- Walking Tour/Self-Guided Tour
- 1.5 hours
- All ages
Explore the famous Boston Movie Mile on this fun and interactive walking tour!
The Town, also known as Charlestown, is the backdrop for the 2010 crime-drama The Town directed by Ben Affleck. The film has an all-star cast joining Affleck in the starring role, with the likes of Jeremy Renner, Jon Hamm, Blake Lively, Chris Cooper, Pete Postlethwaite, and Rebecca Hall. While the events in the movie are fictional, they are based on the very real crime scene prevalent in this Massachusetts town and can be seen on the Boston Movie Mile Walking Tour.
While many of the conversational and planning scenes take place in Charlestown, most of the action sequences take place in iconic Boston locations. The movie follows a team of bank robbers who attempt to pull off one final heist before retiring from the dangerous career. This final heist takes place at none other than America’s most iconic ballpark, Fenway Park. The team, led by Doug (Ben Affleck), dress up as Boston police department officials and EMT services to rob the Boston Red Sox during a game – the ultimate cash (untraceable) crime. As one may expect, things get rocky during the climax, and all the action sequences are filmed on location at the real baseball park!
Before this dramatic ending, the film also has sequences in other quintessential Boston locations, including the Charlestown bridge. According to lore, when the Boston Police Department hears of a bank robbery happening in the city, the first thing they do is close the Charlestown bridge. The team, while sporting nun costumes and masks, quickly attempts to make an escape from downtown Boston to the bridge and beat the police department to the closing.
Additionally, Doug and Claire (Rebecca Hall) share a classic Boston romance. The two talk over a cup of joe at Dunkin’ Donuts, which was filmed at a real Dunkin’ at the Park Street T Station. Ben Affleck consciously made this decision, and as it turns out in every movie he makes he tries to put a Dunkin’ cup somewhere in the final cut. Nothing says Boston like a windy morning and a cup of Dunks!
Following its release in 2010, the film finished at number one at the box office and also got a glowing nod of approval from critics, including a coveted spot in the National Board of Review’s top ten films of the year and an Academy Award nomination for Jeremy Renner for his portrayal of James “Jem” Coughlin.
Charlestown and all the locations mentioned above are part of the private Boston TV & Movie Sites Tour, with a few spots also making it to the Boston Movie Mile Walking Tour. Be sure to look out for these locations when you are in the area!
* In an effort to stay current, we are constantly updating our tours with new locations and cannot guarantee the presence of locations mentioned on our site. If you have a particular interest in locations from a specific TV show or movie, please let your tour guide know and we will do our best to accommodate your request.