Best Movies About Boston

From Martin Scorsese, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg
Rated R

The Departed is a 2006 American crime drama directed by Martin Scorsese and written by William Monahan. The film is a remake of the 2002 Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, and Vera Farmiga. The film follows the lives of two men from opposite sides of the law - one a police officer and the other a criminal. While the police officer, Billy Costigan (DiCaprio), infiltrates the criminal organization of mob boss Frank Costello (Nicholson), the criminal, Colin Sullivan (Damon), infiltrates the Massachusetts State Police. As the men become increasingly entwined, a battle of wits and moral ambiguity ensues. The Departed received critical acclaim and numerous awards, including four Oscars, for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Editing. Its box office success made it the highest-grossing film of 2006. The film has since been listed in numerous publications' lists of the greatest films of all time.

From Gus Van Sant, starring Robin Williams, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Stellan Skarsgård
Rated R

Good Will Hunting is a 1997 American drama film directed by Gus Van Sant and starring Matt Damon, Robin Williams and Ben Affleck. The movie tells the story of Will Hunting, a 20-year-old from a rough neighborhood of Boston who works as a janitor at MIT, and his complicated relationship with a psychologist. Will is a genius, but he is also troubled by his past and his lack of motivation. With the help of his psychologist and friends, Will begins to open up and eventually learns to confront his problems and find his place in the world. The movie was nominated for nine Academy Awards, and won two, including Best Supporting Actor for Williams.

From Tom McCarthy, starring Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber
Rated R

Spotlight is a 2015 drama film directed by Tom McCarthy and starring an ensemble cast of Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, John Slattery, and Stanley Tucci. The film follows the true story of a team of journalists from The Boston Globe who investigated the widespread cover-up of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in Boston. The team, known as the "Spotlight" group, uncovered a systemic pattern of abuse of children spanning decades in the archdiocese. Their courageous reporting won the Globe the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, and brought the issue to light and put a spotlight on the issue of child abuse in the Catholic Church. The film is a powerful exploration of the role of investigative journalism in uncovering the truth.

From Clint Eastwood, starring Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Kevin Bacon, Emmy Rossum
Rated R

Mystic River is a 2003 American crime film directed by Clint Eastwood, based on the novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane. It stars Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Kevin Bacon, Laurence Fishburne, Marcia Gay Harden, and Laura Linney. The story centers on three childhood friends in a Boston neighborhood who are reunited after the murder of one of their daughters. Jimmy Markum (Sean Penn), Dave Boyle (Tim Robbins) and Sean Devine (Kevin Bacon) are forced to confront their dark pasts as they search for the killer. As the film progresses, their search for the truth leads to a deeper, more complicated web of crime and violence. Tension builds as the characters grapple with their guilt, doubt and loyalty as they each attempt to move forward in their lives.

From David O. Russell, starring Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Melissa Leo
Rated R

The Fighter is a biographical drama, set in the mid-1990s, directed by David O. Russell. The film stars Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, and Melissa Leo. The film follows the story of "Irish" Micky Ward (Wahlberg), an up-and-coming light welterweight boxer from Lowell, Massachusetts. Micky's older half-brother, Dicky Eklund (Bale), is a former boxer with a history of drug addiction. As Micky's career starts to take off, Dicky becomes his trainer and mentor, even as his own life spirals out of control. The Fighter chronicles the struggles of both Micky and Dicky as they fight to overcome their respective personal and professional issues. Despite their differences, they remain a tight-knit family, determined to overcome their obstacles and prove themselves in the boxing world. Ultimately, the two brothers form an unbreakable bond, pushing each other to achieve their goals and better themselves both in and out of the ring.

From Kenneth Lonergan, starring Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler, Lucas Hedges
Rated R

Manchester by the Sea is a 2016 American drama film written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan. The film stars Casey Affleck as Lee Chandler, a man who is forced to return to his hometown of Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts, after his older brother dies, leaving him as the sole guardian of his teenage nephew. As Lee deals with the grief of his brother's death and his own troubled past, he also struggles to reconnect and repair his relationships with his ex-wife and nephew. Along the way, he learns to cope with his emotions and confront his inner demons in order to come to terms with his tragedy.

From Sidney Lumet, starring Paul Newman, Charlotte Rampling, Jack Warden, James Mason
Rated R

The Verdict is a 1982 courtroom drama directed by Sidney Lumet, starring Paul Newman and James Mason. The film follows Frank Galvin (Newman), an alcoholic, down-on-his-luck lawyer who is recruited to take on a medical malpractice case with the promise of a hefty payday. After an investigation into the case, Frank discovers shady dealings by the hospital and its insurance company. With the help of his associate Mickey Morrissey (Mason) and a hard-nosed judge (Jack Warden), Frank takes the case to court and seeks justice for his clients. Along the way, he must battle against a corrupt system and his own personal demons. In the end, Frank emerges victorious and discovers that justice is not always so easily found.

From Troy Duffy, starring Willem Dafoe, Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus, David Della Rocco
Rated R

The Boondock Saints is an action-thriller directed by Troy Duffy about two Irish-American brothers, Connor and Murphy MacManus, who become vigilantes after killing two Russian mobsters in self-defense. With the help of an FBI agent, Paul Smecker, the MacManus brothers set out to rid their city of crime and corruption. Despite the FBI's efforts to bring them to justice, the brothers bravely fight against the mob and their criminal activities, ultimately bringing justice to their city. Along the way, the brothers learn about loyalty and friendship and the importance of doing what is right.

From Ben Affleck, starring Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris, Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan
Rated R

Gone Baby Gone is a 2007 crime drama film directed by Ben Affleck and based on the novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane. The film follows two private investigators, Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro, as they search for a missing four-year-old girl from the Boston neighborhood of Dorchester. As they dig deeper into the case, they uncover a dangerous criminal underworld and confront moral dilemmas that challenge their private code of ethics. With the help of local law enforcement, they are able to rescue the girl, only to discover that her loved ones may have been involved in her disappearance. In the end, the film grapples with the weighty question of whether justice should be served or if personal morality is more important.

From Ben Affleck, starring Ben Affleck, Rebecca Hall, Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner
Rated R

The Town is a 2010 American crime drama film directed by Ben Affleck, based on Chuck Hogan’s novel Prince of Thieves. The film stars Affleck, Rebecca Hall, Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner, Blake Lively and Chris Cooper. The film follows a group of career criminals in Boston's Charlestown neighborhood who, led by Doug MacRay (Affleck), rob a bank, only to find that one of their victims, Claire Keesey (Hall), is an assistant bank manager. The gang decides to keep her hostage and force her to help them plan their next robbery. As Doug and Claire develop an unexpected relationship, a romantic interest develops between Doug and his volatile best friend Jem (Renner). Meanwhile, Doug's former associate, FBI Agent Adam Frawley (Hamm), is determined to bring the gang to justice. The film is full of action, drama, and a few comedic moments. It explores themes of loyalty, redemption and friendship, and ultimately serves as a testament to the strength of human connections and the power of love.

From Antoine Fuqua, starring Denzel Washington, Marton Csokas, Chloë Grace Moretz, David Harbour
Rated R

From Arthur Hiller, starring Ali MacGraw, Ryan O'Neal, John Marley, Ray Milland
Rated PG

From Seth MacFarlane, starring Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Seth MacFarlane, Joel McHale
Rated R

From Scott Cooper, starring Johnny Depp, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dakota Johnson, Joel Edgerton
Rated R

From Craig Gillespie, starring Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Eric Bana
Rated PG-13

From Paul Feig, starring Sandra Bullock, Michael McDonald, Melissa McCarthy, Demián Bichir
Rated R

From Brad Anderson, starring Hope Davis, Alan Gelfant, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Callie Thorne
Rated R

From Martin Campbell, starring Mel Gibson, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston, Bojana Novakovic
Rated R

From Ben Wheatley, starring Sharlto Copley, Brie Larson, Armie Hammer, Cillian Murphy
Rated R

From Tom DeCerchio, starring Damon Wayans, Daniel Stern, Dan Aykroyd, Gail O'Grady
Rated PG-13