To ask if anyone's read/watched American Psycho? (I need friends to discuss this with!)

[YesMadamDeputySpeaker]

I watched the film yeeears ago and didn't think much of it, but I recently rewatched it and I found it one of the best pieces of cinema I've ever watched. (And not just for Christian Bale and Jared Leto ). I'm currently in the middle of rereading the book and I have so many theories - it's just fascinating. I know people are put off because of the gore (in the book at least) which is completely fair enough, but I think it's so cleverly written.

Please tell me I'm not the only one!

I couldn't sleep after reading the book but I still loved it!

I first encountered as the film, switching on half way through and thought I was watching a comedy - which is about right.

When I first read the book, I thought it was nauseating and exploitative of women, but a later reading, and the excellent audiobook read by Pablo Schreiber (The Wire) restored its bleak humour and satire.

@VeggieTables

I wrote my dissertation on American Psycho many many years ago: a fantastic book.

Oh, what was the subject of your dissertation?

@Philisophigal - I’ve been meaning to read Rules of Attraction but haven’t yet got round to it.

“This is not an exit” stuck with me, too! I don’t know what it is about that phrase, but it really touched me.

@WimpoleHat

I read it - and all the other BEE books - a long time ago, but haven’t seen the film. Couldn’t get my head around how one would make a film of that and accurately capture it. I always preferred Jay McInerey (sp?) as a writer, but accept that American Psycho did break the mould!

They couldn't and they didn't. The book is possibly my all time favourite but whilst the film is good fun and Christian Bale is fabulous, it's fluff by comparison.

Hmm, now thinking I should re-read it. Must have read it around 2002 when the film came out - I'd have been fresh out of uni and still fairly naive. I've never seen the film but remember the book being fairly horrific (especially the rat scene), so would be interesting to re-read it 20 years later. I don't remember finding it funny, but maybe i was just a bit overwhelmed by what I was raedin!

@YesMadamDeputySpeaker if I can remember correctly, it was a psychoanalytical review of Patrick himself, Bret Easton Ellis and the reader, and how all three in some way are disguising their desires. I wish I kept a copy of it!

I’ve seen the film and read the book. The film was easier for me.

The book horrified me and I had to put it down at moments and give myself a break.

I enjoyed the book, though found it distressing (I must admit it never occurred to me at the time that all the murders might just be going on in his head 😳) but have never been able to bring myself to watch the film even though I’d read it wasn’t so explicit. I preferred BEE’s Glamorama, though there were sections in it that I found so sickening I had to skip through them.

Read the book years ago and never loved/hated anything quite as much. Reread it recently and landed firmly in the love camp, the satire really shone through. Never watched the film 'cos ya know - rats, but having read this thread am going to watch it tonight!

So I watched the film several times as a young teenager.

I've thought about watching it again as an adult.

A very simple question that I always had was if he actually committed all those crimes ? Or was he just psychotic and imagined it all ?

What's the answer ?

I read the book over 20yrs ago and thought it was amazing. It's horrific, and I remember reading it on my morning commute and feeling worried that people knew what I was reading about as it's SO graphic! But it's such a brilliant piece of satire on the 80s. It is an absolute classic.
The film was also fantastic and hilarious.

I love the film. Watching it when I was younger, I always took the ending quite literally, and thought the lawyer was conspiring to cover up Bateman’s crimes. But now I tend to think it was all in his head. His life is so shallow and empty, and all his friends are just like him, so he starts suffering delusions about being a serial killer to make himself feel special and unique.

I loved the book and film. I had a few theories at the time but I've lost quite a few brain cells since then and can't actually remember them I will have to read it again I think.

The business card scene 😂😂😂😂

I found it very interesting that they chose a woman to direct it.

I read the book when it came out, and although I bloody loved it, it is the only book where I've had to skip passages for being too disturbing.

I mean the black humour - my goodness, so much! And the 'yuppie' satire - the whole Whitney Houston thing for example - so funny.

And then the brain twisting - what is true and what isn't? Is there a point where he actually leaves reality behind completely (the lift), or is there some reality going on in other places too?

I didn't see the film though. I was too scared of what might be shown.

So weird that this book has stayed with me for all these years - makes me want to re-read it now!

I thought the film was really well done and was impressed it kept the ambiguity of whether it was real or all in Patrick's head. The book was brilliant but gave me nightmares for weeks so I haven't touched it since.

I have read the book and watched the film. Appreciated both differently. The book is one of very few, maybe the only one ever, that has made me feel really quite angry. I had quite a visceral reaction to PB when reading that I didn't get from the film.

The book is a lot more graphic and "you decide" than the film which holds your hand to the satire party and kind of gets you a drink while you're there.

Weirdly, despite being a rereader and having "enjoyed/appreciated" it, it's not one I've ever felt I could go back to - just too horrific in places.

DH and I both read it when it first came out. He was an absolute shit while he was reading it, bad-tempered and generally horrid. When he finished it and I started reading it, I realised I too was affected and was being horrid like he had been. I wouldn't re-read it for that reason.

Saw the film, didn't think much of it tbh; didn't hate it, didn't love it. Might re-watch it if there was absolutely nothing else to do - assuming all paint had dried - but otherwise...

I have read the book and seen the film but not recently. Love both

Read it back when released, and found it incredibly disturbing/nauseating. I do remember enjoying it too. However there was no way I was going to watch that on film. Reading this thread perhaps I could - the adaptation sounds a bit more palatable. Again, like the person up thread as a rereader I've not picked it up since, despite it still having a copy all these years later.

First read it at 12.

Never watched the film but definitely intend to.

I am a massive Psychology nut.

It's disturbing but in a fascinating way.

I read the book years ago, bloody love it. Might get a copy and read it again this week!