This Is Not An Exit : The Fictional World Of Bret Easton Ellis (2000)

Though some may wish the 1980s had never happened, most of us are looking for an explanation of that strange time. This Is Not an Exit: The Fictional World of Bret Easton Ellis examines the life and work of one of that decade's premier interpreters, whose books Less Than Zero and American Psycho were made into successful films that captured the spirit of ennui that defined the era. Using the unusual device of dramatizing readings from his works using professional actors, the film finds a means to escape somewhat from the preconceptions that viewers of the films might have about the books on which they were based. These dramatizations, often graphically depicting sex and drugs as in the controversial writings, are interspersed with interviews with the author and critics, as well as footage of Ellis jaunting about his native Los Angeles.