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Bank of America, Merryl Lynch.

Voted blah blah blah top in innovation blah blah blah.

Short story: elite British trader from the above mentioned bank turned out to be a psychopath murderer and torturer.

Long story:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/ ... court-told

Psycho banker murderer. That could well be the title of the next Hollywood blockbuster movie that won't change a damn thing in this world.

They already made that movie. It's called American Psycho. You'd like it. It used satire to make exactly the sort of connection you're making. It also, as predicted, didn't change anything.

FireNexus wrote:They already made that movie. It's called American Psycho. You'd like it. It used satire to make exactly the sort of connection you're making. It also, as predicted, didn't change anything.

And, in fact, was attacked for "glorifying" the lifestyle while it was supposed to satirize and denounce it. The problem was, Bale was really really really good in it, diving into the role, so the message was kind of lost.

I get it though, I might have found Bateman a terrible person, but if you're already a narcissist, the character is probably your muse.

The banker disappeared from his work around the time of the murders. He left an automated reply on his work email that read: “I am out of the office. Indefinitely. For urgent inquiries, or indeed any inquiries, please contact someone who is not an insane psychopath.”

This actually reads like a version of the movie set in Hong Kong.

FireNexus wrote:They already made that movie.

Based on the book written by Brett Easton Ellis, published in 1991.

In which the titular psychopath confesses all his crimes on another bankers answerphone.

This one actually confessed to his crimes on a phone-recorded video, so fiction does mirror reality.

Darth Nostril wrote:

FireNexus wrote:They already made that movie.

Based on the book written by Brett Easton Ellis, published in 1991.

In which the titular psychopath confesses all his crimes on another bankers answerphone.

In the book it's not actually clear whether the crimes really happened or whether they're a fantasy life Bateman is making up because he and his entire lifestyle is so shallow that there's literally nothing actually interesting about him.

The movie is similarly uncertain. Though it's less clear because they don't expound upon it. The fact that he gets away with it and the other guy doesn't recall his confession implies heavily that he's just a sociopath with delusions of grandeur.

Vendetta wrote:In the book it's not actually clear whether the crimes really happened or whether they're a fantasy life Bateman is making up because he and his entire lifestyle is so shallow that there's literally nothing actually interesting about him.

I had a huge "nerd argument" about this with some friends years back. They took the movie at face value because "that's what they showed us" and wouldn't even consider the possibility the camera was showing Bateman's warped view of reality rather than acting like an actual video camera.

I still believe the ambiguity was intentional and we don't know for sure what Bateman physically did, like a Total Recall situation (though that debate has a lot more evidence considering the Fade to White), because Bateman is shown multiple times to be an unreliable narrator and, like you said, his life is bullshit and he's already unhinged. Also of note, but I'd have to go back and rewatch it, things weren't exactly happening "right" during the murder-scenes. Bateman was way to in control, way too glib, way to quick with the zingers. His victims seemed to react how he wanted them to, like in a dream.

Meanwhile, the scenes I'm sure were real, such as the business card scene, among others, Bateman is either silent or makes quick verbal jabs, but seems uncomfortable. He's not nearly as.... charismatic in the scenes he's not murdering. Maybe murdering is the only time he feels comfortable enough to act that way or maybe he acts that way because that's how he wants to in his daydreams/delusions.

Man, I really liked that movie.... and I probably shouldn't like it as much as I do.

TheFeniX wrote:Man, I really liked that movie.... and I probably shouldn't like it as much as I do.

Is there a limit as to how much a thing can be liked?

Gandalf wrote:

TheFeniX wrote:Man, I really liked that movie.... and I probably shouldn't like it as much as I do.

Is there a limit as to how much a thing can be liked?

I think he's saying that liking American Psycho to a great degree could make it seem as though he's psychotic himself.

It's because even though I hate Bateman as a person, I really love him as a character. I shouldn't feel guilt for enjoying the antics of such a despicable character, but I kind of do.

TheFeniX wrote:I had a huge "nerd argument" about this with some friends years back. They took the movie at face value because "that's what they showed us" and wouldn't even consider the possibility the camera was showing Bateman's warped view of reality rather than acting like an actual video camera.

I still believe the ambiguity was intentional and we don't know for sure what Bateman physically did, like a Total Recall situation (though that debate has a lot more evidence considering the Fade to White), because Bateman is shown multiple times to be an unreliable narrator and, like you said, his life is bullshit and he's already unhinged. Also of note, but I'd have to go back and rewatch it, things weren't exactly happening "right" during the murder-scenes. Bateman was way to in control, way too glib, way to quick with the zingers. His victims seemed to react how he wanted them to, like in a dream.

Meanwhile, the scenes I'm sure were real, such as the business card scene, among others, Bateman is either silent or makes quick verbal jabs, but seems uncomfortable. He's not nearly as.... charismatic in the scenes he's not murdering. Maybe murdering is the only time he feels comfortable enough to act that way or maybe he acts that way because that's how he wants to in his daydreams/delusions.

Man, I really liked that movie.... and I probably shouldn't like it as much as I do.

The movie confirms the unreliable narrator interpretation with the scene where he blows up the squad car with his pistol and then looks at the gun in disbelief. I don't see how a person can interpret that scene as part of a literal objective narrative.

Arthur_Tuxedo wrote:The movie confirms the unreliable narrator interpretation with the scene where he blows up the squad car with his pistol and then looks at the gun in disbelief. I don't see how a person can interpret that scene as part of a literal objective narrative.

"Nah man, you're wrong. It's just a movie about some psycho murderer."
FeniX: "But what about when he shoots the cop car and it just blows up, then he gets away from the cops so easily."
"That happens in action movies all the time."
FeniX: "EXACTLY, and Bateman's delusions wouldn't be based on reality because he, as a yuppie, would have no idea how cops work or that cars aren't ticking bombs. He would get that shit from watching movies or his own imagination."
"You think about his too much."

Honestly been wanting to watch this again. I own it, but my wife doesn't like the prostitute scenes because it makes Bale look like a jerk and he beats them. Yet, there isn't an episode of Game of Thrones she won't watch that involves prostitutes or sex. She only avoids episodes like the Red Wedding and deaths of other characters she likes. A shame Michael Fassbender wasn't cast as Bateman, we'd be able to watch it every night.

Bateman is an awful character - but he's fascinating just as Ramsay Bolton in Game of Thrones. I could see why such a strong negative character could be interesting, especially if brilliantly played.