Patrick Bateman’s skincare routine might be flawless, but his moral compass is anything but. In this episode of Adaptation, Nate and Chris dive into Bret Easton Ellis’s 'American Psycho' and Mary Harron’s razor-sharp film adaptation. From Bateman’s obsession with appearances to the satire of Wall Street excess, we discuss how the book’s graphic horror translates to the screen, why Christian Bale’s performance became iconic, and whether Patrick Bateman is the ultimate unreliable narrator—or just a brilliant disguise.

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Hosts: Nate Day, Chris Anderson

Producer: Nate Day

"Adaptation Theme"

• Written by: Chris Anderson, Jem Zornow
• Performed by: Chris Anderson, Jem Zornow, Nate Day

This week, Nate and Chris take a critical look at 'Forrest Gump'—both the chaotic novel by Winston Groom and the sentimental, Oscar-sweeping film adaptation. While the movie has long been a fan favorite and cultural touchstone, its politics are murky and its themes baffling. And the book? Let’s just say it didn’t age well. From problematic portrayals to incoherent narrative choices, we ask the question: why did this story become the classic it did? Spoiler alert: nostalgia might be doing a lot of heavy lifting.

Also: a very cursed trip to the moon, an orangutan named Sue, and the unfortunate case of Hollywood math.

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Hosts: Nate Day, Chris Anderson

Producer: Nate Day

"Adaptation Theme"

• Written by: Chris Anderson, Jem Zornow
• Performed by: Chris Anderson, Jem Zornow, Nate Day

On this episode of Adaptation: The Book to Movie Podcast, Nate and Chris dive into Kazuo Ishiguro’s acclaimed novel The Remains of the Day and its Oscar-nominated 1993 film adaptation starring Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson. They explore how Ishiguro masterfully turns a seemingly mundane butler's journey into a gut-wrenching meditation on dignity, duty, emotional repression, and the pain of missed chances.

Chris shares why this is his most gifted and re-read book, including how a single Tom Waits song changed its ending. Nate breaks down why the film’s tone and structure didn't initially resonate with him and how the adaptation struggles (and sometimes succeeds) to translate Stevens’ interiority to the screen.

Expect thoughtful comparisons to Atonement, Pride and Prejudice, and even Murderbot, plus thoughts on Jurassic World: Rebirth and Denis Villeneuve taking on James Bond for Amazon.

Follow us on social media:

Twitter/X (@AdaptPod)

Instagram (@adaptation_pod)

Nate's Letterboxd (@professor_n8)

Chris's Letterboxd (@cjanderson878)

Chris's Goodreads

Nate's Goodreads

Hosts: Nate Day, Chris Anderson

Producer: Nate Day

"Adaptation Theme"

• Written by: Chris Anderson, Jem Zornow
• Performed by: Chris Anderson, Jem Zornow, Nate Day