Movies set in Boston: tour of filming locations to know before you go

Cradle of the American Revolution and the Sons of Liberty, capital of New England, the first state to abolish slavery, home to the Red Sox and the oldest marathon in America, to the largest public library in the U.S., and to the most prestigious universities in the country… and also the backdrop for some of the best films and TV series ever brought to the screen.

Boston is all this and much more. Often overlooked in tourism compared to other U.S. cities, Boston enchants, and once discovered, it’s hard not to be captivated by it. That’s exactly what happened to us, and we shared our experience in an article dedicated to what to see in Boston. As with us, the city has also charmed countless filmmakers (Ben Affleck in particular, who grew up in Massachusetts) and production companies, so much so that it has been chosen as the ideal setting for over 400 films.
From these, I’ve selected ten of the most famous and interesting ones, mapping their locations (and trust me, it’s no easy task with older films. The difference between simply listing movies shot in a city and genuinely uncovering the places where they were filmed lies in this attention to detail.) This effort allowed me to create an itinerary dedicated to movies shot in Boston. It’s a unique and, in my opinion, absolutely wonderful way to discover both the city’s most iconic areas and its less-traveled corners, which still manage to offer delightful hidden gems. Every view of Boston is a little wonder and I hope these films, listed in chronological order, will inspire you to visit this beautiful city (and enrich your cinematic knowledge as they did with mine!).

Happy reading and… happy watching!

Ed: How did I choose the films? The first criterion is the location: no films with the same locations are allowed; otherwise, the itinerary wouldn’t be as comprehensive as I like. The second criterion is the cinematic significance of the film (not box office success), based on my personal standards, which I won’t delve into here.

The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973)

“It’s a grubby, violent, dangerous world. But it’s the only world they know. And they’re the only friends Eddie has.”

Plot: Based on George V. Higgins’ novel of the same name — Higgins was a Bay Stater whose books also inspired the film Killing Them Softly starring Brad Pitt — this movie tells a story of crime, survival, and betrayal in the heart of New England, with a masterful Robert Mitchum as the protagonist. With a restrained directorial style and cold narrative tone, the film paints a bleak portrait of a man trapped in a ruthless system.
Eddie Coyle, a 50-year-old gunrunner from Quincy, Massachusetts, is desperately trying to avoid a prison sentence, but his struggle for freedom quickly turns into a web of deceit and double-crosses. Previously, Coyle had been convicted of transporting 200 cases of stolen whiskey. Now, burdened by financial struggles and with a wife and three kids to support, he agrees to collaborate with Treasury agent Dave Foley (Richard Jordan) in hopes of a reduced sentence. But the deal isn’t what Coyle expected: Foley wants to turn him into a permanent informant – a “full-time rat,” as Coyle bitterly admits. What follows is a whirlwind of betrayals, where the concept of “friend” becomes a cruel illusion (hence the irony of the title). The greatest betrayal comes from Dillon (Peter Boyle), a bartender and Eddie’s accomplice. Unaware of the truth, Coyle trusts him, but Dillon is also Foley’s informant and a hitman for a mysterious mob boss known as “The Man.” When the boss decides Eddie is a liability, Dillon accepts the task of eliminating him for $5,000 without hesitation.

Trivia: For the screenplay, writer Paul Monash used dialogue directly from the novel, which has been described as “the best crime novel ever written.”
The film has been described as follows: “Young film fans raised in the multiplex era might look back and lament the fact that no one is making movies like The Friends of Eddie Coyle anymore. The truth is that they never did. There’s only this one.” It’s no surprise that Quentin Tarantino admires it: his film “Jackie Brown” was inspired by Eddie Coyle’s character.
According to film critic Glenn Kenny, the movie offers “a realistic portrayal of criminal life,” far removed from the romanticized versions in more popular films. For the actors, embodying these roles wasn’t easy. Alex Rocco, who plays the robber Scalise, was a former member of Boston’s infamous Winter Hill Gang. Rocco even introduced Robert Mitchum to Howie Winter, the gang’s second-in-command, to help Mitchum study his role.

Locations: The Boston depicted in the film is very different from today. It’s the Boston of the 1970s, a period when the city was just beginning to recover from three decades of economic decline. One scene features City Hall Square, but only the “ugly” side of it – the modern part with the brutalist-style city hall building (opened in 1968), often called “the ugliest building in the world.”
Luckily, across the street are Faneuil Hall and Union Street, two of the city’s most fascinating locations. Faneuil Hall, also called “The Cradle of Liberty,” was built and donated to the city by Peter Faneuil, one of Boston’s wealthiest merchants. It was inaugurated in 1742 and hosted America’s first town meeting, where the Sons of Liberty declared their dissent against British oppressors. In 1826, after the construction of Quincy Market, the complex fell into disrepair but was restored in 1976. It hosted America’s first “Marketplace Festival” and was brought back to life.
Union Street, meanwhile, is one of Boston’s oldest and most historically significant streets. Laid out in 1636 – known as Green Dragon Lane until 1828 – it houses the Union Oyster House, America’s oldest continuously operating restaurant, established in 1826. The building also hosted the Massachusetts Spy newspaper, and in 1796, it accommodated the future King Louis Philippe of France (the last ruler to use the title of King). Today, as part of the Freedom Trail, it’s a beautiful blend of history and vibrant urban atmosphere.

The Verdict (1982)

“The weak have to have someone to fight for them.”

Plot: This film, also based on a novel by Barry Reed, received five Academy Award nominations (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Adapted Screenplay) and five Golden Globe nominations. It earned the 4th spot among the best courtroom dramas according to the American Film Institute and a place in the AFI’s 10 Top 10 (a list of the ten best U.S. films in ten genres) as well as in Empire magazine’s list of the 500 greatest films of all time.
The movie tells the story of Frank Galvin (Paul Newman), a disgraced Boston attorney, a man devastated by alcoholism and the loss of professional prestige. When he is offered a medical malpractice case that could be settled out of court, Frank decides instead to go to trial in search of justice. The case involves a young woman who fell into an irreversible coma due to medical negligence at a Catholic hospital. Facing powerful defense attorneys, Frank embarks on a legal battle that represents his last chance for personal and professional redemption.

Trivia: David Mamet’s screenplay is considered one of the best ever written in the legal drama genre. The role earned Paul Newman an Academy Award nomination (Frank Sinatra had offered to play the part for free, but he was deemed unsuitable). Bringing this story to the screen wasn’t easy. The script went through several changes, and even in what seemed to be the final version, there was a major issue: the verdict itself was missing. Originally, the movie was supposed to end without revealing the jury’s decision. Convincing Mamet to change the finale wasn’t simple, but in the end, we can now appreciate one of the finest legal dramas ever made, all the way to its final verdict.

Location: The scenes set in hospital corridors and the courtroom were filmed inside the Massachusetts State House, also known as the “New State House.” This is one of Boston’s most important historical landmarks. Located in Beacon Hill (on the site of John Hancock’s farm, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence), the building was designed by the renowned architect Charles Bulfinch and completed in 1798, replacing the Old State House. It is considered one of the finest examples of neoclassical architecture in the U.S. The building’s iconic golden dome was originally made of wood, then covered in copper by Paul Revere, and finally gilded in 1874 (it was painted gray only during World War II).
Inside, visitors can see the Great Hall of Flags, which displays the flags of every military unit representing Massachusetts, and the House of Representatives Chamber, notable for featuring an ancient engraving of a pine tree, a historical symbol of resistance against British rule.
Guided tours of the State House are offered on weekdays (you can find all the information here).

Good Will Hunting (1997)

“Some people can’t believe in themselves until someone else believes in them first.”

Plot: Winner of 2 Academy Awards (Best Supporting Actor for Robin Williams and Best Original Screenplay), the film is about Will Hunting (Matt Damon), an orphaned, self-educated 20-year-old from South Boston who works as a cleaner at MIT after serving a prison sentence and being paroled. Will has extraordinary intelligence and an innate talent for mathematics and anonymously solves a very difficult problem that Professor Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgård) had written as a challenge to his students. When Lambeau discovers that it was Will who solved the problem, he seeks him out and follows him to court, where he is on trial for a fight, and promises to keep him out of jail if he agrees to study mathematics under his supervision and attend psychotherapy sessions. It is here that Will meets Sean Macguire (Robin Williams), with whom he will begin, slowly and not without difficulty, to open up. Sean understands that Will sabotages himself because of the trauma he has suffered, which the boy confesses to him, revealing to him that he firmly believes in his potential, making him realize that he is not the culprit of what he has suffered. This trust completely changes Will, who takes charge of his life again.

Fun fact: The film script originated as a final assignment for the drama course Matt Damon was taking at Harvard University, for which he submitted a 40-page script, although the only scene from that script that has survived is the one in which Will first meets Sean. Damon wrote a thriller about a young man growing up in South Boston who possesses superior intelligence and is targeted by the government. Ben Affleck (they have known each other since they were 8 and 10) asked him to work together on the screenplay, a choice that marked a turning point in their careers. It was the president of Castle Rock Entertainment, Rob Reiner-who bought the script for $675,000-who urged them to abandon the thriller aspect of the story and focus on the relationship between Will and Sean.
Affleck and Damon wanted to star in the lead roles but Castle Rock wanted Brad Pitt and Di Caprio, so they gave the two actors 30 days to find another buyer for the script that would reimburse the production company the money paid. Otherwise, the script would have been returned to Castle Rock and Damon and Affleck would have been cut off. All the other production companies rejected the pair of actors, so Ben Affleck passed the script to Kevin Smith, the director with whom he was making “Looking for Amy,” who promised to bring it straight to Weinstein’s desk. The producer bought the job, accepting Affleck and Damon as lead actors and paying Castle Rock its dues. And thanks to this move, we can now enjoy one of the best films ever made.

Location: the film’s most iconic scene, the bench talk during which Robin Williams engages in one of cinema’s finest monologues, was filmed in Boston Common, the oldest public park in the United States (founded in 1634) and one of the most beautiful city parks I have ever seen, certainly the most beautiful in the United States.
The starting point of the Freedom Trail, it was originally purchased by the people of Boston for use as a common pasture for livestock and as a public space. In those early years, it was known simply as “the Common Land” and was a symbol of the shared ethos of the Puritan community. It was used for military training and as a place for public executions and is said to have been the starting point for British soldiers on their march to Lexington and Concord, which became the battle that started the American Revolution. Today, concerts, cultural festivals, and events such as Fourth of July celebrations or the Christmas tree lighting ceremony, donated annually by the city of Halifax, Canada, in gratitude for Boston’s help after the 1917 Halifax Harbor explosion, are held there.

Mystic River (2003)

“The reality is we’re still 11-year-old boys locked in a cellar imagining what our lives would have been if we’d escaped.”

Plot: Directed by Clint Eastwood and based on Dennis Lehane’s novel of the same name, the film earned six Oscar nominations (including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Non-Original Screenplay), winning two. It is set in 1975 Boston, where three Irish-American boys-Jimmy Markum (Sean Penn), Sean Devine (Kevin Bacon), and Dave Boyle (Tim Robbins)-live in East Buckingham, a fictional working-class Boston neighborhood, and spend their time playing street field hockey. A shocking twist occurs when two men, posing as policemen, stop the group. They force Dave into their car, leaving Jimmy and Sean stunned and frightened. Dave is held captive for four days before he manages to escape. This
traumatic event marks their lives forever, separating them.
Twenty-five years later, the three friends lead very different lives: Jimmy is an ex-con turned grocery store owner and a charismatic leader in the local community; Sean is a Massachusetts State Police detective who is dedicated to his job but tormented by the abandonment of his pregnant wife Lauren; and Dave is a troubled man, scarred by the trauma of his childhood, who lives a gray existence as a factory worker and husband to Celeste, cousin of Jimmy’s second wife Annabeth. One night Katie, Jimmy’s daughter, who is planning to run away to Las Vegas with Brendan, a boy Jimmy despises, is murdered, and the investigation will lead to unveiling the true personalities of the three friends.

Fun fact: The production tried to convince Clint Eastwood to shoot the film in Toronto, Canada, to save money, but the director did not relent one step and demanded to shoot the film entirely in Boston, the city in which it was set. Incidentally, to better cast himself in the role, Kevin Bacon worked for a while in the offices of the Massachusetts State Police.
Fun fact: Thierry Frémaux, the director of the Cannes Film Festival, often says that one of his most frightening memories is having to call Clint Eastwood to warn him that the film had not won any awards.

Location: The East Buckingham neighborhood does not exist in Boston. Scenes were specifically shot in Charlestown, the Irish-American neighborhood, one of Boston’s oldest neighborhoods, with a history dating back to 1628, when it was founded as the first permanent settlement in Massachusetts Bay. Located north of downtown, on the banks of the Mystic River – which the film is named after – and Boston Harbor, it is famous for the central role it played during the American Revolutionary War. It was the site of the historic Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775, one of the first clashes between colonial troops and the British Army. Today, the Bunker Hill Monument is one of the neighborhood’s main landmarks and part of the Freedom Trail. It was also the starting point of Revere’s famous ride to warn the patriots that the British were coming, which is why it also houses the monument dedicated to him.
The area is home to the Warren Tavern, one of the city’s oldest taverns- frequented by historical figures such as Paul Revere and George Washington – and the USS Constitution, the oldest warship still afloat.

The Departed (2006)

“When you decide to be something, you can be it.”

Plot: remake of the 2002 Chinese film Infernal Affairs and based in part on the life of the Boston Winter Hill Gang (an “association” of organized crime figures in Massachusetts), Scorsese’s film is set in 1980s Boston and tells the story of Frank Costello (a character played by Jack Nicholson and based on real-life Irish mob boss Whitey Bulger) ruthless underworld boss who sends young Colin Sullivan (played by Matt Damon and based on John Connelly, a real-life corrupt FBI agent) to infiltrate the Massachusetts State Police. At the same time, the police recruit Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio), from a crime family, to work as an undercover agent within Costello’s organization. The two men live constantly on the edge, trying to unmask the identity of their respective mole while navigating a web of deceit, double-crosses, and violence.

Fun fact: The film’s production was so long and arduous that it left even a director with the experience of Martin Scorsese exhausted and exhausted, who declared, “I dubbed The Departed ‘Moral Ground Zero.’ […] I did almost no promotion for that film because I was tired of it. It was infuriating. I like the film, but the process of making it was very difficult.”
It is well known that Martin Scorsese is not only a great filmmaker but one of the greatest film scholars, and his works never lack references to Hollywood classics. The Departed is no exception. Toward the end of the film, Costigan sends a CD to Sullivan, which Madolyn plays for him while Sullivan is in the shower, and we see three quick shots of Sullivan turning on the shower. These three shots are a copy of those in which Janet Leigh turns on the shower in the famous scene in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960). Also, in the film Scarface, the 1932 original directed by Howard Hawks, whenever the main character Tony Camonte kills someone, he whistles the music from Gaetano Donizetti’s opera Lucia di Lammermoor. It is the same opera that Costello goes to see.

Location: the movie was filmed in both Boston and New York, and some locations are a mix of both cities, such as, for example, the bar that served as Costello’s headquarters: the interior is the French restaurant Raoul’s, in SoHo, which also appears in Sex and the City, while the exterior is located in Boston, at 17 Charles Street, in Beacon Hill. In the movie it was the “Charles Street Brasserie” but in reality, it is a laundry (as you can see in the photo above).
Famous for its architectural style, red brick, cobblestone streets, and traditional gas lamps that evoke an atmosphere of yesteryear, Beacon Hill is located west of the Boston Common and the Massachusetts State House. It takes its name from the “beacon” (lantern) that once stood on the hill to warn residents of possible danger.
It is also where Acorn Street, called the most photographed street in the United States (and indeed it is beautiful and very quaint) and Louisburg Square, a private square surrounded by some of Boston’s most prestigious homes, are located. Louisa May Alcott, author of Little Women, also lived in this square (at number 10, but she also lived in other houses in the area).

Gone Baby Gone (2007)

“I always believed it was the things you don’t choose that make you who you are.”

Plot: A film that saw Ben Affleck’s directorial debut, for which he received widespread praise, and which earned Amy Ryan an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, begins with the kidnapping of four-year-old Amanda McCready from her home in Dorchester. The Boston Police Department takes child abduction cases to heart because the daughter of Jack Doyle (Morgan Freeman), the police chief, had been kidnapped and eventually murdered years earlier. Three days after Amanda’s kidnapping, Patrick (Casey Affleck) and Angie (Michelle Monaghan), two private detectives who are partners in work and life, are hired by Lionel and Bea McCready, Amanda’s maternal uncle and aunt, to help with the police investigation. Although this case is outside the norm of Patrick and Angie’s usual cases, the McCreadys hope that Patrick’s knowledge of the neighborhood and its people will be helpful, especially in getting the criminals in the neighborhood to open up, especially those who are unwilling to talk to the police. The two private detectives soon discover that Helene McCready, Amanda’s single mother, is no saint: she is a drug dealer and is involved in stealing money. They therefore believe, just as the police do, that her story has something to do with the kidnapping. As they get deeper into the investigation along with the police, they are faced with the question of whether the means justify the end and what is the morally right thing to do.

Fun fact: This film is also based on a novel by Dennis Lehane, who was born right in Dorchester, unlike Amy Ryan, who was originally from New York and worked so hard on her Boston accent. And she had gotten so good that one day a guard, mistaking her for a local and fans hanging around the set, wouldn’t let her in. It took twenty minutes of arguing until one of the production staff noticed what was happening and told the guard to let her in. Another guard instead forbade a woman, Jill Quigg, from passing, preventing her from picking up her son from school, and her voice caught the attention of Ben Affleck, who offered her a very small part in the film. She had another part in the film The Fighters, but her career as an actress stopped there, and in 2018 she was arrested for
stealing a TV in a store.

Location: the film is almost all shot in the Dorchester area. Once a separate town in its own right, it is now Boston’s largest and most diverse neighborhood (and just think, if it were a separate town even today, it would be the fourth most populous in Massachusetts). Its streets and locales were chosen to make the film as realistic and close to reality as possible.
The area is home to the JFK Library and Museum, an institution dedicated to the memory of the 35th president of the United States. This iconic presidential museum and library not only celebrates JFK’s life and career but also focuses on issues such as civil rights and foreign policy. Designed by renowned architect Ieoh Ming Pei and inaugurated in 1979, it houses exhibits on JFK’s Legacy, a replica of the Oval Office of the White House, sections that delve into the president’s commitment to the fight for Civil Rights, the Space Race and the groundbreaking presidential campaign that harnessed the power of television for the first time. The library is also a symbol of the connection between the town, the president (born in Brookline, a suburb of Boston), and the New England community.

The Town (2010)

“I need your help. I can’t tell you what it is, you won’t be able to ask me later, and we will hurt someone.” “Whose car are we taking?”

Plot: Four longtime friends, Doug (Ben Affleck), Jem (Jeremy Renner), Gloansy (Slain), and Dez (Owen Burke), carry out bank robberies in Boston’s Charlestown neighborhood. During one robbery, Jem takes the bank manager, Claire (Rebecca Hall), hostage, but later releases her unharmed. Doug discovers that Claire lives in his neighborhood and decides to follow her to prevent her from revealing information to the police. Unexpectedly, Doug and Claire begin a secret relationship, while Doug hides his true identity from the gang. Meanwhile, FBI Special Agent Frawley (Jon Hamm) begins investigating the gang and discovers connections to a local florist, Fergie. Doug plans to leave Boston with Claire, but things take a turn for the worse when the gang pulls off a failed robbery and Frawley puts a tap on Claire’s phone. In the end, Doug decides to protect Claire by killing Fergie and his bodyguard. Doug manages to escape but promises Claire that they will see each other again someday. Claire uses the money found by Doug to renovate the local ice hockey arena. Finally, Doug retires to Florida,
seemingly in safety.

Fun fact: “Every year in Boston there are more than 300 bank robberies, and most of the robbers live in a one-square-mile neighborhood called Charlestown.” The film begins with this sentence, which aroused quite a bit of controversy from area residents who saw their neighborhood promoted as the “robbery capital of America.” Moreover, the film ends with a disclaimer to explain that the area’s reputation is authentic but does not refer to its residents, good and true people to whom the film is dedicated. Indeed, the area had this reputation in the 1980s and 1990s but it has not been so since then. Most of the robberies seen in the film are inspired by real robberies that actually happened, particularly the one in March 1995 in Harvard Square, when four masked men (in the film they are disguised as nuns, probably because the actual robbery took place at noon.
Today, fortunately, this is no longer the case. Massachusetts was declared the safest state in the entire United States in December 2024.

Location: The film is shot, as is easy to imagine, mostly in the same area in which it is set: Charlestown. There are, however, several locations that are in the North End, such as the Neptune Oyster restaurant (it is called Over Oyster in the film) and a couple of laundries in the area that take the form of banks in the film.
The neighborhood dates back to 1630 and was the scene of important historical events, especially during the American Revolution it is home to several stops on the Freedom Trail, including Paul Revere’s house and the Old North Church, famous for the lantern that signaled the advance of the British in 1775 during the Battle of Lexington and Concord. Starting in the 19th century, however, the North End welcomed increasing numbers of Italian immigrants,
transforming into what is now considered Boston’s “Little Italy.” Not surprisingly, the area is also famous for its religious festivals, known as the Feasts of the Saints, held every summer. The most famous is the Feast of St. Anthony, which transforms the streets into an explosion of color, music, and food.

The Spotlight Case (Spotlight – 2015)

“Sometimes it is easy to forget that we spend most of our time stumbling around in the dark.”

Plot: The film is based on true stories and investigations, which led the Boston Globe to win the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for public service. In 1976, two policemen discuss the arrest of priest John Geoghan for child molestation. Subsequently, Geoghan’s arrest is hidden from the press and the district attorney orders the cops to keep quiet. In 2001, the new editor of the Boston Globe, Marty Baron (Liev Schreiber), goes to Walter “Robby” Robinson (Michael Keaton), the head
of the paper’s investigative team called “Spotlight,” and convinces them to investigate an article accusing Cardinal Bernard Law of covering up abuse committed by Geoghan. Journalist Michael Rezendes (Mark Ruffalo) convinces renowned lawyer Mitchell Garabedian to be interviewed. The Spotlight team uncovers a web of abuse perpetrated by several priests in the Archdiocese of Boston, in addition to the ongoing cover-up by Archbishop Law. Thanks to the testimony of Phil Saviano, leader of a group of clergy abuse victims, the team expands the investigation to involve thirteen priests and collects 87 victims’
testimonies. This investigation tests the lives of Spotlight team members: reporter Matt Carroll discovers that one of the rehabilitation centers for priests is located near his family’s home, but decides not to reveal it so as not to compromise the investigation; reporter Sacha Pfeiffer discovers that his own grandmother attends one of the parishes involved; Rezendes is concerned about preventing further abuse and pushes for swift publication of the story; Robinson faces resistance from his closest friends, whom he discovers were complicit in the cover-up of the abuse. After the tragic events of Sept. 11, the team decides to scale back the story but regains momentum when Rezendes discovers that there are public documents showing that Archbishop Law knew about the abuse and did nothing. The team decides to delve further before publishing the story, but the situation changes when the Globe gains access to legal documents that provide other evidentiary material.
The epilogue lists more than 100 communities in the United States and 101 others around the world that have been implicated in serious clergy abuse scandals.

Fun fact: The Spotlight team does exist. Created in the 1970s, it is the investigative reporting unit of the Boston Globe. They can devote months or years to a single case, which they choose themselves. They are autonomous from the rest of the paper, must report only to their supervisor, and are forbidden to talk about their work to others, whether other staff, friends, or family. Sacha Pfeiffer, Michael Rezendes, and Walter Robinson are real people who are part of the
Spotlight team and also had a cameo in the film. The film only tells how they arrived at the first publication, but the Spotlight team continued to investigate and published additional articles in the following years. Many of the scenes recounted actually happened, although some were slightly altered to suit the audience. For example, the scene in which Matt Carroll discovers that one of the priests’ treatment centers is located down the block from where he lives is based on an actual discovery made during the investigation but in reality, Carroll lived down the street from John Geoghan, the priest whose case kicked off the investigation. Like his film counterpart, Carroll immediately posted a picture of Geoghan on his refrigerator, warning his children to stay away if they spotted him.

Location: in one of the scenes in the film, Sacha Pfeiffer (played by Rachel McAdams) goes to the Boston Public Library to do some research.
Founded in 1848, it is one of the most prestigious public libraries in the world, the second-largest public library in the United States, and the first major free municipal library in the country. It was established with the mission of providing free access to education and cultural resources for all. It was the first U.S. public library to allow users to borrow books to read at home. The library’s motto, “Free to All”, reflects its dedication to making books and knowledge
accessible. The Boston Public Library’s main branch, located in Copley Square, is famous for its stunning McKim Building, designed by architect Charles Follen McKim and opened in 1895, considered a masterpiece of the American Beaux-Arts Renaissance. Housed inside are more than 23 million items including one of the earliest printed copies of the Bible, the world’s most important collection of cartography, and unique prints, letters, and documents, many related to the history of Boston and America.

Don’t Look Up (2021)

“Everything is theoretically impossible until it is done.”

Plot: Ranked the second most-watched movie on Netflix, Don’t Look Up tries to satirize but makes you think deeply.
Astronomy Ph.D. student Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence) discovers a comet that her professor, Dr. Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio), confirms is on a collision course with Earth, with an impact expected six months from now. The comet, large enough to cause a global extinction, is verified by NASA. Accompanied by Dr. Teddy Oglethorpe (Rob Morgan), head of the Office of Planetary Defense, the two scientists inform the White House, but President Janie Orlean (Meryl Streep), and her chief of staff Jason Orlean (Jonah Hill), her son, react with apathy and cynicism. Seeking public attention, Dibiasky and Mindy disclose the news on a TV show. However, the issue is treated lightly, leading Dibiasky to a heated on-air outburst. When a sex scandal related to the president emerges, the White House admits the comet threat and approves a mission to deflect it with nuclear weapons. However, the plan is canceled when billionaire Peter Isherwell, CEO of BASH, discovers that the comet contains valuable rare elements. Isherwell convinces the government to commercially exploit the comet with a technologically uncertain plan. The decision divides public opinion: some believe in the risk, others downplay or deny its existence. Isolated and threatened, Dibiasky leaves the public arena while Mindy adapts to the role of government science adviser but tired of the superficiality and greed she finds, she openly denounces the administration, making peace with Dibiasky. As the situation worsens, international attempts to stop the comet fail and Isherwell mining proves ineffective. As the world prepares for impact, Isherwell, Orlean, and other powerful people escape on a spaceship bound for a new planet. Mindy, Dibiasky, and Oglethorpe choose instead to spend their remaining time with their loved ones.

Trivia: After the film’s release, numerous climate scientists and science popularizers expressed positive opinions about the work. Peter Kalmus, a climate scientist, said in The Guardian that the film is a satire, but also “the most accurate film I have ever seen on society’s terrifying non-response to the climate crisis.” Climatologist Michael E. Mann also praised the film, calling it “a serious sociopolitical commentary masquerading as comedy.” Rebecca Oppenheimer, in Scientific American, raised doubts about the use of the comet metaphor to represent climate change, given the different timing of the impact of the two crises. However, she appreciated the depiction of scientific denialism and policy failures in dealing with a catastrophic event. Critic Laura Hiscott, in Physics World, noted that the film, “really funny and engaging,” particularly appeals to scientists because of references to academia, such as the importance of peer review and the difficulties of getting scientific credit.
Finally, a scene from the film was compared on social media to a situation in Brazil, where a TV broadcast in 2020 downplayed the risks of COVID-19, urging the population to deal with the pandemic “lightly.”

Location: the film was entirely shot in Massachusetts and Boston, even the scenes set in New York City. In particular, South Station, one of the city’s major transportation hubs, is clearly visible in one scene.
At the end of the 19th century, Boston was a major railroad hub with numerous independent stations that were often poorly connected. The construction of South Station was an ambitious project to unify rail traffic in a single location and improve transportation efficiency. Designed by architects Shepley, Rutan, and Coolidge, at the time of its construction in 1899, it was considered the largest station in the world, and its Beaux-Arts-style facade, with the large clock inspired by London’s Big Ben, one of the most beautiful.
In 2014 it was renamed “The Governor Michael S. Dukakis Transportation Center at South Station”, dedicated to Massachusetts Governor Michael S. Dukakis, but everyone still calls it simply South Station, including the station signs and maps.
Amtrak trains that connect Boston with New York, Washington, D.C., and Maine depart from this central station, as well as Greyhound, the Metro Red Line, and the Silver Line, which connects the station directly to Logan International Airport. In addition, once here, walking to virtually any Boston attraction is also very easy.

The Holdovers (2023)

“You see, history is not simply the study of the past. It is an explanation of the present.”

Plot: In December 1970, Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti), a strict teacher at Barton Academy, a boys’ school in New England, is assigned to supervise a small group of students who remain on campus during the Christmas vacations. Among them is Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa), abandoned by his mother who has gone on a honeymoon with her new husband. Also staying is Mary Lamb (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), the cafeteria manager, grieving for her son who recently died in Vietnam. Hunham, with her rigid approach, makes the days difficult, but an incident in which Angus is injured marks the beginning of a more human bond between them. During a trip to Boston, Angus, and Hunham share moments of reflection, and Hunham confesses events from his past, including why his academic career failed. Angus, on the other hand, visits his father in a psychiatric hospital, concerned that he might become like him. Hunham reassures him and solidifies the relationship with him. When school resumes, Angus’s mother and stepfather go to the school to reprimand the boy, who is forbidden to visit his father. Hunham takes responsibility for what happened, telling them that he was the one who convinced Angus to visit his father. A gesture of protection that costs him his job.

Fun fact: Nominated for five Academy Awards and with Da’Vine Joy Randolph winning no fewer than six Best Supporting Actress awards, the film was universally acclaimed.
It was shot entirely on location, never using green screens or digital reconstructions of locations. And luck helped them: many scenes were shot at Fairhaven High School in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, in February 2022. At that time, a snowstorm hit the area, much to the delight of the film crew, as many scenes had
to unwind during a snowstorm. They took full advantage of the weather, and the snow and storm seen in the film are absolutely real.

Location: on their trip to Boston, Angus and Hunman also stop at the Brattle Book Shop, one of the oldest independent bookstores in the United States, with a history dating back to 1825. It offers an incredible variety of volumes, ranging from fiction to nonfiction, with a section devoted to rare and antique books, including first editions and collectibles. One of the most distinctive features of the Brattle Book Shop is the outdoor courtyard, where the walls of adjacent buildings are papered with shelves full of used books. Inside, the bookstore is divided into three floors, and the third is reserved for the rarest and most valuable books.

The absolute favorite movie of the other half of Mesupi (Nunzio!) could not be missed. It was, however, filmed almost entirely around Boston, so we carefully mapped all its locations and devoted an entire itinerary which I will tell you about in detail in the next post!

p.s.
Each of these films would deserve a complete itinerary and my mission is indeed to make them all. As they say? Stay tuned!

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