Boston in the movies: a freshmen guide

You could say you came to Boston University because of the (extremely expensive) quality of education, or the research opportunities, the 500 student activities organizations, the proximity of other colleges—but come on, we all really know why you’re here. In Boston, you won’t be stuck with the same six friends in the same six buildings for four years.

There’s a lot to do here, and it’s not like you’re going to be held up in your dorm room studying vigorously all the time. If you are, I envy your concentration. If you’re from New York or Chicago or some other city, after a few months Boston’s quaint bustle may cease to dazzle you; it isn’t a sprawling megalopolis.

The best part about being here is that every nook of this place is a microcosm with an atmosphere of its own. If you don’t veer from your infinite treks up and down Commonwealth Avenue, you’ll miss out on the city’s kaleidoscopes of activity and beauty.

There are tons of movies that were filmed in and around the Boston area. Maybe we were all somehow indoctrinated by images of Fenway, Copley Square, Cambridge, and brownstone-stacked streets. This must be why we’re here! So grab a bunch of your new friends and leave (maybe after collecting all that free stuff you’re about to receive) as soon as you possibly can! Revisit these places, and see for yourself if reality measures up to the versions of Boston we’ve witnessed through film.

The movie “21,” that awesome gambling flick (Jim Sturgess, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey), was actually partially filmed at BU. FitRec is in this movie! All the school and classroom scenes were BU buildings, as well as the dormitories. But those are places you’ve probably seen – there are also shots from the Christian Science Center (a nice lawn for a possible picnic), Chinatown (Dim Sum! Cheap Vegetables!) and Harvard Medical School (where there is another nice lawn for other possible picnics).

Everybody’s favorite, “The Departed” (Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon), includes great Boston accents, as well as scenes from Southie, the Wharf and the waterfront.

My personal favorite, “The Boondock Saints” (Willem Dafoe, Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus), contains scenes from Boston Common, Copley Square, Longfellow Bridge, Newbury Street and South Boston. If you’re feeling particularly adventurous you could visit the Charles Street Jail or the Church of Covenant Saints!

And of course, “The Social Network” (Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake) has scenes from Cambridge and Wheelock College (there’s a really neat tree park near Wheelock, if you’re into trees).

Weirdly enough, scenes from “Shutter Island” were filmed in Boston, but you probably have to look very closely.

“The Town” (Ben Affleck, Rebecca Hall, Jon Hamm) is filmed all around Boston, Bunker Hill, Fenway Park, Harvard Square and Cambridge.

I could go on and on forever, but at this point you guys should have already recycled your FreeP to go off and adventure! If by some chance you are still curious, there’s a list on this website with every movie that captures Boston: http://www.cityofboston.gov/arts/film/highlights.asp.