I think its a failure of mine in the final scene because i just got the emphasis wrong. It was really about what is going on with men now, in terms of surface narcissism. Smile, yes, oh snap, nod, approval, nice, christian bale, american psycho 805 shares. Will someone please explain the end of american psycho to. Before you might begin to draw any ideas from the comparison i just made, i will begin to quickly expand upon that. Motion picture association of america, the board gave it an nc17 rating for the sex scene. But the meaning is different, as is the meaning of the play from the movie.
In the book, detective donald kimball is described as an ambitious and. Among the more standard tools knives, scalpels, and scissors are a metal clothes hanger, a mousetrap, and a hole punch christie even tells patrick the second time he goes see her that she had to go to surgery and probably needs to get a lawyer while much of the film is meant to be comedic, patrick chasing a woman down hallway whilst. Naturally, my response was to believe that the entire movie was a confession by patrick bateman and that it was in fact. Patrick doesnt exist, he is a walking talking collection of memes more or less. The film stars christian bale as patrick bateman, a young investment banker who leaves a second life as a serial killer. In the end of the movie american psycho, bateman confesses to his lawyer that he had killed paul allen and others, but the lawyer says that he had dinner with him in london.
Business cards symbol in american psycho litcharts. Patrick reaches the top and holds the chainsaw out over the gap, waiting for the right moment. The novel tells the story of norman bates, caretaker at an isolated motel who struggles under his domineering mother and becomes embroiled in a series of murders. He is literally a psychopath, because he cannot differentiate between his own fantasies and reality, and the movie is a perfect illustration of precisely that it is a visual representation of his state of mind.
However, he is also an insane serial killer who often. But guinevere turner, who cowrote the film with director mary. The ending of american psycho finally explained by adam james and xandra harbet sept. Updated the iconic business card scene from american psycho 2000, starring. When bret easton elliss american psycho was about to be published. American psycho begins with a quote from dantes inferno.
Patrick batemans search for identity in mary harrons 2000 film is a story thats. High quality american psycho gifts and merchandise. Speaking to variety at the toronto film festival, bale said it was a good choice picking pattinson. Make sure you watch the film before you read it its been two decades since we met patrick bateman for the first time in marry harrons noncompos mentis american psycho. In the case of american psycho the appearance of patrick bateman is that of an intelligent, handsome, strong and wealthy man. Bateman constantly confesses that he kills people and that he would even kill them if they pushed him to his breaking point, but due to batemans whole persona of being a wealthy and high status investment banker. The movie dissects the 80s culture of materialism, narcissism and greed quoted here. How did the turmoil surrounding the american psycho book release. Oh dip, your sinister walking song just came on, though.
If so, then watch american psycho and never go near them again, no but seriously this movie is a perfect example as to somebody taking their personality way. Like the bret easton ellis book that its based on, the ending of mary harrons american psycho is rather ambiguous, and has been a source of debate amongst fans for a long time. The answer to what happened and the ending of american psycho is obvious. Batemans imagination ran wild, and everything happened in his twisted and demented mind. American psycho ending explained by writers mary harron. Bateman memes photographs and gifs from the director mary. Twenty years later, american psycho has only grown more. The movie, american psycho, is taken from the book of the same name that is written by bret easton ellis. So, in other words, the movie is truly about an american psycho.
Just finished american psycho and i am pretty confused within myself. Because bateman is a rich, white, wellmannered, educated young man with a. In late 2010s, patrick bateman achieved online recognition as a based or chad character. The yuppies that permeate its pages are indistinguishable, defined only by. Nicolas pesce on piercing making sense of the ending. As the narration progresses, events in the film get more. The novel is considered blochs most enduring work and one of the most influential horror books of the 20th century. Anyone who watches american psycho is always a bit confused by the plot. In this piece we fully explain american psycho and try to reach at a conclusion. Tunnel was a real club which closed in 2001 and did feature part of an actual subway tunnel as part of its interior, although the tunnel. He recommends trumps howto book the art of the deal to a.
The ending of american psycho makes it clear that none of the violence was real, and that patrick bateman the protagonist never actually hurt anybody, but instead was dreaming of a way out of his mundane consumerist existence. How can the chainsawscene of american psycho 2000 be. American psycho by bret easton ellis plot summary litcharts. A wealthy new york city investment banking executive, patrick bateman, hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his coworkers and friends as he delves deeper into his violent, hedonistic fantasies. I used to think it was all in his head but after reading the book twice and seeing the film a few times i still cant make up my mind but probably would lean toward the reasoning that he did do these crimes and people. Nsfwi feel like i have finally cracked the puzzle of the ending of american psycho, or at the very least added a whole other piece to the ov.
American psycho is one of the most confusing films ever with an ambiguous ending and curious plot points. Jul 17, 2020 look closer at the deeper meaning and messages of american psycho s ending. Even his confession is aluded to by his lawyer as a laugh as they believe bateman is too reserved to commit such acts. But the third act of the movie intentionally unravels and leaves us guessing about what, if anything, actually happened to our deranged protagonist throughout the whole film. American psycho author bret easton ellis has said he will always be defined by his. The film stars christian bale as patrick bateman, a young investment banker. American psycho ending explained by writers mary harron and. American psycho, a novel by bret easton ellis, satirizes the apathy, narcissism, and emotional void of modern consumerist culture, through the metaphor of the psychopathic killer, patrick bateman, whom no one will believe is a killer, despite his repeated confessions. Apr 09, 2021 the ending of american psycho makes it clear that none of the violence was real, and that patrick bateman the protagonist never actually hurt anybody, but instead was dreaming of a way out of his mundane consumerist existence.
Shes transformed a novel about blood lust into a m. July 17, 2020 by the editors leave a comment look closer at the deeper meaning and messages of american psycho s ending. Psycho is a 1959 horror novel by american writer robert bloch. Business cards feature most prominently in the chapter pastels. American psycho is a film of gleaming, impossibly perfect surfaces, devoid of comfort or warmth. Freeman and stars mila kunis as rachael newman, a driven criminology student who is drawn to murder.
However, during the last moments of the film, patrick. The story is set in new york amongst the 1980s wall street boom. Will someone please explain the end of american psycho to me. The content of the movie created a good deal of controversy because of the explicit sex and violence scenes. Elliss book cinematic representation is naturally more external than. The one line in american psycho that will completely change. American psycho minimal movie poster by caleb kerr minimal movie posters. Christian bales american psycho movie ending explained. All american girl is a 2002 american black comedy slasher film and a standalone sequel to mary harrons 2000 film american psycho. Lets take a closer look at the ending of the film, which closely follows the end of the novel, so that everyone can understand, for once and for all, that the film is a satire and that the violence contained in the story is all in batemans head. Director mary harrons american psycho 2000 is a terrific horror film where patrick bateman christian bale is a wealthy new york banking executive who hides his serial kier alto ego from everyone around him. Bret easton ellis still stuck with american psycho after 25 years. In american psycho, patrick bateman and his band of incredibly wealthy wall street colleagues live lives of utter excess, purchasing nothing but the finest things, wearing only the finest clothes, eating at only the chicest restaurants, and looking down on any who fall short of their standard. So, the guy who made both the american psycho suit, the american gigolo suit and jordan belfort, who is the real life guy in wolf of wall street, his real life suits, made reeds suit.
American psycho book movie quotes book quotes night trilogy metal meme. The publication of the novel did not initially prove sweet vindication for ellis. Theres no question that patrick bateman, central character in mary harrons american psycho. Patrick bateman and his friend, tim price, are on their way to dinner at evelyns, batemans girlfriend, house.
At the classroom scene when william shatner spells out nicknames on the chalk board, he puts an underline under it, and it goes from short to long then short again, then to a question mark, and to short again with a curved end. In hindsight, an american psycho looks a lot like us the new. Inspired designs on tshirts, posters, stickers, home decor, and more by independent artists and designers from around the world. The final scene of the film and the way you get there contradict what the film has shown so far, and the temptation is to think that everything happened only in the protagonists head, patrick bateman. Abandon all hope ye who enter here is graffitied across the side of a bank in bloodred paint. What sounds like a bizarre theory actually seems to have a lot of foundation, and explains some very. The movie, american psycho, is taken from the book of the same name that is written by. To have the american psycho explained, one must know the plot first. All orders are custom made and most ship worldwide within 24 hours. What i consider the ending of american psycho is the point in the film when our unlikely protagonists world starts falling apart, quite literally, and like in nolans inception, the highly fragile dream world that patrick bateman played by a devilishly feisty christian bale built begins collapsing. American psycho is a 2000 thriller film based on a 1991 novel of the same name. Bateman, who relays the action of the novel, as well as his innermost thoughts. Like the bret easton ellis novel that inspired it, the film leaves open the possibility that patrick bateman didnt really kill all those people.
In one discussion with charlie rose, bale and bret easton ellis and the director harron admit that they failed on the final scene. The reddit meme stocks story needs to be adapted into a. Broadway musical, american psycho by bret easton ellis is the story of a true 80s businessman. American psycho is a satire that is both entertaining and frightening, opening readers eyes to the consequences of apathy in society. Alison kelly of the observer notes that while some countries deem it so potentially disturbing that it can only be sold shrinkwrapped, critics rave about it and academics revel in its transgressive and postmodern. Apr 20, 2020 it seems 20 years of speculation was enough for american psycho s cowriters, mary harron and guinevere turner. In this entry, we look back at the ending of american. Aug 18, 2019 anyone who watches american psycho is always a bit confused by the plot. American psycho ending scene christian bale youtube. Bateman kied homeless people, coworkers, and working women. When she nears the bottom, he lets go, and the chainsaw falls end over end, finally hitting its target.
See more ideas about american psycho, american, christian bale. Before the american psycho movie caused a scandal, the book, written. The story is told in the first person by patrick bateman, a serial killer and manhattan. The most wellknown example of this is when patrick completes his first kill. The iconic business card scene from american psycho 2000, starring christian bale as serial killer patrick bateman. Jul 03, 2010 american psycho begins with the words at the entrance to dantes hell, scrawled in blood red lettering on the side of the chemical bank near the corner of eleventh and first. Mar 26, 2019 the ending of american psycho finally explained by the director harron claimed that misleading the audience was not the intention of american psycho ending. He works on wall street, has a pretty girlfriend, and spends most of his life in restaurants. High quality american psycho inspired postcards by independent artists and designers from around th. My heart broke a little when patrick bateman says this confession has meant nothing. Ending explained is a recurring series in which we explore the finales, secrets, and themes of interesting movies and shows, both new and old. American psycho 2 also known as american psycho ii. Its an indictment of a society that values economic prosperity over any sort of.
Sep 02, 2017 the ending of american psycho finally explained by adam james and xandra harbet sept. American psycho writers break down the films bizarre ending. The american psycho ending has confounded viewers of the film for 20 years. American psycho explained there are obviously potential spoilers as it is an attempt to decipher and explain the ending of american psycho. There is an idea of a patrick bateman, some kind of abstraction, but there is no real me, only an entity, something illusory, and though i can hide my cold gaze and you can shake my hand and feel flesh gripping yours and maybe you can even sense our lifestyles are comparable. Mar 06, 2020 the american psycho ending has confounded viewers of the film for 20 years. The film developed a cult following, with multiple memes based on the film circulating since 2009. Bale in the 2000 film adaptation of bret easton elliss novel american psycho. Jul 23, 2019 the ending, explained what i consider the ending of american psycho is the point in the film when our unlikely protagonists world starts falling apart, quite literally, and like in nolan s inception, the highly fragile dream world that patrick bateman played by a devilishly feisty christian bale built begins collapsing.
The greatest hint to this is when jean, batemans secretary finds his office journal filled with drawings of mder and terrible horrors. Adapted from bret easton ellis novel of the same name, american psycho is regarded as one of the most mindboggling films. I will always be defined by patrick bateman, says author, adding that the. The film quoted the perfect line from the book to sum up bateman. He also appears to be perfectly sane and always enjoying his nights out by spending time with friends, but in actuality patrick bateman is an insane psychopathic killer that cannot control his urge to murder someone. American psycho by bret easton ellis books the guardian. Spasmodically, breathtaking blood american psycho blood background photo can help. During batemans spiral downward into his evil desires. One of the very first memes i remember using is a still from american psycho.
The manuscript that became american psycho was originally conceived as. Another banker, scott montgomery, joins them and leaves his card, and bateman is completely mesmerized by it. Card carrying catholics american psycho quotes, american. Oblivion obliviousness is a reoccurring theme throughout the story of american psycho as many characters completely ignore the fact that bateman tells them that he is serial killer. Bateman, van patten, price, and mcdermott are out to dinner and showing off their newest business cards to one another, obsessing over the fonts, paper color and thickness, and style of the cards. All i wanted was to be ambiguous in the way that the book was. I dont know anything about stocks but the gamestop memes. With tenor, maker of gif keyboard, add popular american psycho meme animated gifs to your conversations. It can mean several things and i will go through them in as much detail as possible. Earlier in the novel patrick and his other mergers and acquisitions friends go to a club in nyc called tunnel.
As a literary offering, american psycho found few defendersmost notably norman mailer, a man who had made a fine career courting controversybut roger rosenblatt of the new york times spoke for most critics when he called the book the most loathsome offering of the season. American psycho 2000 frequently asked questions imdb. A friend of mine sent me an interesting article about american psycho that makes the case that patrick is a closeted gay man running around giving aids to everyone, the book being either a metaphorical story or just an unreliably told one. Patrick runs after her, stark nude, and chainsaw in hand.
The film is a pitchblack comedy of manners about male narcissism official site archived here david ansen critic. She explained, one thing i think is a failure on my part is people keep coming out of the film thinking that its all a dream, and i never intended that. Even after 15 years of its release, the much ambiguous ending of american psycho calls for debate amongst fans. It is therefore, entirely possible that within this version of reality all of these things happen and for whatever reason they do not have comparable. Sep 07, 2018 american psycho is a 2000 thriller film based on a 1991 novel of the same name. Jul 21, 2012 the world of american psycho is not our world, it exists within the novel and although there are similarities between our 1980s and the 1980s of patrick bateman, they are not synonymous. Aug 14, 2014 mary harrons american psycho is a searing satire of yuppie culture and the excess of the 1980s. The story is told in the first person by patrick bateman, a serial killer and manhattan investment banker.
American psycho ending explained insane fan theory. I have to return some videotapes is among the movies indelible lines. Christian bale as patrick bateman in the film adaptation of american psycho. American psycho might have seemed like a straightforward film about a psychotic serial killer one who has good hygiene and knows his font types.
The two recently spoke to moviemaker magazine about the films ending as part of a. The film also features william shatner as her professor. Ellis explained that the book was really about the dandification of the american male. In the end, bateman seemingly kills dozens of police officers, something that would not easily be forgiven, forgotten, nor without being the talk of the town and also among his socialite friends. Sep 04, 2008 the ending of american psycho can be viewed one of two ways, both acknowledged by the author as potentially correct.
1102 475 766 1580 678 208 74 1676 551 1190 373 1607 199 1701 1331 575 1245 528 1518 1106 664 369 450 1451 1798 1630 1294