Main Character Shift

At first, we think Jerry's the main character. The movie follows him as he plots his wife's kidnapping, hires the criminals to complete the task, and sees it all fall to pieces, as the criminals screw up and murder three people as they go on the run, kidnapped wife in tow.

As we see Jerry's designs disintegrate, we suddenly have a new main character: Chief of Police Marge Gunderson. Unlike Jerry, Marge is a heroine, not the anti-hero Jerry would've been if he'd remained the focus of the movie. Marge is the antithesis of Jerry.

Whereas Jerry doesn't really consider what'll happen to his wife during the kidnapping, , Marge and her husband Norm are attentive and loving. Jerry unsuccessfully tries to navigate a world that grows increasingly chaotic. But Marge manages to restore order to the world by solving the crime and being content with a simple life. She's smart, careful, and thoughtful. He's a fool.

Their two narratives intertwine, and end up in totally different places. We last see Jerry getting arrested at a motel room by the police, screaming and crying desperately. At the same time, Marge is enjoying a cozy domestic moment watching TV in bed with her husband. They each reap what they've sowed.