American Psycho (the film) question

[Jane2]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 9:15pm

I know, this film is from 2000, but I just watched it for the second time the other night and I was wondering about the same thing I wondered about the first time.

What was with Patrick's friend Paul Allen, who was a clone of Patrick? And Paul didn't call him Patrick Bateman. I didn't get that whole thing.

Anyone remember this film enough to explain?

btw, Mary Harron's a great director. What a body of work.

Updated On: 8/3/08 at 09:15 PM

[Kasie]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 9:28pm

Patrick Bateman told Paul he was someone else because Paul always called him by the wrong name. So when they went to dinner together, Patrick pretended to be whoever it was that Paul thought he was so that he could kill him because his business cards weren't as cool.
Wow, that sounds confusing and ridiculous, but that's the best way I can think to explain it.

Oh, and I totally agree with you about Harron's work with this one. One of my favorite movies for sure. Christian Bale was extraordinary.


Updated On: 8/3/08 at 09:28 PM

[clever name]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 9:31pm

wow, I don't remember alot of that movie. I should watch it again. But the book made me so sick I WISH I could forget it!! God, the part with the rat and the tube? sick..

[Jane2]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 9:33pm

Kasie, thanks. I don't remember that scenario but that helps.

One of my favorite films of all time is I Shot Andy Warhol, also directed by Harron.

Clever, I don't recall if the rat and the tube were in the film or not.

[clever name]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 9:38pm

No it was not. There is no way they could have put alot of the book into the film. No way. That book is S.I.C.K!!!

[Jane2]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 9:45pm

That film was also damn sick. But it was sick in a cartoon way. Patrick spoke and looked like a fake person. I think it was a brilliantly made film. Bravo to Christian Bale as well as Mary Harron.

[Kasie]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 9:47pm

I agree. Brilliant movie.
Bale's best work, IMO.
I haven't read the book yet, but I probably will soon. I'm curious.

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 8/4/08 at 4:07am

I'd encourage you to read the book. It is much more fascinating.

[BroadwayChica]

Posted: 8/4/08 at 4:39am

While the book is indeed fascinating, I agree with clever name that it's very "sick". It's a notoriously disturbing and very, very difficult book to read the whole way through. The descriptions are insanely detailed, to the point of being nauseating. I thought the film, on the whole, was much more effective than the book.

[clever name]

Posted: 8/5/08 at 7:20pm

btw, have you ever read Lunar Park? Patrick Bateman comes to life and stalks Bret Easton Ellis. And Bret's kid has a Furby that is possessed. The whole book is one giant WTF? And yet I still would read another book from him. Go figure.

[peach]

Posted: 8/6/08 at 9:58am

Loved the film - didn't read the book. My husband read it and agrees, way more sick than the film. One of those "who thinks of this stuff?" type of books. But he said it was a good read.

What I haven't figured out - (SPOILER ALERT)...

Was the whole thing in Patrick's head? The scene in which he is looking at the empty apartment makes me wonder if it really happened, or was it all his "fantasy?"



Updated On: 8/6/08 at 09:58 AM

[Jane2]

Posted: 8/6/08 at 10:11am

I considered that too, Peach. But finally I decided that it all really happened because in my mind,

SPOILERS



the point of the story was that even though the guy confessed (or tried to) to being this mass murderer, no one would believe him because of his position in life, and what type of person they assumed him to be.

Quite good, I think.

[xoangel2789xo]

Posted: 8/6/08 at 7:48pm

I thought it was.

[Jane2]

Posted: 8/6/08 at 8:32pm

I just thought of another part which threw me. When Patrick was trying to confess to his lawyer, and the lawyer claimed to have had dinner at least twice with Paul Allen in London.

Now was the lawyer telling the truth, or lying to try and point out how ridiculous Patrick's confession was?