The ending of Netflix's I Used to Be Famous explained
If you've not seen Netflix's new film I Used to Be Famous yet, go and watch it. Now. The perfect combination of laugh til you cry moments and actual cry moments, it's a wholesome story that follows the newfound friendship between Vince, a former boy band star, and Stevie, a young autistic drummer.
While Vince once lived a life of fame and fortune, twenty years on, he's now an out-of-work musician who begins busking on the streets in a bid to revive his career. During one particular outdoor performance, Stevie begins drumming along to Vince's set on a bench, and the two end up bonding over their passion for music and starting a band together.
Throughout the film, we see the pair overcome their own personal challenges, with Vince having to make some difficult decisions that will affect the course of his life. Does he take the route of having a second shot at stardom, or does he put his dream to rest and focus on what really matters? Friendship. It's a wholesome film that definitely deserves face masks, a takeaway and the duvet on the couch, and those who have seen it will agree.
For those people, in particular, we've even dissected the ending so you can fully understand how the film plays out. Here's I Used to be Famous, ending explained...
Vince and Stevie's gig
Vince lands himself and Stevie a gig in a local pub after using the viral clip of the two busking as leverage to secure the show. While Stevie's mum is hesitant at first, she allows it to go ahead, much to her son's delight.
The gig seems to be going well until Vince plays one too many songs and the audience starts to boo them. One man even tries to corner Stevie, which angers Vince and he ends up in an altercation with him, leading to Amber, Stevie's mum telling him that he can't see her son anymore. This leaves Vince heartbroken, who goes home and watches some of his old home videos, where we learn that his younger brother passed away at the height of his career, therefore wasn't there to see him before he died.
This strikes a chord with Vince, and we see him start to deliberate whether he values superficial stardom more or making amends with Stevie.
Vince is offered a second chance at fame
Towards the end of the film, Vince receives the phone call he's spent years dreaming about - Austin, his old bandmate who went on to achieve further success, asks him to be the opening act on his new tour. However, this doesn't include Stevie. As Vince wrestles with the offer, we see him having to choose between his new friend and his life-long goal.
This moment seems to mirror Vince's past when he chose to continue with his world tour instead of going home to see his brother for the last time. At first, it looks as though he made the same choice again, as Amber asks him to stay out of Stevie's life now he's decided to put his career first.
However, this meeting with Amber forces Vince to take a deeper look at his priorities, and figure out what he really wants. He finds these answers in the studio as he's about to sign the contract. Hearing that his music is being mixed to sound more commercial, he's told he must make the decision there and then, because "if he takes too long, they might change their mind about him."
Vince then realises that the fame he's been chasing all these years doesn't resonate with him anymore, and he ends up turning his back on everything he thought he wanted. With Stevie acting as his new 'brother' figure, the ending of the film sees Vince taking him to a concert he's organised for his birthday, and the pair being delighted that their friendship has survived.
I Used to be Famous is now streaming on Netflix.
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