The Out-of-Towners (1970, 1999)

 The bulk of this twice-shot Neil Simon story takes place in New York, but without Boston, the zany tale would never have been.  In the first film, South Station was a shooting spot, in the remake, Logan Airport was used.  

Blown Away (1994)

Boston is a very Irish town…that’s why it’s so fitting that this thriller about an Irish nationalist bomber and his former friend, a police bomb squad member, is set in Boston.  Starring Texan Tommy Lee Jones and Californian Jeff Bridges (neither of whom seems to have an Irish bone in his body), Blown Away was filmed all over town – at Copley Square, MIT, and the Esplanade, to name a few famous spots.  

Field of Dreams (1989)

“If you build it, they will come.”  Voted #39 in the top 100 lines by the American Film Institute, it’s only one of many things that makes Field of Dreams stick in the memory of those who see it.  Fun Fact: Ben Affleck and Matt Damon were extras in the Fenway scenes, and Damon is said to have taken some blades of grass home for his father.  

Fever Pitch (2005)

A great Red Sox comedy if I’ve ever seen one (okay, it’s the only one I’ve ever seen…maybe the only one, period).  Jimmy Fallon’s character Ben is just a little obsessed (but really, probably pretty average as far as Sox fans go) with the team, which begins to get to his girlfriend Lindsey after awhile.  Hilarity, of course, ensues.  

Coming Soon...My Best Friend's Girl

One bright autumn day in 2007, I was hanging around in my basement office when I looked up and noticed that there was a catering table right in front of the window.  Upon further inspection, I realized that it was clearly for the crew of a film.  A co-worker and I wandered around the Leather District until we came across some trailers.  After standing on the corner for a few minutes looking like the stalker freaks we truly were, Jason Biggs walked by with an adorable puppy under his arm, making the whole thing worth it.  Later on, I also caught Dane Cook doing a driving scene, and Mini Anden going in for her close up.

Where to Watch

The Departed (2006)

Scorcese’s most recent film was shot in and around Boston.  With so many stars (Bostonians Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson), it must have been pretty hard for the locals to focus.  Scorcese must have loved filming here, because his next film (“Shutter Island” aka “Ashecliffe”) is currently shooting in the Hub – and celebrity sightings are again on the rise.  

Ben and Matt: Two Boys from Southie

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon have become famous for many things – Ben for his random romances, Matt for the Bourne trilogy – but what made the two boys from South Boston famous is Good Will Hunting (1997), which they co-wrote and co-starred in.  The film was, of course, shot in Boston; it success perhaps inspired both men to continue working in their hometown…Ben’s directorial debut, Gone Baby Gone (2007), was shot in the city ten years later.

Mystic River (2003)

This Clint Eastwood masterpiece is another tearjerker set in the hub.  Since I’m sure you’ve seen it (and probably cried as much as I did, especially at Tim Robbins’ character’s sad situation), I’ll spare the sometimes gory details, but will say that this is my favorite Boston film.

21 (2008)

Based on Boston local Ben Mezrich’s book Bringing Down the House, this film chronicles the lives of MIT students who manage to beat the game of blackjack.  MIT wouldn’t allow filming on its campus, however, so the college scenes were filmed at Boston University instead.