I watched The World’s End again and when I said they like playing characters that are adjacent to themselves I was completely unaware of how true that is for this movie.
When they wrote it Simon had been in rehab and on suicide watch that didn’t help him in the long run because he didn’t have the right support system, just like Gary. Gary’s rant about what rehab looks like clearly comes from Simon’s own personal experience.
And Nick had been through a divorce just like Andy, and just like Andy who admired Gary but had to cut him out of his life for his own well being, Nick wrote about watching Simon struggle and being unable to help him because he wasn’t in a mental or emotional place where he could help.
The way they both tell the story of their struggles together I suddenly realized how symbolic the last few pubs are for them.
Gary keeps going while Andy tries and fails to stop him because he himself is constantly being burdened with other things. And Gary keeps trying to help Andy, telling him to watch out and handing him the car keys to leave, eventually yelling at Andy to stop following him, begging him to please just leave and let him kill himself, but Andy refuses despite not knowing what to do to make Gary stop. When Steven asks why Andy won’t just leave Gary the way Gary left Andy, all Andy can say is “I can’t”
The World’s End, especially the last part, is literally just them telling us about their relationship and their struggles. Simon using “Me and My Husband” to describe his feelings about Nick seems even more hard hitting now.
It's always been just him and me, together
So I bet all I have on that
And at least in this lifetime
And I am the idiot with the painted face
In the corner, taking up space
But when he walks in, I am loved, I am loved”
It’s probably because they’ve been working on themselves that they’re finally ready to do another movie together.
I’m not sure I’m ready tho if it’s true it’s going to be more of a drama than comedy…