Naman Shrestha
Directed by Howard Deutch, Lifetime’s ‘Buried in Barstow’ is a thriller drama film that revolves around Hazel King — a single mother who protects her daughter, Joy, from the life she once had. In the meanwhile, she tends to protect and defend the people who cannot seem to protect themselves. At the tender age of 15, Hazel was taken off the streets of the city and trained to become a hit woman. Her career only lasted until she got pregnant with Joy, making her leave this lifestyle behind.
Fast forward a decade later, Hazel owns a BBQ diner and lives an ordinary life with Joy. However, with the arrival of a stranger named Elliot, her past catches up with her as she is forced back into the former business for yet another mission. There is a shift in the backdrop as Hazel gets pulled back into the killing business; changing from the peaceful BBQ diner to a different set of locations with several action-packed sequences. This has got fans wondering not just about the inspiration behind the film but also the locations that appear in the Lifetime movie. If you are one such fan, we have all the information regarding the same!
Buried in Barstow Filming Locations
‘Buried in Barstow’ was filmed in North Carolina, specifically in Shelby, Charlotte, and the town of Cherokee. The principal photography for the film commenced in late October 2021 and seemingly wrapped up in November 2021. Now, allow us to fill you in on the details regarding the specific locations that create the settings for the film.
Shelby, North Carolina
A majority of the movie was taped in Shelby, a city in Cleveland County of North Carolina. Specifically, the production team reportedly set up camp in Red Bridges BBQ for around two weeks to film a large portion of the Lifetime thriller. The cast and crew members of ‘Buried in Barstow’ transformed the diner in order to give it a Californian vibe and make it stand in for the BBQ diner of Barstow, where Hazel works. The diner is located at 2000 East Dixon Boulevard in Shelby.
Other Locations in North Carolina
For filming purposes, the production team even traveled to the city of Charlotte and the town of Cherokee, in North Carolina. The former is located in the Piedmont region and is the most populous city in the state, while the latter is a census-designated place located in Western North Carolina and serves as a prominent tourist destination.
Buried in Barstow Cast
Angela Michelle Harmon AKA Angie Harmon portrays Hazel King in the Lifetime movie. The Texas-based actress might seem like a familiar face as she is known for her role of Ryan McBride in ‘Baywatch Nights,’ Abbie Carmichael in ‘Law & Order,’ Barbara Gordon in ‘Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker’, and Ronica Miles in ‘Agent Cody Banks.’ Other cast members who play pivotal roles in the thriller film are Kristoffer Polaha (Elliot), George Paez (Javier), Timothy Granaderos (Travis), Lauren Richard (Joy King), Gabriel ‘G-Rod’ Rodriguez (Phil), Scott Hunter (Kurt), and Brendan Patrick Connor (Rudy).
Is Buried in Barstow Based on a True Story?
No, ‘Buried in Barstow’ is not based on a true story. The thrilling narrative can be credited to the creative minds of Thompson Evans and Tom Evans, out of whom, the former has solid experience in working and writing for several productions. So, the two Evans worked together and conjured up an enthralling plot with a few ties to reality.
The Lifetime movie involves Hazel working as a killer for most of her life until she gets blessed with a daughter, Joy. She parts ways from this particular lifestyle to lead a normal life with her daughter. However, she is forced back into her old ways when her past starts affecting her present and possibly her future. This similar pattern of a female character being involved in the killing business is seen in several other movies and TV shows. One of the best examples is that of Sook-Hee / Chae Yeon-Soo in ‘The Villainess.’
Just like Hazel, Sook-Hee was also trained to be a killer since her childhood. Now that she has welcomed a child of her own into the world, she wants out of the business to live an ordinary life with her child. So, as you can see, the subject and elements that are seen in the Lifetime film are not something that we have not witnessed on screen before. Having said that, the fact still remains that ‘Buried in Barstow’ is not rooted in reality.
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