Set in New York City in 1987, the film follows the daily life of Patrick Bateman, a handsome, image-obsessed Wall Street executive, whose existence revolves around dining at exclusive restaurants, discussing music, and obsessing over designer brands and business cards. Beneath this polished, superficial exterior, Bateman harbors a psychopathic ego and leads a secret life as a brutal serial killer, targeting a range of victims including a homeless man, prostitutes, and a coworker, Paul Allen. As the film progresses, Bateman's grip on reality loosens, and his violent fantasies escalate, blurring the line between his real actions and his deranged imagination. A private investigator, Donald Kimball (Willem Dafoe), questions Bateman about Allen's disappearance, but Bateman deflects suspicion. In a moment of frantic unraveling, Bateman leaves a lengthy confession on his lawyer's answering machine. However, the next day, when he visits Paul Allen's apartment, it's vacant and for sale, and his lawyer dismisses the confession as a joke, claiming to have recently dined with Allen in London. The ambiguous ending leaves the audience to question whether the murders actually occurred or were just a product of Bateman's unraveling mind.