Fargo | Parking Lot Scene Analyzed & Reviewed

Review and analysis of Jerry Lundegaard's downfall that leads up to the parking lot scene from the Coen Brothers' 1996 film 'Fargo'

[javierburgos]

There are three things I got perfectly clear from this movie: 1) Jerry's father in law and his associate are not a bank, 2) Carl is not going to debate Jerry, and 3) Shep doesn't vouch for people he doesn't know.

[AGhostintheHouse]

I've always thought of the parking lot scene as being the view from Wade's office window and Wade was wathcing him. After Jerry attacks his windshield with the scraper, he glances up, as if he's looking at Wade's window knowing he's being watched. Fargo is one of my alltime favorate movies!

[bunpeishiratori]

Kinda surprised you didn't mention the fact that when Jerry went to the meeting with his father in law, he wasn't even offered a seat. Instead, he had to stand there awkwardly throughout that terrible (for him) conversation.

[MicahBuzanANIMATION]

This has got to be one of the most rewatchable movies of all time. Loved your analysis.

[oubrioko]

The physical comedy of Jerry trying to figure out where to sit in Wade's office is poignant. This demonstrates to the viewer that Jerry is out of his league, and has no place in Wade's office. Even though there are numerous empty chairs present in the office, their respective locations and orientations make it crystal clear that none of the seats are meant for Jerry. After several uncomfortable seconds of confusion, Jerry eventually decides to sit on the _arm_ of one of the chairs. This is scene is so brilliant.
You ask _Stan Grossman..._ he'll tell ya the same thing.

[jh]

Also my favorite shot of my favorite film. As a film buff/cinesnob, as well as a Scandinavian who has spent much time in Minnesota, this film holds a special place in my heart. As Marge's apex was with Mike Yamagata, this is Jerry's apex moment in the film, his last chance, his "if you leave now, don't turn back" event. That tire track crossroad might as well be a set of train tracks with lights flashing and horns blasting. He can stop, go back, explain his failures to 2 smart, resourceful men, and possibly save his - and his family's - life. Instead, he makes - as is the norm for him - the wrong choice, and blindly walks to the car, never to turn back, and taking the lives of so many with him.

[Muonium]

An important detail overlooked here is that when Jerry enters the office the only other suitably positioned chair is already taken by the assistant. He looks around for somewhere to sit and is forced to sit awkwardly on the arm rest of a chair pointed away from his father in law. A subtle underscoring of how he's being written out of the deal, the odd man out in general. A superb, intelligent masterpiece of a film.

[JD-bfbu]

I moved to Minnesota in 2000 and worked with a guy for about a year who was present at the filming of the parking lot scene. He said the Coen Brothers filmed it two different ways. Once with the lot full of cars and once with the lot empty except for Jerry’s car. The coworker told me one of the cars in the full lot was driven by him. I can’t remember if the car was actually his or if he was just hired to move a random car.

[bunny_smith]

To me the fact that illustrates his complete impotence is that when he has his little hissy fit and the ice scraper goes flying, he simply picks it up and goes back to scraping. He can't even sustain his anger more than about 10 seconds.

[williamnorton]

The line about Bill Diehl and Midwest Federal is an inside joke for Minnesotans. The late Bill Diehl was a film critic for the St. Paul paper, and Midwest Federal was a failed savings and loan who's owner went to prison for fraud.

[sca]

Trivia: Wade admonishes Jerry telling him to go to Bill Diehl at Midwest Federal. Stan Grossman then corrects him staring that Bill now works at Northstar. Although the movie (shot in 1995) is based in 1987, this is a nod to the collapse of Midwest Federal that occured in 1989 owing to bad housing like loans, similar to the 2008 crash.

[ToyBoys]

I too have always been struck by that shot. It's like the two guys he just left are looking down at him...his father in law seeing him as the small man that he is...

[glenndower]

One thing that impressed me about the parking lot scene, is after Jerry's frustrated outburst, before he picks up the snowbrush, he sheepishly and defeatedly looks up at the building, nearly at the same angle as the above shot.
My thought was he didn't want anyone, especially Wade, to see him defeated and frustrated.
Also, any good Minnesotan knows to turn the scraper over and use the teeth on the reverse of the blade to score the ice to be able to be able to scrape the windshield clean.

[Larkinchance]

Film is literature.
Cinematography, editing and acting are the poetry.
I enjoyed your commentary about the parking lot.

[sidv]

The tire tracks make a sign of the cross and right as Jerry crosses the center you hear Burwell's version of the old Norwegian folk song, "The Lost Sheep" start to play

[TobyJames]

I always wondered how that much ice could accumulate on the windshield when the meeting only lasted a few minutes.

[austinevplab]

The gray windows in the office scene were necessary because there wasn’t any snow. It’s the same for the two kidnappers in the car driving next to a concrete wall. They weren’t going to film there but the countryside had little snow so that was the solution.

[pyromania]

4:46-6:08

I'm a little surprised you didn't make note of the jail cell symbolism here. Those window flaps turned at that angle make them look like bars in a jail cell, symbolizing Jerry's criminal behavior, and his inevitable, and well-deserved, fate at the end of the movie.

[michaellingle]

Great video. Please do more on Fargo. Your analysis is incredibly enlightening. We all knew this film was special, your insight only makes it better. Bravo!

[Annasea]

Unbelievable Jerry didn't turn on the car and heat before trying to scrape the ice