The film American Psycho features two traditionally male-dominated professions: high finance and serial killing. Its protagonist, murderous yuppie Patrick Bateman, is an obvious misogynist. So what happens to the material when the character becomes Patricia and is played by actress Dani Faith Leonard? The answer is found in the premiere episode of a new web series entitled Swapped, created and produced by Leonard. The famous “business card” scene is herein reenacted by women, including Mara Wilson as Paula Allen.
SWAPPED: American Psycho from Dani Leonard on Vimeo.
The choice of American Psycho as a subject is an interesting one, since that film has recently been touted as a feminist statement about male vanity and pathology. Though based on a novel by Bret Easton Ellis, the 2000 film adaptation is both directed and written by women. In its gender-flipped remake, expensively dressed businesswomen nervously compare business cards and restaurant reservations just as their male counterparts did 16 years ago.
Does the intended social commentary still come through? The makers of Swapped want to know what viewers think. Opinions of the video can be shared using the hashtag #SWAPPED on Twitter. Meanwhile, nerds who just want to see how closely this new version copies the original can sort through some side-by-side comparison photos right here. “More than anything, we want to start a conversation,” says Leonard. “And we welcome trolls, too. I look forward to correcting their grammar.”