American Psycho's ending

[DefJeff]

I just saw this for the first time last night and I enjoyed it pretty good. A little less gruesome then I thought it would be, but hey that's life.

I was really wondering about the ending though, were the murders all in Patrick's head or did he actually commit them throughout the film? I guess it's safe to assume he didn't actually kill Paul Allen because the guy at the end claims to have had dinner with him in London a couple of times?

Patrick's bloody sheets and the fact that once someone in the film "dies" we don't actually see them again in the film would lead me to believe that he killed people, but also the disappearing bodies at the end make me think otherwise. Am I just missing something obvious here or what?

[Grim]

I'm pretty sure it's all in his head, which is what makes him the "American Psycho." I think when he tells the girl that it is cranberry juice on his sheets, it really is just cranberry juice. That should help a little, although you may want to find someone who's read the book.

[DVD Connoisseur]

The book's also a tad ambiguous but I've always interpreted the events as Bateman's rabid imagination. There's an alternative explanation to the Paul Allen reference, i.e. the characters mix each other up, but I find the "fictional" account more satisfying.

[thrashard76]

I've seen a few parts of this movie on tv but once I figured out just what I was watching I promptly changed the channel so that I didn't spoil for myself anything when I finally get the chance to see it uncut. This one is back ordered at DDD but I can't wait to finally see it in full.

[Atmims]

I think it's all in Bateman's imagination, but it could just as well be real since it would still be an unreality to him.

I don't know if you read much Jeff, but the book goes to the extreme in gore and perversion. Enough to make this jaded pervert a bit uneasy. Imagine if the film were remade with H.G. Lewis styled lingering gore, add hardcore sex and insanity.

[KingJeff]

I never once considered that it was all in his head. I thought the whole "dinner with Paul Allen" thing at the end was proof of how superficial and unimportant everyone and everything is. Even though he was murdered, people didn't even know he was gone.

hmmm, maybe time to rewatch it...

[Tad Ghostal]

My own take on it, and I seen the movie and read the book, is this. Its supposed to be ambiguous. Patrick Bateman's lost his mind, there's no doubt about that. However, the line between fantasy and reality is blurred. The viewer doesn't know what's real and what's not because Bateman does not know what's real and what's not. Remember, both the book and the movie are narrated by Bateman. If our narrator does not know what's real, the audience won't, either.

Also, one of the points of the movie was to demonstrate the narcissism, vanity, and individual-lessness of these yuppy men in the 1980's. People in the story are mistaken for each other all the time. That adds to the ambiguousness of the movie. Someone says they've seen Paul Allen. However, its possible that they don't even know who Paul Allen really is. They might think its Paul Allen because the person they saw acts like Paul Allen or because Paul Allen acts like the person they saw. These men try so hard to be the same that you can't tell them apart.

What I really like about this movie is that its a view of insanity. Patrick Bateman has lost his grip on reality, but has he really killed people or is he imagining it? We don't really know. Some people hate this "American Psycho" because of that. I think this makes the movie unique.

By the way, if you are looking for gore and gruesome details, the book has a ton.

[Bobbywoodhogan]

Its all in his head.

[Peter Vincent]

Whatever U do, don't check out the "sequal"...it makes it seem like Bateman really WAS a serial killer!

POS!

[Enutz666]

The director said in Entertainment Weekly that the orginal version it really didn't make it obvious that he really did kill at the end, but she hoped that this version would help. Didn't see the unrated yet but it sounds like there is still confusion.

[KillerCannabis]

I really dont think anything in the unrated cut would help make the rated cut more understandable. The only added scenes were a few seconds with the hookers. This is one of my favorite films and I've seen it countless times. Not only have I always felt that everything took place in Bateman's head, but Ellis himself recently stated that all Patrick's wrongdoings were in his head, which proves furthermore how useless a sequel was. The new SE is a great disc and I highly recommend it.

[tobaccoman]

But Ellis himself?

Ellis is the director right? I'm pretty sure she's a lady so I have to assume you've only read that statement somewhere.

[Myron Breck]

Bret Easton Ellis wrote the book.

And I have to agree with Atmims...if you haven't yet read the book, WOW! I was shocked at what I read. I can see why people freaked out when it was published. I didn't read it until I heard they'd started filming a movie version, and then I couldn't imagine what they'd be able to show. Very disturbing stuff, but a good read anyway.

[The Chaostar]

We cannot know for sure if it was in his head or not. And that is the magic.
Gotta love those ambiguous endings. I am a sucker for those.

[tobaccoman]

But Bret Easton Ellis is a woman as well, at least from my memory. I sold my old version of this movie 'cuz I plan on upgrading, but like I said before in a previous thread, "If I spend more money on American Psycho, I'll buy the book first!"

[Bobbywoodhogan]

Whatever U do, don't check out the "sequal"...it makes it seem like Bateman really WAS a serial killer!

POS!

After seeing the sequel I've tried to block it from my mind. It ignores the end of the first one.

[Andrew]

But Bret Easton Ellis is a woman as well, at least from my memory.Sorry, you're wrong.

I just watched this again with this thread in mind and it makes a lot more sense to think that it's all in his head. The first time he flips out is at the bartender in club, where he says something about cutting her up, and she doesn't even respond--either she can't hear him, or it's in his head. Also when he's carrying Paul Allen in the bodybag and he sees his two friends, they say nothing about the body. Of course the obvious satire is with regards to how wrapped up they are in what's fashionable, but the doorman sees Bateman too and doesn't even look at the bag--probably because it isn't really there. Also, does anyone really believe it's possible that "Christy" could run around screaming, banging on doors in the really nice apartment complex, only to have a loud, buzzing chainsaw fall on her and kill her, without any kind of investigation afterwards?

Regardless of the ending, I forgot how funny this movie is. Not "ha-ha" funny, but "damn this is good" funny. The satire is outrageous, and the scene with the business cards is one of the greatest ever.

[Fistfuck]

But Bret Easton Ellis is a woman as well, at least from my memory. I sold my old version of this movie 'cuz I plan on upgrading, but like I said before in a previous thread, "If I spend more money on American Psycho, I'll buy the book first!"

What in God's name are you talking about? Bret Easton Ellis is MALE. Mary Haron, the director of said movie, is FEMALE. Christ almighty...

[allmessedup]

I was surprised how much of the book they were able to put into the movie, even the "music review" chapters.

It's funny, I never even considered the possibility that it was all in his head until I saw the movie.

[Luna]

Bret was a male name, last I checked. One can never tell these days though. :lol:

I loved the book as well. I remember, when I first heard they were going to be making a movie out of it, I wondered how the hell they'd ever manage to get some of that violence in. :D

[Cujo108]

We cannot know for sure if it was in his head or not. And that is the magic.
Gotta love those ambiguous endings. I am a sucker for those.

Exactly. I, for one, don't prescribe to the all in his head idea. I've always thought it had everything to do with how the yuppies continuously mistake each other for someone else. Paul Allen, for example, makes fun of Bateman without realizing the guy he's having dinner with IS Bateman. It shows how incredibly shallow these people are. The guy at the end has dinner with a guy he THINKS was Paul Allen. As for scenes like the "feed me a stray cat" one? Well, that is obviously in his head. The murders are certainly real IMO, but he also has minor imaginary episodes too. Hell, one or two of the murders may have even been imaginary, but he certainly killed Paul Allen and a few others if you ask me.

[Shannafey]

I just saw a blurb in Entertainment Weekly from the review of the Unrated version and it says in the commentary they make it clear that the killings were real, although I always thought it was in his head!!

[Damin J. Toell]

I saw Mary Harron and Guin Turner do a Q&A at a screening. They said that their intention was to make it completely clear that the murders all actually happened. Bateman is both a murderer and, sometimes, delusional. They realized, however, that they may have goofed and made it too ambiguous. They think the bar scene at the end with Bateman's lawyer was too unclear. They shot another take where it's clear that the lawyer is lying when he says he saw Paul Allen. Everyone covers up for Bateman to make it easier on themselves (e.g., the real estate agent has the apartment cleans and repainted so that the value of the property isn't affected).

And Bret Easton Ellis is 100% male, and he wrote the novel. Mary Harron, who is female, directed the film and co-wrote the screenplay with Guin Turner (who is also female and has a role in the film).

DJ

[bigdaddyhorse]

After seeing the sequel I've tried to block it from my mind. It ignores the end of the first one.

The sequel is an absolute piece of shit that I won't even ackowledge exists anymore after typing this!
As for the first, either way it's a brilliant film and I can't wait to get home form vaca. and tear into the SE that will await me!

[Shannafey]

Ironically, today I picked up the paperback for $2 at a store I frequent. I have been wanting to read it for ages!!

[Myron Breck]

Enjoy! It's one wild, disturbing ride. :)