The Parking Lot Movie 2010

The Parking Lot Movie is an intriguing documentary set in a unique parking lot in Charlottesville, Virginia. The film delves into the lives of a diverse group of parking lot attendants, showcasing their peculiar experiences and often humorous rite of passage. This eclectic brotherhood comprises grad students, overeducated philosophers, cynical artists, and middle-aged slackers, all of whom bring a distinct flavor to the lot.

This self-proclaimed ragtag group of fractured poets has a preference for skateboards and bicycles over traditional vehicles, harboring a mix of contempt and tolerance for the clientele they cater to. However, this does not imply they lack care; they often hang out in the lot during their leisure time, enjoying casual conversations or engaging in lively games of flip cone simply because they relish being there. They even wage a personal “war” against the affluent elites, targeting the pretentious customers who arrive in their BMWs, Hummers, and Suburbans.

The attendants become adept at navigating the art of doing nothing and devising clever ways to deal with rude, SUV-driving patrons who regard them as inferior. This process of transformation, from passion to resentment, is particularly fascinating, especially for a group of individuals who are self-aware enough to recognize their changing emotions. In a bid to distract themselves from their mounting frustration, they resort to creative outlets such as stenciling witty messages on the parking gates, crafting songs, and even performing dances for tips.

Through candid interviews with former attendants who have moved on to other endeavors, the film illustrates how their time spent at the lot has not only offered them significant rites of passage but also granted them a Zen-like perspective. Reflecting on their experiences, one attendant poignantly expresses, > “We had it all in a world that had nothing to offer us.”

Ultimately, the documentary poses a thought-provoking question: if the intersection of the status quo and the quest for freedom is their key challenge, could a seemingly ordinary slab of asphalt serve as an emotional way station in the pursuit of The American Dream?