Do they have moments of clarity?

I remember one time me and the ex N were watching some movie with a raging N, who beat then killed his girlfriend. So a bit afterwards he says he's just like the guy in the movie and he thinks that he isn't good enough for me, he ends up taking me out and buying me a small gift which was unusual on his part, and proceeds to tell me that I deserve better that he's just like his father who he hates, taking his anger out on a shy, innocent girl and what not...

So I wonder if something hit him where he realized he was treating me bad and felt bad, yet he couldn't control himself or was it all an act? they are soul less after all.