Tonight we’re examining late-90s American cinema through a single corrosive lens—power as pathology—using Swimming with Sharks (1994), Suicide Kings (1997), and American Psycho (2000). George Huang’s indie Hollywood satire, born from his own assistant experience, pairs Kevin Spacey and Frank Whaley in a low-budget Sundance breakout that exposed abuse as industry currency. Peter O’Fallon’s Suicide Kings, riding the post-Pulp Fiction wave, assembles Christopher Walken, Denis Leary, and a crop of rising young actors in a contained, dialogue-driven crime piece that underperformed theatrically but grew on video. Mary Harron’s American Psycho, adapted from Bret Easton Ellis, retooled after multiple development shifts, cast Christian Bale in a career-defining role, and turned modest box office into lasting cultural capital. Together, these films document a moment when masculinity, ambition, and capitalism collapsed into performance, leaving a legacy that still shapes how film portrays power, status, and identity.<br /><br />Disclaimer: The following may contain offensive language, adult humor, and/or content that some viewers may find offensive – The views and opinions expressed by any one speaker does not explicitly or necessarily reflect or represent those of Mark Radulich or W2M Network.<br /><br />Mark Radulich and his wacky podcast on all the things:<br />https://linktr.ee/markkind76<br />also<br />https://www.teepublic.com/user/radulich-in-broadcasting-network<br />FB Messenger: Mark Radulich LCSW<br />Tiktok: @markradulich<br />twitter: @MarkRadulich<br />Instagram: markkind76<br />RIBN Album Playlist: https://suno.com/playlist/91d704c9-d1ea-45a0-9ffe-5069497bad59 <br />