# American Psycho Ending Explained
The ending of American Psycho remains one of cinema’s most debated moments, intentionally leaving viewers uncertain about what actually happened throughout the film. Director Mary Harron crafted this ambiguity deliberately, forcing audiences to question whether Patrick Bateman’s murders were real events or elaborate fantasies created by a disturbed mind.
The film presents several clues that suggest Bateman’s crimes may never have occurred. An apartment where he claims to have murdered someone appears empty and staged for rent. His supposed victims reappear in later scenes, or their murders are dismissed by others as pranks. When a private investigator questions Bateman about Paul Allen’s disappearance, a colleague claims to have dined with Allen on the night of his supposed murder, which actually solidifies Bateman’s alibi rather than incriminating him. The investigator ultimately dismisses the idea of Allen’s murder as implausible, leaving Bateman relieved yet unnerved.
This unreliable narrator technique sits at the heart of the film’s meaning. Bateman himself cannot be trusted as a guide through his own world. He constantly battles his fragile ego and superficial obsessions, making it impossible for viewers to determine which events are real. His privileged status and the indifference of those around him contribute to the feeling that his crimes could either be overlooked by society or entirely imagined within a world focused solely on appearances.
The film’s climax intensifies this confusion. Bateman leaves a frantic voicemail confessing to approximately 40 murders, including Paul Allen, Christie, Elizabeth, and others. Yet his confession is never taken seriously by his lawyer Harold Carnes. This dismissal raises the central question: did Bateman actually commit these murders, or has he constructed an elaborate fantasy to feel significant in a world where he cannot stand out through conventional means?
Throughout the narrative, Bateman struggles with his inability to distinguish himself from his peers. They all have fancy apartments, expensive business cards, and sophisticated reservations. Since he cannot achieve superiority through these material markers, he turns to violence as a way to assert dominance and create meaning in his hollow existence. However, even this violence may be nothing more than the delusions of a narcissistic fantasist desperate to matter.
The film’s conclusion serves as biting satire on 1980s consumerism and the indifference of the elite. By presenting an unresolved ending, American Psycho challenges viewers to confront an uncomfortable truth: in a society obsessed with surfaces and appearances, the distinction between real violence and imagined violence becomes meaningless. Whether Bateman killed anyone or not, the film suggests that the real horror lies in a culture so detached and superficial that such crimes could be overlooked or dismissed entirely.
Sources
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrlMLp-KFeo
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Psycho_(film)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT6IrjuGBJ8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzQMQOs_28A
https://www.avclub.com/american-psycho-director-mary-harron-we-ve-never-real-1842839329
