My girlfriend didnt get American Psycho - someone explain?

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Soldato
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i wasnt there, so dont you all be thinking that i didnt get it :o

i've never seen it before but she wants it explaining. apparently it was confusing and no one she was with knew what was going on. could someone give me a brief walkthrough of it? or in-depth if you're bored. merci :)
 
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I've not read the book... and *ahem* not seen all the film but I think it's his fantasies or the retelling of a fictional story by him... as in... it's all made up.

That's what I heard someone picked up on... much the same as the stories in Chopper are made up by the main character, just to tell a story for the reporter... the whole truth and nothing like the truth.

I could have course be exaggerating the truth! ;)

Oooh, Bateman... not far from... Batman! :D
 
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I reckon that the killing of the tramp was real but the rest was all in his head. Certainly most of it if not all of it was sheer fantasy of Bateman's.
 

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thanks for your replies. i'm not actually reading them because i dont want to spoil the film for myself, but you know what girls are like. NOW NOW NOW :rolleyes:;)
 
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I don't think it's meant to be conclusive at the end. You either believe he was capable of doing it or you don't . Maybe he was fantasising about owning up.

I think i't hilarious because it doesn't take itself seriously. Particularly when he put on 'Hip to be Square' to hack Jared Leto's character to death and the bit about everybody's business cards.
 
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I maintain that the business card scene is probably the best single scene in any film of the 90s. Its perfectly done!

Its meant to be open ended - but its weighted more toward it being in his head, than being real. It gets increasingly unlikely to be real toward the end - when he shoots at the car and it explodes in a fireball its obviously what he imagines the car would do, since its not realistic and the film is well done.
 
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I found I couldn't read the book, the first umpty-ump pages are painfully pretentious - I'm sure that's the idea but I find it really hard to read a book when I really dislike the main character...
 
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Read the book (incredibly graphic and disturbing) and watched the film (inevitably not as 'good' as the film, but good for celeb spotting nonetheless).

I can only remember pieces of the film, but as others have said only some of it happened... although when you read the book it all seems as though it happened (and a lot more happens in the book).

I like Christian Bale though.. something about him..

BB x
 
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Gareth Keenan said:
I don't think it's meant to be conclusive at the end. You either believe he was capable of doing it or you don't . Maybe he was fantasising about owning up.
Yeah I agree, I don't think it's meant to be conclusive either way. Even if it is I'd rather make up my own mind. I always think a film is made better if it leaves you with as many questions as answers (which is why I hate Cube2/Zero, and maintain that Mulholland Dr is not just an exercise in style over substance).

hogfather said:
I maintain that the business card scene is probably the best single scene in any film of the 90s. Its perfectly done!
Although there are probably many scenes that I am overlooking, I will whole-heartedly agree with you on that one :D
 
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If you take into account the second film then he did kill them all.

Personally I always viewed it that way. That he killed all these people but due to mistaken identity, social standing and a lot of luck he got away with it all even though he was completely psychotic.

Makes you wonder what secrets your average bloke in the office really has in his closet :eek:
 
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j00ni said:
Yeah I agree, I don't think it's meant to be conclusive either way. Even if it is I'd rather make up my own mind. I always think a film is made better if it leaves you with as many questions as answers (which is why I hate Cube2/Zero, and maintain that Mulholland Dr is not just an exercise in style over substance).


Although there are probably many scenes that I am overlooking, I will whole-heartedly agree with you on that one :D

I remember another scene. When he looks in the mirror striking poses whilst, ahem, being intimate with some ladies on his bed for his camcorder. I think there's a little bit of that character in everyone but it's the many social and egotisical levels he operates beyond normality which makes it funny.

My friends and I call any coloured shirt with a white collar 'Patrick Batemans' :p

Hey j00ni have I talked to you about Ryan Adams and Glastonbury before on these forums?!!
 
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christian bale played the part very well

i loved the charachter he played

a high powered city slicker (yuppie), the whole film showed him doing little if any actual work (reminding me of when i had a desk job :) ) . I liked it when his fiance was trying to set a wedding date and he replied that he couldn't possibly get the time off work.

also the charachter was obsessed with getting reservations to exclusive restaurants and best tables.....he dreaded an evening out without a good reservation.

the business card scene (already mentioned above) is absolute class.
 
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Gareth Keenan said:
I don't think it's meant to be conclusive at the end. You either believe he was capable of doing it or you don't . Maybe he was fantasising about owning up.

I think i't hilarious because it doesn't take itself seriously. Particularly when he put on 'Hip to be Square' to hack Jared Leto's character to death and the bit about everybody's business cards.

agreed some of the humour in it is fantastic, who the hell explains while they like huey luis and the news just while he's preparing to axe someone in the head.

The fact that he's gets really annoyed when someone has anything better than him, there are lots of mentions through out the film, the business card is probally the most aparent.

This is one of my top feel good movies I love it.
 
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