INT. CONFERENCE ROOM, PIERCE & PIERCE - DAY
Bateman and Luis Carruthers are seated at a long table in
the conference room at Pierce & Pierce, which looks out onto
a spectacular view of Manhattan.
CARRUTHERS
Patrick, thanks so much for looking after Courtney.
Dorsia, how impressive! How on earth did you get a
reservation there?
BATEMAN
Lucky, I guess.
CARRUTHERS
That's a wonderful jacket. Let me guess,
Valentino Couture?
BATEMAN
Uh huh.
CARRUTHERS
(Reaching out to touch it)
It looks so soft.
BATEMAN
(Catching Luis hand)
Your compliment was sufficient Luis.
Carruthers is distracted by a question from the colleague
on his left.Paul Owen enters, carrying the Wall St. Journal
under his arm. He is handsome, supremely confident and
self-satisfied; he sees himself as a leader among men.
OWEN
(To Bateman)
Hello, Halberstam. Nice tie. How the hell are you?
BATEMAN
I've been great. And you?
Their conversation fades down as we hear Bateman's
thoughts.
BATEMAN (V.O.)
Owen has mistaken me for this dickhead Marcus Halberstam.
It seems logical because Marcus also works at P&P and in
fact does the same exact thing I do and he also has a
penchant for Valentino suits and Oliver Peoples glasses.
Marcus and I even go to the same barber, although I have
a slightly better haircut.
During this voiceover the CAMERA WANDERS over to MARCUS
HALBERSTAM, who is conferring with a colleague in the
opposite corner of the room. He bears a
superficial resemblance to Bateman.
OWEN
How's the Ransom account going, Marcus?
BATEMAN
(Nervous)
It's...it's...all right.
OWEN
Really? That's interesting.
(He stares at Bateman, smiling)
Not great?
BATEMAN
Oh well, you know.
OWEN
And how's Cecilia? She's a great girl.
BATEMAN
Oh yes. I'm very lucky.
McDermott and Price enter.
McDERMOTT
Hey. Owen! Congratulations on the Fisher account.
OWEN
Thank you, Baxter.
PRICE
Listen, Paul. Squash?
OWEN
Call me.
(Hands him a business card)
PRICE
How about Friday?
OWEN
No can do. Got a res at eight-thirty at Dorsia. Great sea
urchin ceviche. There is a stunned silence as he walks away
and sits in a corner of the room, ostentatiously studying papers.
CLOSE-UP on Bateman's face, cold with hatred.
PRICE
(Whispering)
Jesus. Dorsia? On a Friday night? How'd he swing that?
McDERMOTT (Whispering)
I think he's lying.
Bateman takes out his wallet and pulls out a card.
PRICE
(Suddenly enthused)
What's that, a gram?
BATEMAN
New card. What do you think?
McDermott lifts it up and examines the lettering carefully.
McDERMOTT
Whoa. Very nice. Take a look.
He hands it to Van Patten.
BATEMAN
Picked them up from the printers yesterday
VAN PATTEN
Good coloring.
BATEMAN
That's bone. And the lettering is something called
Silian Rail.
McDERMOTT
(Envious)
Silian Rail?
VAN PATTEN
It is very cool, Bateman. But that's nothing.
He pulls a card out of his wallet and slaps it on the
table.
VAN PATTEN
Look at this.
They all lean forward to inspect it.
PRICE
That's really nice.
Bateman clenches his fists beneath the table, trying to
control his anxiety.
VAN PATTEN
Eggshell with Romalian type.
(Turning to Bateman)
What do you think?
BATEMAN
(Barely able to breath, his voice a croak)
Nice.
PRICE
(Holding the card up to the light)
Jesus. This is really super. How'd a nitwit like you get so
tasteful?
Bateman stares at his own card and then enviously at
McDermott's.
BATEMAN (V.O.)
I can't believe that Price prefers McDermott's card to mine.
PRICE
But wait. You ain't seen nothin' yet.
He holds up his own card.
PRICE
Raised lettering, pale nimbus white...
BATEMAN
(Choking with anxiety)
Impressive. Very nice. Let's see Paul Owen's card.
Price pulls a card from an inside coat pocket and holds it
up for their inspection: "PAUL OWEN, PIERCE & PIERCE,
MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS." Bateman swallows, speechless.
The sound in the room dies down and all we hear is a faint
heartbeat as Bateman stares at the magnificent card.
BATEMAN (V.O.)
Look at that subtle off-white coloring. The tasteful thickness
of it. Oh my God, it even has a watermark...
His hand shaking, Bateman lifts up the card and stares at it
until it fills the screen.
He lets it fall. The SOUND RETURNS TO NORMAL.
CARRUTHERS Is something wrong? Patrick...you're sweating.
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