THE PARKING LOT MOVIE
2010
Not Rated
Not Rated
The Parking Lot Movie is a 2010 documentary directed by Meghan Eckman that follows current and former attendants of The Corner Parking Lot in Charlottesvile, Virginia. It was filmed over a three year period. We see the state of working at such a low-end job through the eyes of these attendants. The audience gets to hear the trials and tribulations that they have to go through on a daily basis. We also get to see the camaraderie that develops between these young men as they face the same struggles.
One of the best parts about having NetFlix is finding little gems like The Parking Lot Movie. I never would have heard about it otherwise, most likely. I mean, who would ever think to make a movie like this? When I see parking lot attendants, I usually never give them a second thought, but this movie kinda opened my eyes to the monotony of it all.
The interesting thing about these parking attendants is that they're all ridiculously well-educated (during the closing credits, we see how successful many of them are now). They've got philosophy and religion and anthropology majors, and even a few professors here and there trying to scrape in a few more dollars. That's part of the reason this movie succeeds: we have highly intelligent young men taking us through their daily journey with the assholes and yuppies of society who will fight tooth-and-nail to try to get out of paying their two-dollar fee while they drive their $50,000 car out of the lot. I mean, at times, I wanted to side with the drivers, but other times I was all with the attendants. I can't decide whether I love them or hate them, but that doesn't take away from the fact that they're all absolutely fascinating.
Apparently this has already been said, but I can't help but see this as a real-life version of the 1994 Kevin Smith film Clerks. If you haven't seen that movie (you should probably drop what you do and watch it right now!), it's about two small-time employees of a quickie mart and a video rental store. That film follows them through a day in their lives as they deal with their own problems with customers. The Parking Lot Movie is that story imagined in reality. It's funny, it's thoughtful and it's absolutely compelling. If you can find it (it's on NetFlix Instant Watch, for those of you who have it), then give it a watch. You just might enjoy it.
Movie Review Summary:
One of the best parts about having NetFlix is finding little gems like The Parking Lot Movie. I never would have heard about it otherwise, most likely. I mean, who would ever think to make a movie like this? When I see parking lot attendants, I usually never give them a second thought, but this movie kinda opened my eyes to the monotony of it all.
The interesting thing about these parking attendants is that they're all ridiculously well-educated (during the closing credits, we see how successful many of them are now). They've got philosophy and religion and anthropology majors, and even a few professors here and there trying to scrape in a few more dollars. That's part of the reason this movie succeeds: we have highly intelligent young men taking us through their daily journey with the assholes and yuppies of society who will fight tooth-and-nail to try to get out of paying their two-dollar fee while they drive their $50,000 car out of the lot. I mean, at times, I wanted to side with the drivers, but other times I was all with the attendants. I can't decide whether I love them or hate them, but that doesn't take away from the fact that they're all absolutely fascinating.
Apparently this has already been said, but I can't help but see this as a real-life version of the 1994 Kevin Smith film Clerks. If you haven't seen that movie (you should probably drop what you do and watch it right now!), it's about two small-time employees of a quickie mart and a video rental store. That film follows them through a day in their lives as they deal with their own problems with customers. The Parking Lot Movie is that story imagined in reality. It's funny, it's thoughtful and it's absolutely compelling. If you can find it (it's on NetFlix Instant Watch, for those of you who have it), then give it a watch. You just might enjoy it.
Movie Review Summary:
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