Analyzing Willem Dafoe in American Psycho

I do not own the rights to American Psycho or anything associated with it. This video is not monotized and is made for educational purpouses only.

[@Ad-fu6tj]

OBLIVIOUS - Willem Dafriend SUSPICIOUS - Willem Dasus AWARE - Willem Dafoe

[@walterwhite1348]

Most underrated comment of all time

[@Ad-fu6tj]

@@walterwhite1348 Thanks

[@mohammedsirajuddin8541]

Very nice

[@Ad-fu6tj]

@@mohammedsirajuddin8541 Let's see Paul Allen's comment about Dafoe

[@Ad-fu6tj]

@@mohammedsirajuddin8541 Thanks

[@jaegermann4170]

“You know, I’m something of a detective myself”

[@mightstealyourvinyl3378]

This comment section is killing me🤣😭🤣😭🤣🤣

[@seinfan9]

He brought a fruitcake.

[@Ad-fu6tj]

- You killed Allen! - No, you are wrong... - WRONG, AM I?!

[@MrClean21]

You know I’m something of an American psycho myself

[@noriakikakyoin6983]

Damn I had already commented this without knowing this one existed

[@MintyFreshTurds]

I think the very last "oblivious" moment, he was actually "aware" and was trolling Patrick with sarcasm. "I mean to think that one of his friends killed him for no reason whatsoever would be too ridiculous. Isn't that right Patrick?" with a giant grin on his face. That's something a cop would totally say to get into someone's head.

[@thelabs7128]

But the dialogue is the same for each take, and he uses the same inflection and body language as the other oblivious takes.

[@karlhungus5436]

Yea. I'd like to know exactly how he verified this. There were several which I disagreed with.

[@ChrisStavros]

@@karlhungus5436 There is no way to verify anything, this video just represents one person's guess.

[@jackbrenan6744]

same with the huey lewis part

[@Protocallireland]

100% agree with this.

[@M_bags6463]

In the dinner scene he watches Dafoe salt his steak with a puzzled look and then right afterwards starts wildly salting his own steak. As if he is trying to mimic the way a normal human eats.

[@nateiwakura1075]

i feel like this is further solidified by how much salt patrick dumps on his food.

[@TheMarshmallowBear]

Someone observed that the "yuppies" never actually consume any of their food, in fact, in the whole movie, out of all the "dinner" scenes, only Jean and Kimball are seen consumign anything (Jean actually eats the sorbet given to her by Patrick, while Kimball eats his dinner in the 3rd scene). In fact, in an ironic turn, Kimball is also the only one to be seen not drinking anything either, politely declining the offer.

[@themanjaebla]

It could also be that he was just keeping his hands busy as an anxiety coping mechanism, while he delivers his act he had been preparing methodically since he last met the detective. Or it could be that recalling the night in question immediately induced batemans hands to tremble compulsively, and he grabbed the salt to find an inconspicuous reason for his hands to shake.

[@ZombryaTheDark]

@@TheMarshmallowBear in the book he never eats either. When he did he ended up throwing it up in the bathroom before he killed his ex

[@AlienonEarthC-137]

i’m thinking it was a way to keep his hands a little busy there, as well as him asking “where do you place paul that night”, it seems he wanted to, place himself, next to or even somewhat around paul as to lessen himself of being a suspect

[@-solidsnake-]

The directors choice to splice these three takes together might have been intended to create the impression that Patrick can’t understand body language and can’t tell if the detective is being friendly or suspicious

[@aszapata10]

Ooh that’s a great thought, love it.

[@jameshuang5522]

That is a brilliant observation, all I ever thought was that they spliced up these three to send in an element of mystery, as mystery is always intriguing. Great thought

[@JkComedy444]

I actually can’t tell the difference even after watching the movie a bunch of times and this video a bunch of times I still have trouble knowing which is which in fact I kind of disagree I feel like the detective knows and is just baiting him the whole time that’s my opinion

[@mafyatekin]

@@JkComedy444 No you don't get it wrong. It will not help how many times you watch the movie or scenes from it. The point is, we are watching the events like the way Bateman sees and feels about them

[@slawbtasticspastic3158]

No shit it literally says that at the start of the video

[@duane6386]

The text in the lower left hand corner makes this feel like a video game lmao. Like it’s telling you how well you’re doing

[@hikikomoriarty]

on L.A. Noire.

[@asteroidalassassin6949]

​@@hikikomoriarty Serial killer LA Noire

[@chloesmith4065]

The way it drops down from aware to oblivious after the "Listen... I just wanna help"

[@haggis4952]

No not really

[@justaguy5770]

Bring the resolution down and it would look like the old computer games with live action scenes

[@ultrabigfella]

This just shows how great an actor DaFoe is.

[@bigbirdmusic8199]

or how great the director is?

[@ultrabigfella]

@@bigbirdmusic8199 I mean...yes the director blends them well, but the whole point is of this is showing how well DaFoe visualizes his inner thoughts.

[@Chuked]

@@bigbirdmusic8199 its just how dafoe is a damn good actor!

[@hellnahboi.7601]

Yes he is an amazing actor but every time he changes it’s a different shot. They shot the scene 3 times then mixed them into one. So I’d say this doesn’t show his acting off at its best.

[@seandavis9320]

Christian Bale and Willem Dafoe are my favorite actors

[@genxtasy9914]

The oblivious parts in the 3rd scene seems hes aware but just trolling Patrick

[@spearofconquest]

One way you can interpret it, but I like to think the oblivious take is genuine. It makes Patrick's crippling anxiety and fear of being caught all the more entertaining. He got away with it cleanly, but that sense of impeding doom he feels is still there. Similar to Poe's 'A Tell Tale Heart."

[@robertcholmondeley113]

That's the impression I was getting.

[@zackdenny]

Or the opposite tone Patrick Bateman was trying to conjure

[@ThePowerofCutleries]

It certainly feels that way, but when you look into it deeper, his eyes just seem too genuine for that to be the case. There's a stark contrast between the genuineness of his oblivious expressions and the mocking sneer of his aware expressions. Ultimately, I believe Kimball had no idea Bateman killed Allen. And that's assuming Kimball even believed Allen to be dead at all.

[@zackdenny]

@@ThePowerofCutleries Good point. Technically Paul ISN'T dead, just investigating a disappearance.

[@mitchellwooldridge5118]

5:15 - There's something so unsettling about the way Bateman salts his steak without breaking eye contact with Kimball... Amazing acting from both of them!

[@cantaloupe6715]

Fr and think he’s using an imitation technique because he does it right after Kimball and with no care of equally seasoning it or using too much

[@KingofNewark]

How he can go from Willem Dafoe to Willem Dafriend so seamlessly is amazing.

[@joseaponte1037]

Lolol u made me laugh

[@lethalbroccoli01]

It's not seamless, it's cut. They filmed 3 different take for each scene and rearranged

[@giantcrayfish2866]

@@lethalbroccoli01 bro it was a joke

[@lethalbroccoli01]

@@giantcrayfish2866 No.

[@thedrasticwolf4186]

@@lethalbroccoli01 Yes

[@Jack.Xin.]

5:19 grabbing the salt and powdering on the meat while maintaining solid eye contact and sweating. Beautiful acting and really lets you feel the anxiousness of the situation

[@skylaralley2465]

Also the fact that he only grabs the salt after he sees Kimble use it, like “oh wait this is what he did. This is what regular humans do”

[@henrik1743]

I noticed that too watching the movie for the first time, this movie is a great watch if you are into social queues and watch details closely. It was hilarious how Bateman was trying to mimmick but even screws up a simple task as salting your food

[@skinnyjoe9714]

Bravo Vince!

[@outforlunch1258]

I want. To fit. In.

[@sullysullster8217]

I think its a combination of mimicking because its a known tactic to bond with someone but its supposed to be a dark comedy to which Bateman read about this tactic but he cant do it properly because hes a psychopath and too busy thinking ahead of the next question.

[@paulwaterman1322]

The second scene contains one of the most chilling moments of the entire movie, for me. Dafoe offers Bale a moment of connection with the Huey Lewis and the News CD. And Bale just shuts it down. When someone shares an appreciation for something he at least claims to like, it threatens and disgusts him. Psycho indeed!

[@ambergirl986]

It's not because he doesn't want to connect, it's because Bateman killed Paul while playing that track, and it makes it seem like he is suspecting Bateman. Or maybe he searched Bateman's apartment, found some incriminating thing, and also found the CD. I saw it as Bateman being scared that Paul had nailed him

[@4skin-gaming]

​@@ambergirl986 I personally thought that too when I saw the movie, but I think there's probably a bit of OP's point too. It serves as a scene to show the tension as well as more of an insight to how Patrick Bateman can not relate to others (as he said in the final scene) because he has no wish to relate to others.

[@soundwhisperer1058]

@@4skin-gaming wrong moron

[@4skin-gaming]

@@soundwhisperer1058 Lol

[@jaxsongreenwell9777]

@@soundwhisperer1058 why even make the comment

[@5persondude]

It was pretty genius to use the “oblivious” takes for the most incriminating moments. The way he pulls out a copy of Huey Lewis and the News and mentions how he “just bought it on my way here” so casually is what really creeps me out.

[@dreammachine1492]

His "oblivious" acting feels more sarcastic and suspicious. Like Defoe's character is mocking Bateman.

[@eatmeneat5035]

I’ve heard a theory that when he pulled out the CD he was deliberately reflecting the sunlight in Patrick’s eyes to test his composure but idk

[@rowleyryan9025]

@@eatmeneat5035 and if that were the case I’m sure Detective Kimball nearly wet himself seeing Bateman not even blink at the light

[@RootBeerFiend]

@@eatmeneat5035 damn, I never noticed the reflection on him in that scene

[@wolfumz]

It's so funny to me how Bateman has to now lie about how he doesn't like Huey Lewis and the News... and all he can come up with, "No, I like music, just, they're... Huey's too black-sounding for me,"

[@matteolicata5432]

Could this also be the director showing us Bateman's point of view and his separation from reality like in other parts of the movie, Bateman is manic, paranoid, and hallucinating

[@giorgostarnaras5658]

It could be, I feel like the book and movie can be interpreted in many ways, even though the movie actually concludes in a way that makes you think it was all hallucinations, while the book's ending is actually more ambiguous meaning it could all have been true or false or even both.

[@Jorvaskrr]

And all of this at the young age of 27.

[@tonybadaboni]

@@Jorvaskrr like Jimi Hendrix, Tupac, and Biggie.

[@thomaz-5599]

And is the Batman

[@sussymonkereborn3175]

I keep reading Bateman as Batman 🗿🗿

[@thehorrornoobs5481]

4:36 I can’t help noticing how well Willem went from smiling to dead straight expression in a millesecond.

[@rfrolicarts]

4:32 I love how the light shining from the CD creates a target between Patrick Bateman's eyes, like crosshairs from a laser scope. He's done for.

[@liar-888]

Nice catch, never noticed that

[@nightstriker2172]

It's interesting how he doesn't react to the light shining directly into his eyes, almost as if he's dead inside

[@cameronspence4977]

If that was intentional This movie is fucking genius Even more than I already knew it was

[@Ricky_019]

@@nightstriker2172 I once read that Kimball did that because psycopaths are very good at controlling these stimuli.

[@sexmodtf2freepunjabinoviru162]

You mean like a regular laser

[@s3c0nd1mpact]

Having an actual clarification between scenes showing Dafoe shifting between dead-on, unaware and shifty really makes the change in acting stand out. When I first saw the movie I was studying his face trying to see "well, it sounds like he has a hunch" or "yeah, he has no clue". Fantastic video.

[@Erilis000]

in other words it's like playing LA Noire

[@vornamenachname594]

@@Erilis000 "Sorry. Made a mistake"

[@Augur_RAzul]

Agreed.

[@ReasonMakes]

This is probably what it's like to be a psycho and trying to understand emotions and body language. He can't tell the difference between aware and oblivious, so the director puts ourselves in his shoes by wildly swinging Dafoe's body language all over the place in an *unpredictable* way, causing us to feel the same discomfort Bateman probably would feel trying to understand other people and fit in.

[@hellomate2405]

I would argue that Patrick isn't a Psychopath but instead a sociopath and there's many different instances to prove it. Psychopaths are extremely intelligent and dissociate emotions from their actions. It's because of this that they can replicate other emotions very easily as if on command which makes them skilled actors. They are very meticulous and disciplined and it's impossible for them to have empathy for anyone. Sociopaths are more impulsive and can't hold on their jobs for long and sometimes may be able to show some empathy. Firstly Patrick wasn't really good at his job. His held on to it because of his father. He was materialistic and narcissistic. Which is why he his dedicated time to his body and more importantly to restaurants and reservations. Again a true psychopath wouldn't show any emotion for his peers but we see Patrick spares his secretary for some reason. Then we see Patrick crying after his massacre and confessing to his lawyer. A psycho would never feel bad for his crimes. Then over time we see he loses self control with the detective, a psycho would be calm and in character for the entirety of the interview.

[@christiannoonan8097]

@@hellomate2405 I've heard that within every psychopath is a sociopath but not vice versa

[@Nothisndhdudjdjdj]

@@hellomate2405at the end of his call with the lawyer he says “and i dont think im gonna get away with it this time” showing thats what really has him upset he is purely selfish and has nk empathy the only genuine moments of him is when he’s listening/talking abo music and killing ppl

[@kassu9123]

​@@Nothisndhdudjdjdj Yea but he is crying and losing his cool. Only reason psychopath would act hysterical would be to manipulate someone. Even when in danger psychopath can really only feel anger at most not fear. Patric also constantly feels deep emptynes inside of him and his life is a mess. This is all textbook sociopathic impulsive behaviour.

[@kassu9123]

Also just because hes a sociopath and not psychopath does not mean he cares about anyone elses life than himself. They are both called antisocial disorders.

[@Bingo_the_Pug]

Ironic how Bateman claims he’s “devoid of any identifiable emotion” but towards the end he becomes very hysterical & paranoid

[@ant2631]

American Psycho fans when their mask of heterosexuality slips:

[@glossyplane542]

Because Patrick is a loser, he’s like an edgy 9 year old saying he has a secret inner demon and is a sociopath that’s gonna kill people because he saw a sonic.exe video. He thinks he’s this big complex murderer who everyone respects and fears but in reality he’s just a loser.

[@ObossRocks]

@@ant2631 nibba what

[@tek5670]

That’s only selfish emotions. He is afraid of getting caught. He has no identifiable emotions for anyone else that isn’t negative.

[@WHYFISHTAKEN]

well he did say the only feelings he has are greed and disgust, and fear is pretty like the same

[@kazj1728]

Dafoe is a great supporting actor that always makes the main actors shine: John Wick, Spider-Man, Jack Ryan, Steve Zissou, Boondock Saints, The English Patient, etc. etc

[@brahmaputramoskva1215]

Detective JG Jopling,The grandbudapest

[@kazj1728]

I’m saving watching that movie for the first time for a rainy day.

[@osmanyousif7849]

And Platoon.

[@lightup6751]

4 times oscar nominated legend

[@sirisrex7542]

Dude is almost always the most interesting character in whatever hes in

[@AB-nv7bz]

What a casting choice. Getting an absolute legend for a minor character that has so much impact in a film

[@tylertilwick6852]

It’s funny; even in a movie where he’s the good guy, I’d still FULLY believe Willem Dafoe’s character killed Paul Allen😂

[@follamamis-tr2mf]

I just realized that in the second scene Bateman said that he had dinner with a girl name Veronica, but in the third one said the name of the girl vas Victoria

[@GinkgoPete]

He also goes to a musical but hates singers.

[@kingsfield3945]

Everyone in the movie gets each others names mixed up which also supports the main message of the film. Bateman also calls his lawyer "Howard" instead of Harold when he's making his confession on the phone.

[@joshuatarka1698]

"I think you got your dates mixed up" Double meaning?

[@Obs23456]

@@kingsfield3945 by main message of the film do you mean that it’s all like a dream sequence in Bateman’s head and in reality he’s perceived by his colleagues as this meek irrelevant loser which comes up a lot when they talk about him not realizing it’s him

[@JBexplores]

@@Obs23456 no, that in 1980s yuppie culture people had no individual identity

[@br3ad420]

"New York Yacht Club" "He had a yacht?" "No, he just hung out there." LMFAO

[@questworldiangreenknight7455]

😂🤣😆

[@carloschong2795]

LOL

[@RiotousRaichu]

I don’t get it

[@bwackbeedows3629]

@@RiotousRaichu He's trying super hard to fit in with the upper crust crowd, likely even lying about having a yacht just to meet more rich people.

[@edoardobrunomazzitelli717]

@@bwackbeedows3629 Or rather, Bateman wants you to think that way of him (although Allen might really have done this sort of stunt). Throughout all the interrogations Bateman, still fearful of being overshadowed by Allen's "status" and "connections", lies about petty or trivial things in an attempt to make Allen look worthless to Kimball - for example, the first thing he mentions about Allen is the "yale thing" and he absolutely refuses to bring up that they went to Dorsia, even where it wouldn't cast suspicion on himself.

[@shrek3ondvd913]

At 4:31 when Kimball shows Huey Lewis and the News cd to Bateman, I personally believe this was under the aware category. What likely happened was during the investigation of Bateman the neighbors claimed to have heard him blasting music in the apartment on the night of Allen's disappearance. Kimball I believe did this during the interview to evoke a strong response from Bateman. I can also see why it was filed under the oblivious category given the body language and facial expressions match the others in the category. But I feel it adds more to the story of Kimball being aware of this rather than it being a huge coincidence.

[@ihateuifulikebts]

literally copy pasted

[@HOTD108_]

​@@ihateuifulikebtsGood heavens! Hopefully the original commenter can get some ridicules.

[@pedrolopa2]

the lines are the same, it's just the acting/tone that's different.

[@trentfisher8435]

He is also shining the reflection in Patrick’s eye

[@davukost7952]

1:06 I love how after he says thanks his face changes like his dialogue tree ended and he returned to normal expression

[@GovernorRP]

I'll never see that part the same again hahahahaha

[@TrostUA]

Yeah, just like in videogames.

[@sariarosegold]

makes me want to see this video redone with the dialog tree options from LA Noire, showing button inputs for the 3 varieties of reactions to bateman

[@TheRama2299]

Fallout NPC's after finishing their line of dialogue:

[@CBright7831]

😏Thanks.😐

[@dawildehoers5306]

Lol I love how people have such complex takes, while I just assumed the detective was always suspicious. I thought he fluctuated between pretending not to know and pretending to know, in order to gauge Bateman’s reaction. And Bateman kinda took the bait every time.

[@cameronspence4977]

@darker I know right? Hes gotta be messing with him there like he just says exactly what happened right to batemans face

[@trollloloololooo]

baitman

[@stevew278]

@@trollloloololooo patrick took the bait, man

[@YSleepish]

bro same, i saw one dude talking about "god manipulating quantum fluctuations" to fuck with him lmao??

[@CarloisBuriedAlive]

Well despite people looking way too deep into it, the way these scenes were filmed created the impression that the detective is fluctuating between those emotions - what you assumed was built into the film

[@The1_Hellhound]

4:30 I really like the detail that when the DVD flashes a light into Bateman's eyes he doesn't have any sort of reaction to it, his eyes don't blink and he doesn't bother to look away showing that he has no human reactions.

[@Blake-ub4ts]

How do you know know that this was a CD?

[@kooba8237]

i like this take but i feel like its more of a freeze response- typically seen in homicide suspects when lies/evidence r presented (human equivalent of "if i dont move they wont see me")

[@ethanS7349]

1:45 is hilarious to me. “He had a yacht ?” “No he just hung out there.” Gets me every time.

[@leyder]

As a non native English speaker, I’m not sure I get why it’s funny. Because the guy’s so rich he doesn’t even have to have a yacht to join a yacht club?

[@peterpan23]

@@leyder It's funny not for that reason, but because you'd think a person who would hang out in a yacht club would have a yacht. The irony of that paired with the delivery of the line by Bale is what makes it funny.

[@ethanS7349]

@@leyder basically what the other guy said

[@mappy-5934]

@@leyder he isnt rich enough to own a yacht, but he hangs out with people who do. So Patrick is making fun of him for hanging out where he shouldnt even be. It would be like going to a book club to meet new people but you dont even read.

[@ethankuchma5295]

@@leyder also the entire movie is about patrick putting other people down and making himself look good so this is just another example of that behavior trait.

[@EUROPAMusicOfficialChannel]

I think the third scene when he says "To think that one of his friends killed him for no reason would be too ridiculous" seems to me like he's completely aware he did it. That's just my opinion.

[@eddyrose8596]

Same here. Dafoe might have shifted his emotional language around but the scripted lines seem to allude he is onto bateman. Defintely adds complexity to figuring out what is real and unreal. It puts you into the head of Bateman, a little scared and unsure how much the detective suspects him.

[@Vercettislugger]

@@eddyrose8596 So, did Kimball purposely put Bateman's guard down when he said that Bateman had dinner with several other coworkers on the night of Paul Allen's disappearance?

[@eddyrose8596]

@@Vercettislugger Possibly... It did seem to reassure Bateman that he was accounted for elsewhere. It is clear Bateman is disorganized and has no clue as to the dates so maybe there is the possibility the detective is testing Bateman's narrative and reactions. But Bateman knows he is the killer so he would be naturally be paranoid as to whatever the detective says. That said, the detective's interrogation and suggestions comes across as if Bateman is a suspect. And how the heck did he drop the pop song to the murder scene. That was strange. These string of coincidences and anamolies make these scenes all that more suspenseful and disorienting as they are not logical. Lastly, there is the slight possibility that everything Bateman does is acounted for as he is spied on by handlers. Dafoe's character in this case is simply probing his subject/master he must cover for or protect.

[@MaxShirt]

I think it only seems that way because we know he did kill him. Imagine if Paul really did just go to london, then the way Dafoe says that line is very non-suspicious.

[@Paul-bh5bf]

Personally I think the guy went a little nutso. Split town for a while. Maybe he did go to London. Sightseeing. Drinking. Whatever. Anyway, I'm pretty sure he'll turn up sooner or later.

[@NickKostalas]

Amazing. I remember feeling thrown off by Kimball's behavior in these scenes-moving from suspicious to oblivious-but I had no idea what to make of it, it was just disorienting. But in a good way. Excellent filmmaking and excellent acting all around.

[@samkresil6011]

The Green Goblin investigating Batman about the Joker's murder. Oooh, hoo, hoo! This is good!

[@marvinrodriguez7971]

Glenn Talbot was also in it too

[@samkresil6011]

@@marvinrodriguez7971 What film?

[@marvinrodriguez7971]

@@samkresil6011 Hulk

[@samkresil6011]

@@marvinrodriguez7971 Oh yeah, I know him.

[@EUROPAMusicOfficialChannel]

I think soon there will not be a single actor who hasn't been in a superhero film now that they're making so many of them.

[@Zenn_Chan]

I was always so weirded out by how much information Kimball shared with Patrick during these scenes. In my opinion, it could only be that he's 100% certain that Patrick did it, and is trying to make him slip up with his stories

[@polreamonn]

Trying to pull a Columbo on him.

[@robd1329]

....colombo style

[@apoorvkaushik4061]

That is if he killed him at all, did he ?

[@Joe_Dominates]

I think the scenes with Kimble are completely imagined by Bateman - there is never anyone else present, just the two of them. The information Kimble shares with Bateman (about the alibis of other potential “suspects”) would be very unlikely to be shared by a detective and more closely resembles his (Patrick’s) own train of thought in the imagined scenario.

[@polreamonn]

@@Joe_Dominates And how often do detectives go to lunch with persons of interest or suspects? I actually don't know.

[@LowCostCovers]

0:01 I like how it reads Patrick Bat"mean" instead of Bateman

[@masgaz9748]

Patrick Batman

[@iceLordgeneralSpeaking]

Was shade

[@TheBanMan]

A number of people seem to be misunderstanding the video. Some of Dafoe's 'oblivious' dialogue strikes some people as just trolling for a confession - the jewel case for example. But the point is that the *exact same dialogue* was done *all three* ways- clueless, suspicious, and trolling for a confession. Mary Harron's genius here is choosing the oblivious take when the aware one would have been the obvious choice.

[@Gustavogukpa]

Do you know if is there a place where I can find all the takes?

[@ADreamingTraveler]

@@Gustavogukpa Yeah I wish we could see all the takes but I don't think they're anywhere

[@harrasika]

'trolling' lol

[@blah3189]

@The Ban Man He was YIIKing out

[@aja3longhorn375]

and that is genius why exactly? was it opposite day when he filmed all three scenes? People react a certain way because its logical, these scenes have no internal logic to them. Cute technique but a scene with people acting realistically like the wolf of wall street yacht scene is 10x better than this. Never once heard someone say how cool the Dafoe Bateman interrogation scenes were, ever.

[@Isoquant]

6:10 Classic police investigator technique employed here by DaFoe's character as he presents false evidence that seemingly exonerates the suspect. While this alone is unlikely to elicit a confession, it will establish whether the suspect has been lying.

[@questworldiangreenknight7455]

True. He always made me think of Columbo

[@cheydinal5401]

That's actually illegal in normal countries, but not so in the US

[@ronmackinnon9374]

And that's the effect that it had. 'Oh, right, yeah, of course....I guess I had dinner with Victoria the following night.' Whereas an innocent person would be more comfortable relying on their own recollections rather than the alleged ones of someone else.

[@AidanMclaren]

@@cheydinal5401 What I want to know is whether you think this is a good thing, or a bad thing.

[@cheydinal5401]

@@AidanMclaren Memory works in weird ways, if you're told something you may remember it, especially whem say something similar actually happened. It's especially bad when they give the defendent false evidence that *incriminates* him. "We found yout DNA on the murdered victim", stuff like that. Some people may even have issues with alcohol, and then think "Well, I must have blacked out when I did it" It's banana republic stuff, completely unjust

[@ricey542010]

Mr Dafoe is an American treasure. The human tripod. He just brings so much to the table every role he plays

[@ephemeral_phantom]

He brings salt to the table

[@J1283-s1k]

I see it as easily one of the greatest directing choices in cinema history. Kimball is an absolutely beautiful enigma. He's funny and kind, he's oblivious and unassuming, he's diligent and astute. That's the magic of it. He's truly up for interpretation as to whether he was gaining on Patrick, had a hunch or simply didn't have a clue, and that's if Patrick himself did commit the murders in reality. It's a crazy fever dream of a movie and decisions like this make it so much better.

[@4skin-gaming]

I adore Willem Dafoe for this reason; he can fit into any role so perfectly, especially when it has that theme of mystery and suspense.

[@ultrabigfella]

Oblivious Willem seems like a nice fella.

[@Ricky_019]

Kimball was a really badass character imo. On 6:19 you can see how he made Patrick get really scared lmao.

[@drexlspivey5828]

Willem Dafoe was great in this, and never outstayed his welcome in a good way which always leaves you thinking you'd want at least one more scene with him, he definitely added to it, so if this film was considered an 8/10 he made it a 9/10

[@ADreamingTraveler]

The movie would have still been great without his scenes but they really propelled the entire thing higher and Dafoe's scenes were spread out perfectly in it

[@pomax1464]

holy fuck i just realized: The Detective says Paul was allegedly sighted in London, but it turned out to be a case of mistaken identity. Carnes, Patrick's lawyer, at the end of the movie claims Patrick's murder of Paul Allen is impossible because "(he) had dinner with Paul Allen twice in London, just 10 days ago"

[@Knifegash]

I'm stupid, what is the implication here...?

[@andrzejgolota6642]

@@Knifegash patrick's lawyer is covering for him

[@monkeydetonation]

I'm pretty sure that he hallucinated killing Paul Allen, and he actually was in London

[@ethanstump]

Nah, I read it the other way. Paul Allen and all the other schmoozers were so interchangeable, that the lawyer also mistook the person he had dinner with was Paul Allen. Thus, it literally didn't matter if Paul Allen really did die or not, literally he was forgettable to everybody.

[@hollystop]

@@ethanstump I think Patrick literally hallucinated the whole thing and didn’t kill anyone.. that would’ve made it make sense why the police didn’t catch him, and also why the “policeman” is acting so strange. But that just my interpretation obv

[@randomguyontheinternet7940]

I like how this editing combination benefits every character here. It displays how Bateman is unable to really understand human emotion despite being human. IT also is a great example of showing how Willem Dafoe's character isn't on one side of the 'suspicion' spectrum. It is like he's in a constant tug-of-war over how reliable Bateman is and how much he can trust his own research and instinct.

[@andraspalatinus145]

It could be, but taking into consideration of how cocky detectives used to be and how out of the line Patrick is, my guess is, that the detective just try to lure Patrick to its spider web. He is damn sure Patrick knows something.

[@DwayneHicks426]

They way he sprinkles salt. Oof

[@markekar6021]

interesting how bateman never takes his eyes off him

[@basedbattledroid3507]

I love how "I hope I'm not being cross-examined here" prompts Kimball to briefly Cross-examine him.

[@paradoxpizza]

5:09 I’m not trying to be like an English teacher but the way Bateman reaches for the salt shaker and season his steak without looking at it is like he was mimicking Kimball just so he looks “human”.

[@OxyPox]

I've always thought Kimball was aware of Patrick's crime but couldn't actually charge him for there was no evidence. This analysis just further proves my theory.

[@nicolasacunasilva9555]

But if Paul Allen’s dead was a hallucination from Patrick then the role of kimball was just to add more reality to Patrick’s hallucinations right? Kimball is the detective of a made up scene

[@KaijuofSteel]

@@nicolasacunasilva9555 No, Patrick did kill Paul Allen for real, that and the homeless man seem like the only two real deaths in the movie. People seeing him in London seems like a coverup or a mixup.

[@screwyoumoon]

@@KaijuofSteel yep. At the end i actually just believe that the lawyer is covering up for patrick and wants him to shut up and just not draw anymore attention. It's pretty believable. The kinda "forget i said that" "said what? ;)"

[@thewolfPrince]

@@nicolasacunasilva9555 Kimball doesn't exist

[@DonahoeFilms]

The way I interpreted it is the lawyer mixed Paul Allen up with someone else. Just like how everyone keeps confusing the wall street guys for one another. They are all cookie cutter carbon copies of one another. Same thing with the guys thinking Bateman was at dinner, or Paul Allen thinking Bateman was someone else. So in my eyes, Bateman really did kill all those people

[@GioAyala12]

I’ve seen this movie countless times and I still feel incredibly anxious watching this. I feel what Bateman is feeling. Incredible.

[@jaredmello]

Bateman isn’t feeling much, just some narcissistic injury being interrogated

[@q44444q]

Try reading the book. You'll end up really feeling like Bateman. Bret Easton Ellis is an amazing author

[@korvo3427]

@@q44444q You feel like the guy eating brains and killing children?

[@jacksonepperson6162]

Props to the editors for cutting all 3 takes together seamlessly, you'd expect the different tones to break the continuity but it doesn't and instead just makes the scene so unsettling. It really puts you into the mind of a paranoid maniac.

[@alexanderrobertnewby]

"What kind of man WAS he" is an interesting choice of words from the detective... It's like he knew that he was dead from the beginning or maybe he used the word "was" to gage what reaction he might get from Bale.

[@MenelikTheFirst]

6:02 6:26 Are we sure that’s oblivious? His acting seems like he’s toying with him. Mocking him as if he already knows.

[@virginiapicker]

Totally. 6:47 is another one.

[@stevenc400]

The scariest part is that you can't tell. He might just be messing with Patrick, or he knows that Patrick is a serial killer.

[@brontebell7748]

@@virginiapicker exactly, it sounded incredibly sarcastic imo

[@heavyonthemustardplz]

6:02 seems more to me like he's laughing at the "absurdity" of having to ask that question, seems more consistent with the oblivious version imo

[@RyanCreatesThings]

really frustrating that you people don't understand the premise of the video. yes, it's oblivious, because that's how he acts during his oblivious takes. of course it seems like he's toying with him, because that's what the script implies and that's why the take was selected - the unsettling mismatch when you act oblivious during pointed questioning. if it felt genuinely friendly, it wouldn't have been used. but regardless how it feels within the context of the scene, defoe acted it as if he was oblivious.

[@dank2804]

3:24 "I guEEs i wAS pr0bably REturNIng VIDeo tapEs"

[@vaclav4435]

4:33 - Ooh, another nice touch! The sun is reflecting off the jewel case and making a little patch of light right in Patrick's face. Fits in great with the contradictory subjective impression of Kimble that Batemen is getting; Dafoe has switched to his friendly and open "oblivious" mode while shining a interrogator's lamp in Bateman's face with the CD.

[@twiggyhd4174]

What’s with the fancy words😂you’re analysing it too hard

[@bigbirdmusic8199]

@@twiggyhd4174 no such thing as overanalyzing, just being overly douchey

[@slakyresisty]

@@twiggyhd4174 FaNcY wOrDs

[@jagtech490]

@@twiggyhd4174 yeah we can tell you’re uneducated.

[@rockybushes]

his practically dead expression most likely ties into what he says in the beginning; "i am simply not there"

[@CoreyisBarackObama]

shows how editing in films can go unnoticed while being so important

[@jingalls9142]

Good Day Mr President.

[@d34d10ck]

@@jingalls9142 Don't fall for it. He's a fake.

[@omarretana4639]

@@d34d10ck don't say that, he really is the ex president Barack Obama

[@hikikomoriarty]

@@omarretana4639 Don't say anything to negate him - he's the *real* Patrick Bateman.

[@deinurteil1091]

Sure.unnoticed

[@fedver4224]

Anyone notice how in the first interview Patrick says he had a date with a girl named Veronica. But at the dinner scene he says Victoria.

[@gearsofwar3xXx]

It's a common occurrence in movies with "dream or fantasy" sequences. The character recalls things happening but with missing details, or different details. It's called "the unreliable narrator."

[@tanneredge9774]

Cause she gone man

[@Yora21]

People keep forgetting each others names all the time in the movie. These guys are so one-dimensional and don't care one bit about each other as people that everything blurs together and there's no real individuality.

[@codythompson9973]

@@tanneredge9774 he was man the whole time.

[@itsvmmc]

It proves he made that part up, and then later failed to remember the part that he made up. Lol. Kimball should have noticed it

[@MrSprinkles6921]

I Love the frusatrtion on Patrick's face. The sheer frustration, bewilderment, and confusion is so well done by Bale.

[@StrivedeLaLear]

Not to mention the sweating and anxiety. Christian Bale's emotions have a tendency to just radiate off the screen in this way.

[@Liquid_Mike]

In 20 years he'll be regarded as one of the greats of acting, I got $20 on it

[@epicphantom1720]

I never knew of the direction Defoe received until recently. One thing I always knew however, were his scenes were ultra suspenseful and he was really “eerie” as Kimball might say. Excellent movie and excellent director and actor.

[@Loudesss]

Does anybody else notice at 3:08, he switches from aware to oblivious. The first “eery.” Sounds like he’s calling Patrick eery, the second line “really eery.” Sounds oblivious like he’s discussing the disappearance and his expression is less unnerved. Willem dafoe is such a fantastic actor.

[@banana2966]

I would love to see the full takes of each different method and then compare it back to the original. Honestly I feel like the movie could’ve gotten away with going from oblivious, to suspicious, and then aware for the 3 scenes but they chose to go the extra mile and splice it

[@PLUTOXGOAT]

In all honesty it really doesn't look like they spliced it, only if you point it out maybe but to me it seems like first scene was completely oblivious, 2nd suspicious and 3rd aware. Because he mentioned he was going to piece all his information together in the 2nd scene, so by the 3rd scene i feel he fully mapped out what had happened and was try to bait patrick into dropping his guard, or giving any more signs. What better place to do it at a restaurant too, where someone is a bit more relaxed in comparison to an office space 🤷‍♂️

[@DimAngelProductions]

6:49 this one really felt aware

[@RyanCreatesThings]

But it isn't. It just feels that way because of the scripting and the context of the scene. That isn't how he behaves in aware takes.

[@MattyMatthew-m4o]

I love how this was done. It really makes you feel like you're being interrogated. "Does he know? No, hes oblivious. Or is he?" That's how a guilty person would feel in this situation and it makes you feel really tense and anxious. Masterfully done.

[@ninjaiscool7352]

4:30 is definitely something I’d rank as ‘Aware’. It’s almost as if he’s trying to provoke a response out of Patrick, and he got the exact response he wanted. From then on out, Kimball pretty much knew exactly what he was dealing with.

[@Kreamations]

You’re absolutely correct

[@detroitbecomesurvivaltrain7813]

He shines the light in his eyes and sees hes just dead inside

[@YY-ym6bx]

The script is the same on every take. The content of the script fits "aware" better, but his body language fits "oblivious" more.

[@cheydinal5401]

I think in the first shot at 4:30 it was aware, then oblivious, suspicious, and oblivious again "I just bought it on my way here, you heard it?" was oblivious for example, but "Huey Lewis and the News..." was aware

[@henrik1743]

I agree

[@eddyrose8596]

Dafoe might have shifted his emotional language around but the scripted lines seem to allude he is onto bateman. Defintely adds complexity to figuring out what is real and unreal. It puts you into the head of Bateman, a little scared and unsure how much the detective suspects him.

[@ashaw3737]

Absolutely brilliant. Those scenes really stuck in my mind, they seemed surreal/part of Bateman's imagination and/or psychopathy, and this technique certainly gave it that element. Brilliant.

[@captainbonkerang]

It’s like bateman’s anxieties and fears are constructing the detectives attitudes. Kinda like constructing an imaginary conversation and trying to think of ways it could go wrong and how you might avoid that.

[@remi5844]

I always thought the two were the same kind of person. Awkward, insane demeanor, they even listen to the same music. If I remember correctly in a deleted scene Kimball and Bateman are at the club at the same time and Kimball almost mocks Bateman. Kind of a scary idea that Bateman isn't the only American Psycho.

[@ElCap1van]

That's the whole point of the movie everyone is a psycho in there own way trapped in their own lives

[@isaacdebolt3637]

I like that because it makes Dafoe truly intimidating to Bateman, knowing there is someone as crazy and intense as he is but not a total piece of shit like him

[@sadsworth4605]

Defaoe is American goblin

[@sethiddings7293]

@@ElCap1van This. Any one of them could be a serial killer and the rest wouldn't even notice, including Patrick. He's too in His own head to recognize anything like that in someone else. Same goes for the rest of them.

[@tapset]

@Mooph Kaiser hell yeah Mr sunday

[@TheManWithTheFryingPan]

oblivious: Chillem Dafoe suspicious: Spillem Dafoe Aware: Killem Dafoe

[@telescopicS627]

It seems like he's building a lead on Patrick, but unfortunately the film never ties up this loose end.

[@Notna-e5s]

It's better that way

[@Keckegenkai]

If the film answered all the questions we wouldnt be here still discussing the movie. Its better that way.

[@vengeancegauloise6049]

The movies not a murder mystery it's a black comedic bizarro nightmare

[@ronmackinnon9374]

@@vengeancegauloise6049 I was just going to say, it's not a murder mystery, it's a psychodrama.

[@AidanMclaren]

@@vengeancegauloise6049 I think I'd classify the film as more a psychological horror story, like the Shining. Patrick, just like Jack, has become dark and insane from isolation.

[@MaxSchmidGame]

Tbh watching these scenes in this video was kinda scary, like it was so tense when the text went AWARE and turned red, and so relieving when it went back to oblivious. i think its extra spooky since Kimball isnt being aggressive in any way. When horror games use mechanics like this without there being a chasing threat its always super scary.

[@ambergirl986]

the AWARE is scary to me too😂

[@williamthomas5215]

Bale’s acting during the dinner scene is beautiful the way he’s so panicked and hysterical and just barely holding it together. He salts his food without even looking. Cuts his steak while maintaining eye contact with Dafoe. Truly amazing.

[@gorlack2231]

My favourite scene is the lunch conversation. Bale never takes his eyes of Dafoe, not to reach for the salt, not to see how much he's poured, not even to find his whiskey. He's locked onto Dafoe and is trying his best to read and predict what's coming next, and because Dafoe is swinging between Oblivious, Suspect, and Aware, can't do either. It ends up highlighting just how paranoid and inhumane Patrick Bateman is.

[@stevensantoyo9054]

I love the way William Dafoe talks. I've been a fan of him since Platoon, and he never disappoints me. Such a great actor and I always look forward to movies he plays in.

[@ziggybammurphy1645]

If u like him, check out the 1985 movie called To Live and Die in LA.. he played a counterfeiter and William Petersen was a secret svc agent hellbent on catching him..….amazing movie….one of my favorites…..

[@KlausBahnhof]

@@ziggybammurphy1645 That's a great one. Also worth a look is Light Sleeper (1992), Dafoe plays an insomniac drug dealer with a guilty conscience.

[@ziggybammurphy1645]

@@KlausBahnhof ive never heard of that one…sounds good….ill check it out…thanks

[@KlausBahnhof]

@@ziggybammurphy1645 The Hunter (2011) is also excellent. He's in so many great films, and even if it's a terrible film he makes it worth watching.

[@bilalghani4190]

"Ye fond of me Lobster aren't ya Lad"

[@lebronblew5finalsnottop5ne22]

Actually, in the scene when he pulls out the Huey Lewis CD, he shines the reflection at Patrick's face, because psychopaths or sociopaths react slowly to unpleasant things and you can see Patrick not flinch a bit but a cold stone face. Kimball really knows his stuff

[@juannaym8488]

These slight, slight changes in tone of voice from Will Dafoe change so incredibly much and make this scene just so more tense. One moment, he sounds completely nonthreatening, the next, he sounds so confident in knowing what happened. It's so subtle that it's hard to tell where it starts and where it stops

[@silverscreenreviews8521]

Dafoe, Awesome actor!

[@brendanmccallion2350]

6:01, the laugh after he asks the question is just such a brilliant touch 😂

[@TheKoolman89]

It could also be representative of showing the decay of Bateman’s psyche. He’s having a hard time figuring out the detective’s intentions when for all the audience knows is that detective is merely running through the basic procedure meanwhile Patrick is reading too far into it making it seem like the Detective is under suspicion or already knows he did something. It could also just as well be argued that the detective is symbolic of the guilt of Bateman assuming he killed Allen. Under the assumption that Bateman didn’t kill Allen and was just having an extreme fantasy, this could also be showing that Bateman’s mind isn’t very sound as he’s misconstruing the detective’s intentions with the investigation of Allen’s disappearance. It could fall either way.

[@FreddieHg37]

That's what I always thought it represented: Patrick's detachment from human expression and interaction, he's a psychopath and so detached form reality and people that he can't really place nor read anyone's emotions or true intentions.

[@mwelsh4974]

Willian Defoe's character is a great detective; he has an instinct for things: in scene one as he enters the office he knew what he was looking at.

[@markekar6021]

which was....?

[@mortemssoul6342]

Something made of flesh and blood that resembles a human but not entirely

[@mariahyohannes]

@@markekar6021 empty vessel

[@markekar6021]

@@mariahyohannes hmm interesting. Perhaps. I tend not to put any absolutes in this movie. Man's a psycho afterall lol

[@michaelkunt]

1:12 Patrick fucks up by saying "was" Implies he knows he's dead.

[@shazanali692]

I just can't get enough of this movie,. There is just something about it, also the art direction is just awesome that you feel like you are in that world

[@Laxhoop]

I really want to see all three uncut versions of these scenes. Willem acted each scene three times, one being oblivious to what Patrick did, one being suspicious, and a third being aware. The directly then cut them all together, to make it unclear what his character was thinking. So I’d really like to see all three, uncut performances.

[@RedSpade37]

I agree! With stuff like that, it would be perfect for some "special edition blu-ray" or something, but this movie was out, I think, right before DvDs and such, so I wonder if that footage has been lost... Because had the movie been made, say, 2005ish, I'm almost positive they would have included that on the home release.

[@dadevi]

When I saw this for the first time, I thought Dafoe was literally insane because of the quick expression changes. It makes sense now that there were three separate takes spliced together. It adds to the theory of Bateman being an unreliable narrator who probably didn't kill anyone at all.

[@notsosadbart6343]

This decision on the directors part is nothing short of pure genius. The reason for the decision itself can be interpreted in as many ways as the scene and that's incredible.

[@Zoronita]

Huh interestingly some of the 'oblivious' moments in scenes 2 and 3 I interpreted as him being aware while some of the 'suspicious' moments seemed more oblivious. I think he knew Patrick did it but he didn't have enough evidence or he was paid off by someone (probably Patrick's dad).

[@mackenziek8383]

Watching this on repeat is how you get better at L.A. Noire.

[@stevensantoyo9054]

Dafoe did an amazing job at these scenes. Loved it. Christian Bale looking so guilty everytime is what makes it so funny. Shinning the CD cover at his face and him showing no reaction was too funny.

[@LeUberTroll]

This explains why these interviews felt so uncanny as I watched them. I didn’t notice, but my brain did.

[@AdmiralAckbar.]

The movie always gave me the feeling Dafoe knew the entire time and was simply toying with Patrick trying to get him to crack, since he couldn’t outright prove Bateman did it. Oblivious, Suspicious and Aware Dafoe is all a matter of perspective. For the oblivious moments can be him being sarcastic and “playing with his food” while the aware bits could be just as simple as suspicion and suspicion could be interpreted as either or to someone who didn’t know it’s 3 different scenes. Either way, the practice they did to make these scenes really sparked an incredible debate.

[@hilotakenaka]

I always felt that during the film’s runtime, we were supposed to partially see things through the lens of Bateman rather than objective reality (which is a theme that runs throughout the book; whether any of it was real or Bateman’s delusions) so DaFoe’s character being so odd is a result of us seeing him through Bateman’s overanalytical and overreactive nature “He definitely knows I did it… oh no, wait no he doesn’t… oh but maybe he does” etc

[@Cookiemunster779]

I would argue dafoe showing him the CD is 100% an aware moment since that was clearly a tactic to fish out a reaction

[@thiskid990]

I think the detective himself is sure but dafoes acting is the ‘oblivious ‘ style

[@landofthesilverpath5823]

But why? Surely he had no idea Bateman played Hughy Lewis and the News while murdering Allen?

[@therisingbane3216]

@@landofthesilverpath5823 Witness testimony around Patrick Bateman's apartment most likely suggested that Bateman played Huey Lewis and the news very loudly the night of Paul Allen's visit. I'd also argue that Patrick's pause is so suspicious, questioning so direct and his body language so clearly admitting guilt that Dafoe knows what's going on... but perhaps there just isn't enough evidence to support his theory.

[@landofthesilverpath5823]

@@therisingbane3216 interesting.

[@woodyfolse3119]

The dialogue and story is the same for all three takes.

[@superdubman999]

This is really interesting, thank you

[@johng8806]

I just love how sweaty and uncomfortably nervous Bale is. He does a great job of looking miserable

[@Verbalaesthet]

This was absolutely brilliant. It always felt so weird to see his reactions. You were never sure how much he knows.

[@supersoupy4709]

it really is such a tiny thing but it’s so abundantly clear what the intent is. it really goes to show that its worth adding as many details as you can get away with because it really shows when you tighten up the screws, it makes an incredible package

[@low2833]

Feels like it could be a wrap for Bateman at any moment.

[@peterkatona1094]

"We'd gone to a new musical called 'Oh Africa, brave Africa'. It was a laugh riot." Says with the face of a granite slab

[@danial_amini]

oh my god willem dafoe definitely gives me the chills. My own understanding from reading the book and watching the film was the he knew, he definitely knew, but didn't let on for some reason.

[@SuttonSantiniPaulo]

@4:31 When Kimball pulls out the Huey Lewis and the News cd, I just noticed the reflection of the cd case on PB’s face, like its staring him directly in the eyes.

[@bby.lyneth0549]

I am so excited someone made this video because I knew something was up in that scene, it’s incredible what directors can come up with. I wish to see the other videos with the different emotions

[@WarrenJr1996]

“I just picked up this CD Huey Lewis and the news” “Not a music fan?” Detective purposely did that so he can see what type of facial expressions he would give so that he can know early on he did it. I thought that was a interesting touch.

[@Jawohl721]

“You feel like that?” I’ve always loved that shit makes me think of my old man busting me lmao

[@williampoole1742]

The way that he stares right at him during the aware parts is unbelievable. He's a great actor.

[@laylover7621]

This is a brilliant directing choice to be honest. And brilliant acting from Willem DaFoe. I remember being absolutely unable to tell what the detective was thinking throughout these scenes.