Upamanyu Biswas
In the action thriller ‘Jack Reacher,’ the titular former military police officer’s investigation into the mass murder of five innocent civilians across the Allegheny River takes him to the Three Rivers Motel in Pittsburgh. Considering Reacher’s nomadic lifestyle, which makes him constantly move from state to state without putting down roots anywhere, the motel is another temporary residence for the ex-military investigator who has to solve a conspiracy during his stay in the City of Bridges. Intriguingly, the Three Rivers also becomes the crime scene of a murder case, with the protagonist as the prime suspect, which underlines its relevance within the narrative!
Three Rivers Motel Does Not Exist in Real Life
Christopher McQuarrie wrote and directed ‘Jack Reacher’ based on the 2005 Lee Child novel ‘One Shot.’ The film features the same premise but with minor deviations in its setting. In the book, most of the action occurs in a city in Indiana, while the film takes place primarily in Pittsburgh. During his investigation, Reacher stays at the Metropole Palace Hotel in the source material, but he chooses the Three Rivers as his abode in the movie. The fictional motel was crafted by McQuarrie. Its name, Three Rivers, is likely a reference to Pittsburgh’s renowned water bodies: the Allegheny River, Monongahela River, and Ohio River, which is formed by the convergence of the other two.
Although the establishment in McQuarrie’s film is fictional, motels with the same name can be found nationwide. For instance, the Three Rivers Motel at 4891 South Suncoast Boulevard in Homosassa, Florida, shares the same name as the fictional Pittsburgh motel in ‘Jack Reacher.’ However, the two differ based on the scope of their operations. The Three Rivers in the film is a much larger motel with rooms available on two stories of the central building. This is not the case with the real establishment in Florida. Regardless, “Three Rivers” is a common name that isn’t restricted to one or two establishments.
The filming of ‘Jack Reacher’ took place in Pennsylvania, with the production team utilizing the Sewickley Country Inn at 801 Ohio River Boulevard, Sewickley, to double as the Three Rivers Motel. The establishment no longer exists, as it was closed down. During his stay, Reacher discusses several case details with Helen Rodin, Barr’s defense attorney, in his private room. Later, he also gets embroiled in the murder of another innocent civilian, whose body is dumped close to the motel’s premises, thereby framing the protagonist for the crime. The Three Rivers has a significant role throughout the narrative, but it is a fictional place that cannot be found in reality.
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