American Psycho Page #14

BATEMAN:

(Mock shock)

Really?

CHRISTIE:

My friend told me I should maybe even get a

lawyer.

BATEMAN:

Oh, lawyers are so complicated-don't do that. Here.

He writes her a check for $I ,000 to cash and hands it to

her. She snatches the check out of his hand and gets

quickly out of the limo, walking hurriedly down the street.

BATEMAN:

B*tch.

He follows alongside her slowly in the limo, waving a huge

wad of cash at her. She hesitates; he uses the money to

lure her into the car. As she reluctantly gets into the

limo, she reaches for the money.

He snatches it away.

BATEMAN:

Uh uh uh. Half now, half later.

She takes the money and puts it inside her shirt.

BATEMAN:

Okay, your name is Christie. We're meeting a friend of mine,

Elizabeth. She'll be joining us in my new apartment shortly.

You'll like her. She's a very nice girl. Don't say anything

about yourself. Is that clear. Christie?

Christie nods.

INT. PAUL OWEN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

The living room:
ELIZABETH has kicked off her shoes and flopped

down on the couch underneath the Baselitz. Elizabeth is an

attractive, dark-haired society girl who models occasionally.

Christie is sitting on the couch opposite her, pretending to

examine a CD.

ELIZABETH:

You look really familiar. Did you you go to Dalton?

Christie shakes her head.

The kitchen:
Bateman is grinding up tabs of Ecstasy and

putting them in a bottle of wine. In the living room, Elizabeth

is still staring at Christie as if she came from Mars.

ELIZABETH:

I think I met you at Au Bar, didn't I ? With Spicey?

Christie looks blank.

ELIZABETH:

Well, maybe not with Spicey but it was definitely at Au Bar.

Christie still blank.

ELIZABETH:

You know, Au Bar?

Christie shakes her head.

ELIZABETH:

Anyway, Au Bar sucks now, it's terrible. I went to a birth

day party there for Malcolm Forbes. Oh my God, please.

Bateman enters carrying the bottle of wine and two glasses.

Christie, who seems frightened, sips her wine and stares at

the floor. There is an awkward silence.

CHRISTIE:

This is nicer than your other apartment.

BATEMAN:

(Offended that she prefers Owen's apartment)

It's not that nice.

Silence.

CHRISTIE:

Where did you two meet?

ELIZABETH:

Oh God! I met him at, oh God, the Kentucky Derby in '86-no,

'87, and...

(Turning to Patrick)

You were hanging out with that bimbo Allison Poole.

(Sarcastically)

Hot number.

BATEMAN:

What do you mean, she was a hot number.

ELIZABETH:

If you had an American Express card she'd give you a blowj*b.

(To Christie)

Listen, this girl worked in a tanning salon, need

I say more?...What do you do?

A long silence. Christie reddens and stares at the floor.

BATEMAN:

She's my...cousin.

ELIZABETH:

(Skeptically)

Uh huh?

BATEMAN:

She's from...France.

A pause. Elizabeth looks at Bateman dubiously.

ELIZABETH:

Where's your phone? I've got to call Harley.

Bateman hands her a cordless phone. She dials, and stares

At Christie while she waits for someone to answer.

ELIZABETH:

Where do you summer? Southampton?

Christie looks at Bateman and then back at Elizabeth.

CHRISTIE:

No.

ELIZABETH:

(Listening to the receiver)

Oh God, it's his machine.

BATEMAN:

Elizabeth, it's three in the morning.

ELIZABETH:

He's a goddamn drug dealer! These are his peak hours.

BATEMAN:

Don't tell him you're here.

ELIZABETH:

Why would I?

Bateman has poured her another glass of wine. She downs the

whole glass, making a face.

ELIZABETH:

This tastes weird.

(She examines the label and shrugs)

Harley? It's me. I need your services. Translate that anyway

you'd like. I'm at-

BATEMAN:

(Whispering)

You're at Paul Owen s.

ELIZABETH:

Who?

BATEMAN:

(Whispering)

Paul Owen.

ELIZABETH:

I want the number, idiot.

(She waves him away and continues into the reciever)

Anyway, I'm at Paul Norman's and I'll try you later and if I

don't see you at Canal Bar tomorrow night I'm going to sic my

hairdresser on you.

She hangs up.

ELIZABETH:

Did you know that guy who disappeared? Didn't he work at Pierce

& Pierce, too? Was he a friend of yours?

BATEMAN:

No.

ELIZABETH:

Do you have any coke? Or Halcyon? I'd take a Halcyon.

Bateman sits next to Elizabeth on the couch and pours her

another glass of the drugged wine.

BATEMAN:

Listen, I would just like to see...the two of you...get it on.

What's wrong with that? It's totally disease-free.

ELIZABETH:

(Laughing)

Patrick, you re a lunatic.

BATEMAN:

Come on. Don't you find Christie attractive?

ELIZABETH:

Let's not get lewd.

(Flirty)

I'm in no mood to have a lewd conversation.

BATEMAN:

Come on. I think it would be a turn-on.

ELIZABETH:

(To Christie)

Does he do this all the time?

Christie shrugs.

BATEMAN:

Christie, you're not drinking your wine.

Christie looks at her wine and gingerly takes a sip.

BATEMAN:

(To Elizabeth)

Are you telling me you've never gotten it on with a girl?

ELIZABETH:

No! I'm not a lesbian. Why do you think I'd be into that?

BATEMAN:

Well, you went to Sarah Lawrence for one thing.

ELIZABETH:

Those are Sarah Lawrence guys, Patrick. You're making me

feel weird.

LATER:

Elizabeth is now writhing around on the couch and making

out with Christie. Bateman holds up a Whitney Houston CD,

showing them the picture of Whitney on the cover.

BATEMAN:

Did you know that Whitney Houston's debut LP

called simply Whitney Houston had four number-one singles

on it? Did you know that, Christie? Whitney's voice leaps

across so many boundaries and is so versatile-though she's

mainly a jazz singer-that it's hard to take in the album

on a first listening.

ELIZABETH:

You actually listen to Whitney Houston? You

actually have a Whitney Houston CD? More than one?

She giggles, rolling off the sofa onto the floor.

BATEMAN:

(Ignoring her)

It's hard to choose a favorite track

among so many great ones, but "The Greatest Love of All"

is one of the best, most powerful songs ever written about

self-preservation and dignity. It's universal message

crosses all boundaries, and instills one with the hope

that it's not too late to better ourselves. to act kinder.

Since, Elizabeth, it's impossible in the world we live in

to empathize with others, we can always empathize with

ourselves.

As he speaks, he opens the case and carefully places the CD

in the player, admiring its pristine silver surface, and

watches it slide into the machine.

BATEMAN:

It's an important message, crucial, really, and it's

beautifully stated on the album.

INT. BEDROOM - LATER

AN OUT-OF-FOCUS HOME VIDEO SHOT of Elizabeth, Christie and

Bateman in the throes of sex, in the master bedroom.

CUT BACK TO WIDE SHOT of the bedroom, partially blocked by

the video camera in the foreground. Their bodies are an

incoherent tangle of arms and legs. The only sounds are

moans, heavy breathing and the slapping of flesh against

flesh. CLOSE ON Christie's head and shoulders. Her eyes are

shut as she grimly concentrates on giving a good professional

performance, turning her head every so often to check the

progress of her partners.

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