The Departed
Arguably the greatest Boston film of all time, The Departed is Martin Scorsese’s remake of the Hong Kong crime thriller Internal Affairs. The film follows a mole in the Massachusetts State Police (Matt Damon) and an undercover cop who has infiltrated the Mafia (Leonardo DiCaprio) as each attempts to identify the other. Though much of the movie was filmed in New York, be on the lookout for several Boston locations. The film’s “Special Investigation Unit” is actually the Erich Lindemann Health Center in the West End, while the mole’s apartment—offering gleaming views of the Massachusetts State House near Boston Common—is actually the Suffolk University Law School Library. Other locations include the Flagship Wharf in Charlestown, which serves as mob boss Costello’s luxury block, and the Charles Street Cleaners in Beacon Hill, which stands in as a bar and Costello’s headquarters. Finally, the rooftop on which Damon and DiCaprio finally confront each other is located at 12 Farnsworth Street in Fort Point.
Good Will Hunting
This Boston favorite follows the story of Will Hunting (Matt Damon), a troubled 20-year-old genius who works as a janitor at MIT. After solving a nearly impossible math problem posted in an MIT hallway, Hunting develops a close relationship with the professor who came up with the problem (Stellan Skarsgård) and the therapist he must see (Robin Williams) after assaulting a cop. Harvard students will notice many of the film’s locations: Dunster House is immediately recognizable as the residence of Hunting’s girlfriend (Minnie Driver), as is the Harvard Square Au Bon Pain, where Hunting attempts to tell her about his abilities (while sipping on a drink from Peet’s Coffee and Tea, also in Harvard Square). Other notable locations include MIT’s McLaurin Building, Bunker Hill Community College, and Boston Common, where Hunting has several conversations with his therapist.
The Boondock Saints
Of the numerous “Boston-Mafia-shoot-em-up-Tarantino-esque” flicks Beantown has inspired, The Boondock Saints is possibly the most entertaining. Following the story of two twins who become crime-fighting vigilantes after a bout with the Russian Mafia, the film brings violence to several Boston locations: the pseudo-philosophical opening scene takes place in the Old South Church, while Newbury Street, Boston Common, Copley Square, and the Longfellow Bridge are also featured.
The Social Network
Following the creation of the world’s largest procrastination tool by Mark Zuckerberg and the ensuing legal troubles it wrought, The Social Network is almost synonymous with Harvard. However, because shooting was not allowed on the university’s campus, most of the movie’s Harvard scenes were actually filmed at Johns Hopkins University. A few, however, are (almost) the real deal. The opening scene, in which Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) is dumped by his girlfriend, takes place at the Thirsty Scholar Pub in Sommerville, located just north of Cambridge, while 557 Tremont Street in Boston serves as the location of the “Porcellian Club,” where the Winklevii ask Zuckerberg to program their “HarvardConnection” site. Finally, Wheelock College, in the west side of Boston, provides the location for a few additional campus scenes.
Ted
Created by Seth MacFarlane (of Family Guy fame), this comedy tells the story of John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) and his best friend Ted—a horny, foul-mouthed, pot-smoking, magical teddy bear that was given to him as a child. Set in Boston, Ted remains surprisingly true to its location, from spot-on accents to accurate filming locations throughout the city. John’s house is located at 65 Chandler Street in the South End, while he drives to work over the Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge. The Boston Public Garden provides the setting for Ted’s first encounter with his (spoiler alert!) eventual kidnapper, whose house is located at 50 Chestnut Street in Chelsea, while his rescue takes place at Fenway Park. Other locations to look out for include Charlie’s Sandwich Shop and the Union Methodist Church, both of which lie on Columbus Avenue in Boston.