The Nature of Self-Worth
Much of Tony's proverbial mid-life crisis is in relation to how he values himself. This is a rather vague concept with Crimp explores in depth through the disjointed sequence of Tony trying to make peace with himself. Rather than looking at his past and celebrating the various ways he has taken risks, pursued new things, and gained experience, Tony sees only failure. His self-values is based upon accomplishment, which he sees little of in his past.
What Tony fails to see in retrospect is that he has managed to accumulate a lifetime of experiences upon which to draw and that, even if he isn't successful, he could be celebrating how he treat himself well by deciding to pursue his dreams and hopes again. Tony's self-worth is that he is a person, trying his best like the rest of us. When faced with a sudden death encounter, Tony recants his need for success and chooses life and self-preservation, deciding his life is worth saving after all.
The Cyclical Nature of Experience
At forty years old, Tony is experiencing a kind of second adolescence. He is faced with the approaching second half of his life and realizes that he wants more for himself than his current path can offer. He revisits the hopes and dreams of much younger years and decides he owes himself a second chance. While Tony is no more successful this time than the first few, he does manage to give himself opportunities for change. He recognizes that he is not subject to the status quo, that he can make a new life for himself if he chooses. As if operating according to a pre-set plan, Tony revisits the experience of his youth and manifests those latent desires in new forms.
The Danger of Bad Friends
Nick is, for all intents and purposes, a bad friend. As a drinking buddy, he takes no pains to distract Tony from his pain. He doesn't even contradict Tony's negative self-talk. Encouragement is not his game. In fact Nick uses Tony to make himself feel better by comparison. He holds such a low opinion of his friend that, under the influence, he attacks Tony. While listening to Nick, Tony eventually has to separate himself from his friend's opinions of him. He learns to stand up for himself, so ultimately Nick is a useful influence, but Tony could have learned to value himself much faster if he had surrounded himself by a community of folks who cared for, supported, and encouraged him.
