And thank goodness!! This book has been, um, different for me and I am ready to wrap it up!
Need to read the book still? Start at the beginning!
Just finished the 1st chapter? Check out the discussion here!
Does your mind feel blown by chapter 2? See what everyone else says here!
Finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel with chapter 3? Read more here!
And if you are DONE with the book, keep on going past the jump for my take on the final chapter. Are you ready? Then… GO!
We are back to Eric. If you remember, he just shot his bodyguard Torval. So of course I get a bit nervous when he decides he wants to have a good look at his driver. The ironic limo drive with a bad eye, which of course Eric loves. And luckily for everyone, Eric just gets in the limo. Phew.
Finally we arrive at the neighborhood where the barbershop is, and then we begin to understand why this barbershop. It’s in a relatively poor neighborhood, but it’s the neighborhood that Eric’s father grew up in. He made a comment about wanting to feel what his father felt while standing in there.
Of course, since it’s pretty late in the night at this point, the barbershop is closed. But the light was on, and Eric knocked and was allowed inside. Clearly, he and the barber have an ongoing relationship when it comes to Eric’s hair. The barber seems to be an almost family type of figure. He speaks fondly of Eric’s father, and how Eric’s father died.
They have dinner, where Eric invites in the limo driver who turns out to have cab driving in common with Anthony the barber. They talk and talk and Eric starts to snooze (as do I) and then he looks and finally sees himself in the mirror.
Finally, FINALLY, we get to the hair cut. Anthony continues to talk fondly of Eric’s father and his past while Eric continues to do that half dozing thing people sometimes do when they are getting their hair cut. And then he starts to spill about his threat, trusting the men and feeling like he was in his safe place.
And then he tells them he basically has no protection. His chief of security is gone, the gun is gone and they are in a crappy part of town. The driver and Anthony are both worried. Anthony pulls out an old gun and insisted Eric take it. But once again, all Eric wanted and had left was the haircut.
Take those clothes off...
And I’ll be damned if halfway through the cut, Eric got up and left with his driver and the gun. And of course, cause something else totally random needed to happen, they drove up on a movie set with 300 people lying naked in a street. So what does Eric do? Just what I was hoping for… he get’s naked and joins them. Yes, that is happening. And guess who he finds lying naked next to him? His wife. Of course. It was about time for her to reappear again.
And, after the shoot, they finally go in the alley naked and do it. And he tells her he lost all her money. She doesn’t care. They just do it up against a wall in a dirty alley. And he has the revelation… he loves her. So of course, Elise takes off. Cause that’s what she does.
Eric rides with the driver to where the limo is stored and then finds himself being shot at. He enters the building the shots are from and we all realize pretty quick that this is Benno’s building. He gets up to the door where Benito is hiding and has the amazingly long monologue, which boils down to how “movie like” the moment is, with Eric holding the gun about to kick in the door. But it’s interesting cause it’s also alot of trying to figure out who Nancy Babich is.
And then he kicks in the door and starts shooting. But turns out Benno was hiding in the bathroom (which is really a port-a-potty in the middle of the room). Eric is trying to figure out who this guy is, and why he wants to kill him. Finally Eric remembers seeing Benno in the street.
Of course, these two don’t just start a shoot out. They have to talk and get all philosophical. I get kind of bored, till Eric shoots his hand. That was a bit of shock. And at that moment, everything changes. Benno cares for his hand, and they realize they both have an asymmetrical prostate. They are more alike then they realize.
But Benno still wants to kill him. He has to. So then we have this moment with Eric, where he thinks about his life and how he is dead, what his funeral will look like, what his lovers will do, how he will be buried and if I read it correctly, it seems like he decides he wants that, not starting his life over as broke as he would have to to survive. His need to be is what is missing. And he sits and waits to be shot but Richard Sheets aka Benno.
And that is it. Does he die? One would assume so, but it is never shown. So my best guess is that is how the movie will end. With Eric pretty much staring down a barrel and waiting. It’s just… odd. I like conclusions. I got none.
Overall, I’m glad Rob has chosen to do this movie, but not so much for the source material. He chose this movie because Cronenberg called, which was the right move. But to be honest, this is a movie I would never see without Rob in it. I am hoping to be happily blown away by it, but if not, that’s okay.
What do you all think of the book? Do you think this is something you’d have ever read if it weren’t for Rob? Is this the type of movie you’d see? Spill in the comments!
February 7th, 2011 at 12:32 am
In a nutshell…
No, I wouldn’t have read the book (hated it) except for Rob.
No, I wouldn’t have read the script (hated it) except for Rob.
No, I wouldn’t see the movie except for Rob, regardless of the fact that I really like Cronenberg’s films.
Yes, I will see the movie because of Rob. I know it’s not going to be shown anywhere near me so I’ll have to wait for the DVD. I sincerely hope for Rob’s sake that it’s not a flop.
February 7th, 2011 at 2:28 am
well i didn’t read it. i only read parts 1 & 2. but i figured he would die at the end. i will force myself to read the book closer to the movie release if i can’t get it on audio. the only reason to see it is rob.
February 7th, 2011 at 3:58 am
At the end of chapter 1 are the confessions of Benno. He says: “He is dead” and “I fired the gun and saw him fall”. I believe that this part of the book is the actual end.
Rob challenges me in reading books that I would have never even looked at if it weren’t for him. Cosmopolis is one of those books. In the beginning I didn’t know what to think of it, because I didn’t understand most of it, because I always take things too literally. After a second read and talking about it with other people I’m liking this book more and more.
I trust Cronenberg and I believe the movie is going to be just great, I’m going to see it anyway and support Rob, because hey who doesn’t want to see Rob getting naked, having sex with several women and saying some saucy lines like: “I want to bottle-fuck you with my sun-glasses on” and “If this makes me sexier, then where are you going?”
February 7th, 2011 at 12:17 pm
Ohhhhhh, i love the last line of your comment.
February 7th, 2011 at 6:58 am
Thank you for summing it up for me Amber.
I will see it but only because Rob is in it*
If it ends like that it’s okay with me, I couldnt handle seeing him meet his death in any way shape or form. RM did me in.
thank you
February 7th, 2011 at 9:00 am
I def would not have read this had it not been for Rob’s involvement. And I will see the movie, but I may wait for DVD. lol
February 7th, 2011 at 9:04 am
This book is NOT something I would have ever read if not for Robert, however, I am grateful to Robert for opening up my literary world.
February 7th, 2011 at 12:13 pm
i am with you on that. i read some STRANGE shit because of him. i think he has a brilliant mind.
February 7th, 2011 at 10:16 am
Ugh, I completely forgot to read it over the weekend. I had hoped to catch up with everyone and finish it since it wasn’t a very long book. But I woke up this morning and realized that I had forgotten again. Oh well, maybe one day I’ll finish it.
Love your recap though, it sounds crazy. And yes, I will only slog through this book because Rob’s associated with it. I hoping that this is one of those movies that turn out to be better than the book.
February 7th, 2011 at 10:19 am
omg…..I dont know what to say about this one…..but if it comes to my town I will see it for Rob…. Thanks again *shay* for the copy of this book. Amber, as always you do a great reading….cant wait for the next one.
February 7th, 2011 at 12:12 pm
i so want to change my name from robzsinger to nancy babich. seriously.
i really liked picturing paul g. and rob on screen in the final part of the book, i think from rob talking to his gun in the hall to the end will be pretty amazing to see on film. nevermind the dirty sex against the wall. nekked rob ftw!
anyways, i would never have read this book without Rob linked to it, but i’m glad i did. i’m especially glad i had RMW to guide and encourage me along.
February 7th, 2011 at 12:13 pm
ps~i think rob will kick some butt in this role, so stoked to see it.
does anyone have a copy of the script for lil ole me to read?
February 7th, 2011 at 1:40 pm
SCRIPT? SCRIPT? SCRIPT!! Anyone get a hold of it yet? I’m sure that it will be much easier to read and give a better idea of how it translates~! I’m not quite done and can see than the script will be the biggest deal here.
Love the comments by Eileen, Shay, Debbie…I will see it on the BIG screen as Rob being HUGE is better than seeing him SMALL!
Seeing him in anything is the goal!
Even this book may be made into an incredible movie with him as a rich, hunky, sexy, money man…like your VG pics here. Images of MOTU run thru my mind… yum
February 7th, 2011 at 1:51 pm
Amber, You’ve written some great comments on the chapters!! If not for Rob none of us would be here reading this book. And I think that he’ll do a great job in this…especially if he has that Vanity Fair look going for him! Sultry and smoldering and hot while he rides in that limo doing his thing!!
Would LOVE to read the script!! Let us know if/when we can get a hold of it!
February 7th, 2011 at 5:43 pm
Honestly, this book leaves a lot to be desired…I wouldn’t be interested in it at all if RobPattz weren’t in it…in the end he is waiting to die…wasn’t he already dead?
February 7th, 2011 at 5:44 pm
@FrenchKatie and robzinger…
I have the script and if you want to post your email addresses, I’ll send it to you as an attachment. I don’t have a wordpress account or know the email addresses of anyone here, so that’s the only way I can think of to get it to you.
February 7th, 2011 at 6:01 pm
If we want to support Rob, everyne needs to see the movie to keep the critics at bay. That’s why I don’t read the book first so it will not influence me about not wanting to see the movie. The question is, “Can Rob pull this off?” Whether he can or not, I will be there to see if he can.
February 7th, 2011 at 11:31 pm
Well I have not finished the book yet but i will do it, in answer to your questions no I would not have read this if it wasn’t for Rob and I would never have wanted to see it if not for him. That being said I am really excited for this movie, I think it will keep my interest on screen much more then in the pages and I do think its an amazing role for him, I have no doubt that he can pull this off amazingly!
February 8th, 2011 at 12:16 am
[...] you all had your nose stuck in Cosmopolis this weekend and were trying to figure out how it all would end, there was a BUNCH of other Rob-centric things [...]
February 8th, 2011 at 2:25 am
@yeuxdebleu FTW! thanks sooo much!
robzsinger1@yahoo.com
February 8th, 2011 at 5:52 pm
To: @yeuxdebleu
Could I also get a copy of the script. My email address is Carusoa@sympatico.ca Thanks a bunch:)