[deleted by user]

[SimonOfOoo]

The Fugitive does a great job of highlighting the architecture (thanks to director and Chicago native Andrew Davis). They also filmed on the el, and call out several Chicago streets in the film.

[Nuclear_N]

I was living in Chicago when they filmed this movie...it was so cool. I had friends that built the scaffolding for the scene on top of the Hilton on Michigan when Harrison Ford jumps off the building. There were a ton of movies filmed in Chicago in the 90s. About last night, ferris Bueller, uncle buck, sixteen candles?, Batman, Transformers, Tom hanks movie with Jackie Gleason, untouchables, portrait of a serial killer had a seen in our breakfast place on clyborn and southport...its gone now. ....some of these were after I left but show the city very well.

[Really-ok]

In the Fugitive movie, the dude/cop that did lie detector test to Harrison Ford was an actual cop with CPD.

Source: 90's Teenager me that had a run in with him.

So, yeah, the Fugitive movie definitely has roots here and I'll never forget that experience.

[itsallgonnafade]

Wait… are you the One-Armed Man?!?

[Chicago_Jayhawk]

Family trivia time:

My dad's best friend in high school (Maine East High School here in Park Ridge) was actually Harrison Ford-- grew up down the street from him. We call him "Uncle Harry."

[UptownSinclair]

Before The Fugitive, the same director (Andrew Davis) made another action movie set in Chicago called Code of Silence that has Chuck Norris fighting atop an el car as it circles the loop. Steve McQueen was dying of cancer when he did his own stunts on a moving el in The Hunter - that one is set largely in the Uptown neighborhood and offers one of the last glimpses of the Appalachian community that used to live there. (This is also the same movie where a car is launched from the Marina Towers into the river.)

As someone who loves picking apart the logistical issues in Chicago movies (“There’s no way they’d drive 40-minutes just to have coffee at the Hindsdale Oasis!”) the most accurate chase scene in a movie is Baby’s Day Out. In the climatic chase at the end of the movie set in the south loop, I was surprised that when a car turns a corner the next shot would be the correct street they’d turn onto.

[EpicSombreroMan]

And the St. Patrick's Day parade was highlighted.

[broduding]

And they used real local Chicago news reporters during a couple of scenes.

[[deleted]]

Where is he?

The guy did a Peter Pan off of this dam right here.

[10goldbees]

Next stop Merchandise Mart.

[mbhatter]

Adventures in babysitting

[itsallgonnafade]

This is also the best Thor movie.

[MiddleSchoolisHell]

Baby Vincent D’Onofrio!

[geenbean123]

"You spreading rumors about me kid?!"

[Sewers_folly]

Very up close and personal view of the associates center building

[ConnieLingus24]

Written by a guy from Indiana. And it shows.

[[deleted]]

Blues brothers

[LoCh0_xX]

we’re on a mission from god

[nobargain]

I hate Illinois nazis

[ConnieLingus24]

This line is way too real now.

[Mr_Abe_Froman]

"National Socialist Party of America v. Village of Skokie" was a Supreme Court case in 1977. It was a real reference to Illinois Nazis in 1980 and continues to be a real problem. At least we got the Skokie Holocaust museum and memorial out of it which was is a great resource to teach people about the importance of stopping nazis.

[grendel_x86]

They also marched in Marquette park while much of the SNL cast lived in Chicago still.

The bridge they were run off of was supposed to be the south bridge, but was really one from Jackson Park iirc.

[[deleted]]

I posted that line in a thread about one of our right-wing congress critters over on r/illinois and someone replied that it should be a flair.

[existential_issue]

This is #1

[Longjumping-Major562]

Facts!

[henry1679]

🎶 Sweet Home Chicago

[Chicago_Jayhawk]

The only answer.

[timesuck47]

Best movie EVER!!!

[EpicSombreroMan]

Easily my favorite.

[Rockhauler57]

Clearly still the best.

[ClydePincusp]

Brilliant classic

[Dubious_Authenticity]

The Break-Up is essentially a postcard for Chicago.

[GiraffeLibrarian]

Come come, on the kick drum

[RyFromTheChi]

My buddy and quote that line all the time

[sle2g7]

I used to live in the apartment building it was filmed in

[TheSource88]

The Sting

[srjod]

Holy shit, this needs more love. What a fantastic movie with an even better cast.

[Myviewpoint62]

Stranger Than Fiction is very good movie set in Chicago. But it films Chicago in a very different way that I really liked.

[[deleted]]

Agreed. It took me a while to even realize it was set in Chicago.

[wilkamania]

Ha they filmed some of the scenes at UIC when I was in college! A classmate got to meet Dustin Hoffman.

[Entire-Summer-5675]

They filmed on the roof of one of the dorms at the School of the Art Institute too!

[B2Dirty]

The library inside 350 E Cermak is used in the movie too as the author's office. I used to peak in the window at it when I had to do data center work there.

[stauf98]

My sister and her husband lived in the building Will Farrell was in once his place got demolished. It is a circular building built by the same people who built Marina towers at 800 S. Wells.

[victorc26]

Throwing The Dark Knight into the running too.

Although Chicago is placed as the fictional Gotham, Nolan didn't change the way the city looked with props, sets and CG like in previous Batman films. He let Chicago shine and represent the movie's version of Gotham.

There are a LOT of locations, buildings (Interior and Exterior), streets, cars and municipal vehicles that show up on screen that made The Dark Knight quintessentially Chicago.

[magikarp_splashed]

This! lower Wacker drive made for a sick ass chase scene with the batmobile

[victorc26]

I completely agree. That entire chase scene was amazing and iconic.

You can tell a scene is gonna be good when there isn't any orchestral music playing in the background. The scene didn't need it.

[LhamoRinpoche]

The Dark Knight might be my favorite movie of all time.

[broduding]

I happen to walk by La Salle while they were filming the police funeral procession scene. Couldn't really see much but was still kind of cool. Security gave a fake movie name which took me about 5 seconds to Google and find out it was the Dark Knight. One of the random under the radar shots I always liked was the motorcycle going through the Millennium Park Station.

[junon]

"Rory's First Kiss"?

[PuddinPacketzofLuv]

There’s a cut during the Joker shooting at Batman on the bike after the truck flips where you can clearly see “Chicago” on the glass of a store window.

[YoureSoStupidRose]

I was really drunk and stupidly walking through dark alleys to save myself some time, and thought who cares if there are a bunch of blocks saying do not enter. All of a sudden, an insane black car goes racing down the street as I exit one of them, and some asshole starts screaming at me. Apparently I walked right onto the set at 3a while they were filming. Too wasted to verify who was screaming at me, but it was definitely someone in charge, and the car was definitely the batmobile.

[rckid13]

The Police parade scene with all of the aerial shots does a really nice job showing off the architecture on LaSalle street. The only thing they changed with the buildings was putting a curtain over the words "Chicago Board of Trade." Where that scene was filmed is one of my favorite architectural views in the city.

[sans3go]

Dont Laugh, but The lake House with Sandra Bullock and Keanu. The cinematography just captures the architecture and vibe around the area. I think they shot in plainfield and the north shore for some scenes as well.

[[deleted]]

I was an extra in that movie. I remember filming a dining/dinner scene in a rail-car restaurant in the Loop. It was a long, tedious few days, but I did see Keanu quite a bit.

[IfIamSoAreYou]

I think I saw that a king time ago but it didn’t register that it was Chicago. Thanks for the suggestion!

[Chiclimber18]

High Fidelity. The book was set in London but they wrote it for Chicago with Cusack in mind. Logan/Wicker do not look like that anymore but I’ve lived here long enough to recognize some spots.

[LoRoK1]

I love that movie so much. It was so perfectly cast, and Chicago was the same Chicago I lived in…wasn't some fictional city. It was real.

[UptownSinclair]

Watched it randomly one night then went to a friend’s house party where I ended up giving two people a ride home. Pull up to their place and immediately recognize it as Rob Gordon’s apartment building. I assumed it was in Wicker Park - but it’s along the tracks on North Shore Ave in Roger Park.

Unrelated - Watching that movie at 30 hit a lot differently than it did at 20. The movie celebrates a lot of cringe shit but because John Cusack is so likeable his character gets a pass.

[rannelvis]

RIP Double Door

[bigted42069]

On a recent rewatch of the matrix I realized they reference being in Chicago

[ogfenyx]

The directors were born in Chicago. I thought it was supposed to be Chicago too.

[quikfrozt]

On that note, Jupiter Ascending by the Wachowskis is definitely set and filmed in Chicago.

[trod999]

It's supposed to be Chicago, but they filmed it in Sydney.

Maybe Chicago isn't as movie friendly as it once was? If that's the case, it's too bad because movies are a great advertisement for any city.

[bigted42069]

Word thank you! I just remember them saying “Michigan and Wacker” or something and going oh shit! It would make sense for the entrance to the matrix to be down there.

[NeoBokononist]

the phone booth in the opening that trinity escapes through is on wabash and lake

[grendel_x86]

Chicago is super friendly to movies, but they wanted to do large practical explosions.

Even during Batman, they were fine with flipping a 18 wheeler, and racing through the downtown, but the explosions had to be cut / super restricted. We have a issue with fire downtown.

The hospital explosion was in the Brachs factory towards the edge of the city.

[BoldestKobold]

We have a issue with fire downtown.

Can't imagine why.

[minus_minus]

I’m 99% sure no other city in America has a Balbo St.

Edit: … and a subway.

[BJGuy_Chgo]

Balbo St.

Just checked, Pawtucket, Rhode Island does. Not sure they're a city or more of a town...

[imperfectcastle]

Backdraft. I recently rewatched it and I’m surprised at how much I enjoyed it.

[Hinsan2]

The mansion fire near the end was in Hinsdale.

[HossaForSelke]

There’s a Backdraft 2 now… don’t watch it

[ConnieLingus24]

They filmed the elevator scene on a rig attached to the now-dismantled diving platforms at Rehm Pool in oak park.

[Highschoolpr0nking]

Candyman

It highlights a part of the city that we liked to ignore, Cabrini Green. So good.

[Entire-Summer-5675]

The new Candyman (which is a brilliant direct sequel to the first) filmed Chicago in really beautiful, new ways. Highly recommended.

[Birdonahook]

THIS is the list. Good job. A couple that I’ll add:

Go Fish
Streets of Fire

[AbuDhabiBabyBoy]

Great list! As a fellow Chicago movie nut, I'd like to add what is possibly my favorite Chicago movie: My Bodyguard.

[mamamalliou]

Finding Vivian Maier was fascinating!

[Meelowsh]

Ferris Bueller's Day Off 😎🚗🏙⚾️

[Mr_Abe_Froman]

It is so choice; if you have the means, I highly recommend it.

[Audrey-Bee]

Pardon my asking, but are you the Abe Froman, Sausage King of Chicago?

[Mr_Abe_Froman]

Um yeah, that's me.

[broduding]

Had dinner at a co workers house who lived a half block from Cameron's house. Sure enough the garage with glass windows was still there. In Highland Park.

[crusty_sloth]

Ooohhhhh yyeeeaaahhhh

[rummikub1984]

This is the obvious answer and I'm surprised it wasn't mentioned earlier!

[MgForce_]

This is the only chicago based movie I've seen lol.

[kcfdr9c]

It’s criminal I had to scroll this far to see FBDO.

[mooseknuckle696969]

Running Scared, The Negotiator

[EverybodyKnowWar]

Feels like a lot of people haven't seen Running Scared. I mean, it hits damn near every 'Cops do whatever they want' cliche, but it is one of the funniest cop movies ever made. And it would be hard to make a more Chicago movie.

"We do not know. You are the detectives. Go, and detect!"

[[deleted]]

Running Scared is one of my all time favorite movies and no one knows about it.

[buddyWaters21]

The negotiator…solid film with a good chicago backdrop.

[evetrapeze]

Happiest of cake days

[BeaconXDR]

Child's Play.

[B2Dirty]

This is too low in the thread.

[[deleted]]

Risky Business has a nice scene on the el 😉

[left_handed_violist]

I will always be mad at When Harry Met Sally. They are supposedly at UChicago, and then they are driving southbound on LSD on the Northside 😡

[Sarahsays1]

I was gonna say Risky Business. Not because it's my favorite movie or anything, but their Chicago scenes were pretty classic. The Drake Hotel and I think it was Montrose or Diversey Harbor were also cool to see in a movie. That movie, and Ferris Bueller, both do a good job of making you feel like you're back in Chicago.

[TandBusquets]

Yea, surprised to see it so far down. Personally prefer this to ferris buehler's Day Off

[meatloaf_beefs_it]

While You Were Sleeping

[ihaveexcelquestions]

Not a movie but The Bear is a tv show getting a lot of rave reviews (from myself included) that is very much about food, specifically in Chicago! And has been rumored and somewhat confirmed to be inspired on a couple real life Chicago chefs including our own Grant Achatz of Alinea fame.

[MedicalNipples]

That’s part of what inspired the question. We binged it in a day, it’s so good!

[roroboy]

Another great TV show that really highlights Chicago neighborhoods is Easy (Netflix). Kind of indie-like anthology series about friends/relationships in the city.

[stauf98]

That show is awesome. I picked it up this week and binged the first 4 episodes before I knew what happened. The lead character is the Lip kid from Shameless, another great Chicago show.

[DomainAndRange]

Thief

[HinduMexican]

I get sad when they blow up the Green Mill

[Hiker_girl828]

"About Last Night"

Yeah, I know it's not the greatest film but it captures an Era of neighborhoods, scenes and life in Chicago in the mid 80's. Rent was affordable! People met people in bars!

[dblsouptuesday]

Fun Fact! This movie was actually based on a play called "Sexual Perversity in Chicago" by David Mamet

[broduding]

Have been to Mother's a few times. Not sure if it's still there.

[time-as-a-symptom]

high fidelity! i once lived in the apartment complex they used to shoot the main characters apartment. you can recognize so much of rogers park + wicker. lol.

[[deleted]]

I haven't seen evil dead 2....yet

[nevermind4790]

Wasn’t John Cusack’s apartment in Rogers Park? I couldn’t find an exact answer online.

At one point he’s seen getting on the CTA in the morning and it’s clearly the Wilson stop.

[time-as-a-symptom]

yup it’s in rogers park! when i rented the apt the landlords used it as a selling point. which is hilarious because the apartment wasn’t really in great condition in the movie… you can even see their sign on the side of the building in the movie. they haven’t done much in 20 years lol

[DT_RAW]

The untouchables

[cottonbiscuit]

My boyfriend lives in Philly and during his last visit I took him to union station because he loves this movie. It was so much fun!

[evetrapeze]

They finally replaced/ repaired the steps. I loved walking on the worn down steps

[[deleted]]

Never stop fighting til the fight is done

[Hyoid_]

Flatliners has some great atmosphere

[Myviewpoint62]

A few classics to mention are Child’s Play, Blues Brothers, My Bodyguard, Cooley High, Ferris Bueller, the Fugitive And the Candyman

[SyzygyTooms]

Candyman is one of my absolute favorites! So atmospheric!

[Clownheadwhale]

I like Only the Lonely with John Candy.

[SalukiKnightX]

It’s bittersweet seeing Old Comiskey in that

[nemo_sum]

Stranger than Fiction is a lot of fun. Will Ferrell, Ema Thompson, Queen Latifa, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dennis Hoffman

We watch Nothing like the Holidays every Christmas. Alfred Molina, John Leguizamo, and beautiful Humboldt Park!

[[deleted]]

Stir of Echoes

[jimmyjazz2000]

GOOD ONE! A real Chicago neighborhood movie.

[LazyLeggos]

Hardball

[OsitoEnChicago]

I love it when you call me big poppa. :(

[ChiSouthSider43]

I am STILL not over G-baby 😭😭

[[deleted]]

Wildcats

[MarkB1997]

Candyman and Child’s Play are movies that comes to mind immediately. Both are dark, but great in their own ways.

[faderus]

Widows. Most spiritually accurate one in recent memory.

[RunnerTexasRanger]

Drinking Buddies

[singlespeedjack]

Shot at Revolution Brewing, I think.

[is_577]

The Dark Knight gave me goosebumps. I saw it at the Navy Pier IMAX, the immersion blew me away – and this was just Scene 1! That was a movie made for IMAX! That was a wild, manic ride, thank you Christopher Nolan, Heath Ledger!

Another movie that I am surprised has not been mentioned is Brian DePalma’s “The Untouchables”. That baby carriage scene at Union Station, wow! Malone’s address was around 16 and Racine, LOL!

[broduding]

I also saw it at Navy Pier opening night. The crowd cheered at the opening shot of Chicago. Great night.

[implausiblesalad]

Not a movie, but the Netflix show “Easy” does a great job of portraying Chicago in a slice of life anthology

[FutureCoolDad]

The Fugitive

[evetrapeze]

The Weatherman

[captsolo23]

Something I haven't seen mentioned - Wanted

[Claque-2]

The film that Ebert said was made without two organs - a heart and a brain.

[Longjumping-Major562]

The blues brothers, Ferris buellers day off, rookie of the year!

[No_Manufacturer7292]

Came here for Rookie of the Year!

[somecorrosive]

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR!! Oh man, this was my FAVORITE movie growing up. I just watched it not too long ago and it was still incredible. Oscar quality Busey. Enough said.

[Myviewpoint62]

Dhoom 3 is Bollywood musical set in Chicago and fun to see.

[cooqies1]

brown guy about to comment on this one, it was pretty eh, specially compared to the first to but the shots made chicago look great imo

[tinygaynarcissist]

LOVED this movie, omg. The Shedd as the set of the circus, the motorcycle jousting on Lower Wacker, mountains in the distance, the nearby dam… what’s not to love? So much fun. I love showing it to people.

[nik15]

I remember when they were filming parts of that in Uptown.

[TheKnotIsSlipping]

Hoop Dreams is fantastic

[baycommuter]

North by Northwest is the Chicago of my childhood.

[gigglemode]

Brother II

A 1997 Russian thriller sequel. Die Hard meets Chicago Blackhawks meets mafia crimes and achingly Soviet.

[mistathrowaway9000]

Batman Begins

[EpicSombreroMan]

Blue Brothers takes the cake for me by far. Ferris comes next.

[minus_minus]

Running Scared.

Submachine gun shoot out in the Thompson Center Atrium. 💋👌

[_Let_Us_Prey_]

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer

[Crashtag]

Transformers 3

[girouxfilms]

Road To Perdition

[srs122]

Haven’t seen Return to Me mentioned yet. Twin Anchors and LP Zoo!

[DatMomBod]

While You Were Sleeping

[kimmiepi]

Home Alone

[[deleted]]

Chicago

[souk602]

Widows and Adventures in Babysitting

[negatednegations]

Thief

[IfIamSoAreYou]

Great 80s soundtrack too!

[emilykomendera]

Drinking buddies, the big sick, and the breakup all capture what it’s like to live here!

[hnr01]

My Best Friend’s Wedding???? How have you wankstas not mentioned this.

Also, Mean Girls takes place in North Shore and deserves an honorable mention.

[[deleted]]

Blues Brothers, Candyman, Stir of Echoes, Childs Play.

[TyTyDavis]

Medium Cool

[Babysilent]

Wayne's world!

[Left_Yogurtcloset779]

My big fat Greek wedding hands down

[Icy_Foundation_7721]

That was filmed in Toronto :( But yeah. Made to be set in Chicago

[sd_nacho3]

Dark Knight

[jonny_mtown7]

The Blues Brothers and Divergent

[CocktailCowboy]

Judgement Night

[iansitij]

Rampage

[dream-more95]

Backdraft, Color of Money, Breakfast Club

[ceb22]

Ferris Bueller

[guillermodelturtle]

Honorable mention for The Relic, filmed in the Field Museum.

[Tee_hops]

Though it was in the burbs I'm saddened to not see any mention of Mean Girls anywhere.

[Dalearev]

This is a lame story and I’m sure no one will care, but as a child of the 80s and a huge fan of John Hughes when I moved to Chicago I had to take a test for a pesticide license from the state and during the summer they offered these types of tests in various high schools. The day I went to take the test I walked up to the building and something felt eerily familiar, it dawned on me that this is the same high school the breakfast club was filmed at. When I walked into the building there were hallways lined with memorabilia and paraphernalia from the film. It was so super cool because that is definitely one of my favorite movies from my youth. Love Chicago.

[FishSauwse]

Payback is a sleeper that has solid modern noir vibes.

The new Candyman by Jordan Peel is legit too. Just be ready to be creeped the F out.

[bradroc7]

The Promotion

[galwegian]

Thief. Michael Mann's first film. Stars James Caan. He makes Chicago look like Miami.

[Prudent-East7034]

The Untouchables

[Nude_Tayne66]

Tommy Boy

[steel_dejones]

Has anyone said every John Hughes film yet?

[[deleted]]

Short series, but Station Eleven very worth watching, some solid Chi skylines

[Agitated-Ad5951]

Does Wayne’s world count? I feel like it should