We never hear a line of either Henry's or Simon's work. It matters not, for this is less a tale of literary gamesmanship than a parable of friendship. That question is answered, with a potent ambiguity, in the final act. Both are called on to perform a treacherous good deed in a climax that mixes brutality and death with the desperate, deadpan tenderness that marks Hartley at his ornery best. Early in Henry Fool Simon returns from a fearful beating administered by the local bully.
Henry snorts, referring to the hard job of getting through the day.
Yes, it hurts, but in Hal Hartley's world the pain blends with humor in a way that gives one a reason to believe in the complexity of life and the future of movies. His films didn't burn up at the box office, but they're all on video.