic masculinity that Patrick Bateman is surrounded by, and the diagnosis of the main antagonists.

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INTRODUCING BOTH FILMS: The Silence of the Lambs

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INTRODUCING BOTH FILMS: The Silence of the Lambs

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The Silence of the Lambs follows Clarice Starling, an FBI academy student, whom the head of the Behavioral Science Department, Jack Crawford, has asked for help in a case regarding a serial killer, Buffalo Bill. Clarice is tasked to analyze and garner the help of Dr. Hannibal Lecter in order to solve the case.

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American Psycho follows the story and psychotic break of Patrick Bateman, an investment banker in New York. Throughout the film, we see him murder multiple people and threaten many more, though most took the threats as jokes.

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DIAGNOSIS: What is ASPD? What does it look like?

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DIAGNOSIS: What is ASPD? What does it look like?

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As we watch both movies, we see unusual behavior from both of the main antagonists, Hannibal Lecter and Patrick Bateman. Upon further research, these characters display traits of Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD). Some of the more relevant behaviors of ASPD, also known as sociopathy, are “Disregard for right and wrong; Persistent lying or deceit to exploit others; Being callous, cynical and disrespectful of others; Arrogance, a sense of superiority and being extremely opinionated; Lack of empathy for others and lack of remorse about harming others” (Mayo Clinic).

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In SOTL, we first meet Lecter in the Baltimore Mental Institution, behind protective glass. While Clarice talks to him throughout the movie, Lecter has no problem crossing unspoken boundaries such as asking about her past, assuming her familial background, commenting on her perfume and lotion, all tying back to his disregard of right and wrong. Lecter also lies or gives information to Clarice in riddles in order to amuse himself as well as actually murders people.

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Patrick Bateman, on the other hand, has yet to be convicted of any of his alleged crimes but still displays extreme arrogance in lines like “I feel no other clear emotions except greed and disgust” as well staring at and admiring himself while having sex. He also shows no remorse for those he’s hurt whether it was planned or impulsive. Even toward the end of the movie, as he calls his lawyer confessing his crimes, he doesn’t regret his actions, only sees the flaws and consequences of them. Patrick Bateman is nothing if not opinionated. His detailed overview and critique of each album of his music collection, specified skin products that he refuses to deviate from, strict eating and exercise routine and custom business card design all contribute to his extreme specificity as well as his judgmental view of others. When in the car with his fiancée Evelyn, she asked why he doesn't quit the job he dislikes and he claims he wants to fit in. Patrick doesn't live the life he does because he wants to but because he is aware his behaviors differ from the norm and wants to blend in with others.
Right before we see Patrick murder Paul Allen, a supposed enemy of his at the workplace, he takes pills from a unlabeled bottle. This particular shot, rather than being focused on Patrick, is focused on the prescription pill bottle. This shot emphasizes that he is unwell, despite not having the medication or reason for it listed on the bottle. Neither SOTL nor American Psycho give a clear diagnosis for either character but both have similar behaviors, most being related to ASPD.

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While both films’ main antagonists have the same mental disorder, there is one crucial difference between SOTL and American Psycho, that being the perspective or point of view. In SOTL, we see everything from an omniscient third person focused on Clarice and occasionally showing scenes in which she is not present.

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While in American Psycho, we only see Patrick Bateman’s perspective and even hear his inner monologue. Their perspectives are opposite, focused on the investigator and the direct viewpoint of the killer. This difference in perspective means that we see Hannibal’s actions shown in a more neutral way with no justification for them while Patrick justifies his murders through narration.

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While there is a difference in genre, there is a similar use of gender in both movies. In SOTL, we see multiple instances where Clarice is treated differently because she is a woman. These scenes include: when Dr. Chilton says that the FBI has never sent someone so attractive and that Jack Crawford only sent her to “turn on” Lecter, when Crawford implies that she isn’t capable of handling information related to a sex crime where the victim is a woman, and when local police officers don’t immediately listen to her instructions as well as looking at her like she’s crazy to put her position of power to use. Clarice Starling experiences both blatant and subtle sexism as she proceeds with her investigation.

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Patrick Bateman, on the other hand, doesn’t experience the same discrimination as Clarice but is surrounded by toxic masculinity and even acts this way himself. As far as Patrick’s friends’ behavior they start by judging the restaurant they’re in, calling it a “chick’s restaurant ” in a tone of disgust. This comment implies that there is a gender expectation and that because the restaurant is fancy and proper, it is not masculine enough for them. Afterwards when at a bar, Patrick calls the bartender a “fucking ugly bitch” because she informs him that he has to pay in cash. This comment shows that he doesn’t value women for the people they are and instead see them as objects or vessels to get what he wants. This point is further supported when he is controlling his assistant’s clothing. Telling her, “Don’t wear that outfit again. Wear a dress or skirt or something. You’re prettier than that…and wear high heels”, shows that he believes women should wear certain things in order to better their physical appearance. The issue with this being that he almost never addresses women’s personality in a positive way, only putting value in their looks or what he can gain from them.

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As the film comes to a close, we see Hannibal Lecter has escaped to an unknown area and is watching Dr. Chilton, his self proclaimed nemesis. The movie ends and leaves something for the audience to imagine or infer. The main goal of the movie, catching Buffalo Bill, is accomplished but the story’s main antagonist, Lecter, is still free. The audience is left to wonder what Lecter's next move it and if Clarice received a position in the Behavioral Science Unit.

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As we approach the final minutes of the movie, Patrick walks in Paul Allen’s apartment, where he has stored the bodies of many people he has murdered and finds them missing. A woman then approaches him and asks if he is there for her apartment showing, he gives a look of confusion and she asks him to leave. The previous night, when calling his lawyer and confessing his crimes, Patrick asks to meet him in a restaurant the next day. When seeing his lawyer (Carnes) the next day, Carnes laughs and tells him what a great joke the voicemail was. Patrick then explains that it was serious and that Paul Allen was dead. Carnes then gives him a confused look and says, “That’s simply not possible…I had dinner with Paul Allen twice in London just 10 days ago”. The scene cuts to Patrick’s assistant, Jean, flipping through his notebook with disturbing drawings of dismembered people, showing his unwellness. It cuts back to Bateman at a table with his friends while he continues his inner monologue, “This confession has meant nothing”. The movie ends there. Similar to SOTL, it leaves something to be desired, leaving the audience with questions of, “How much of his actions were fake? Was any of it real?”.
American Psycho ending leaves more of a sense of unease while SOLT gives a more resolved ending. Both movies still leave questions to be answered and something for the viewer to wonder.

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SIGNIFICANCE: Why does all this matter? 

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SIGNIFICANCE: Why does all this matter? 

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Though both films are fiction, their depiction of people with mental illnesses can influence how people perceive individuals with these illnesses in real life. Not all people with antisocial personality disorder are serial killers or criminals. This representation of people with ASPD can form false assumptions from people without ASPD. These assumptions can be harmful to real people with this disorder and can cause bullying, social persecution and discrimination.

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1. American Psycho. Directed by Mary Harron, Lionsgate, 1999.
2. "Antisocial personality disorder." Mayo Clinic, 10 December 2019. Antisocial personality disorder - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic
3. The Silence of the Lambs. Directed by Jonathan Demme, Orion Pictures, 1991.