MovieChat Forums > American Psycho (2000) Discussion > Why does he insult that bar lady at the ...

Why does he insult that bar lady at the beginning?


Its not as if she organized the rules herself about it now being a "cash bar". What is she supposed to do - be generous and make an exception, and its not as if Mr. Bateman is all that short of money to complain like that?

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I also wonder, has she even HEARD him in that scene?

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I was kind of looking perhaps to hearing her bark bite at him - "Excuse me, what did you just say about me?" -

"Who the hell do you think you are mister, to talk to and about me like that? I am just an employee working here, I don't make the rules, I obey them. What, you ain't got a few spare dollars to pay, you don't even look like you ever struggle with money. Stupid brat. Now get the hell out of here right now before I call security to throw you out on your stupid ass, idiot."

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She doesn't, because Bateman is speaking to himself: we can see him staring at himself in the mirror behind the barmaid.
And he insults her -in his mind (don't forget he's a coward...)- because he feels threathened: she spoke to him as if she sized-him up instantly, and could see him for the sorry excuse for a human being he is, past the designer clothes, perfect features and expensive haircut.

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He feels insulted because he approaches her with a certain confidence and she tells him the tickets no good like he is an idiot. His image of himself is hurt for petty reasons.
I think in the way she gives him change it looks like she is a little irritated and that means she heard him. But on the other hand he could be any entitled yuppie jerk who she has dealt with a million times and therefore whatever he was yelling didn't even register. Or he imagined he said that to her.

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no she didnt hear him since it was all in his head...if you read the book, scenes like this is easier to comprehend

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I did read the book years ago and remember there were many ambiguous moments in it as well. Obviously Owens apartment with the realtor acting so strange with Bateman comes to mind. At the end things continue to get crazier and he calls his lawyer confessing to a lot of crazy shit, in that scene we know he actually speaks out loud about the things he has done, so everything is not entirely in his head because Carnes knows about the phone call when confronted.

I could go either way, like for instance when he is at the dry cleaners are the sheets really covered with cran-apple juice? Are there no sheets and he never even speaks with the woman about it? Some things must have happened in reality for these side interactions we are shown to have taken place how they did.

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Either way, whether she heard him or it was in his head, he perceived her response to be rude, hence his anger.

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no she didnt hear him since it was all in his head...if you read the book, scenes like this is easier to comprehend

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Books and movies are two different things.

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