Naman Shrestha
Written and directed by Jim Rash, HBO’s ‘Miss You, Love You’ is a drama movie that chronicles the grieving yet hopeful journey towards closure of a recently widowed woman named Diane Patterson. After her husband’s tragic passing, she gets in touch with her estranged son to make arrangements for the funeral. Instead of coming home to support her during this tough time and help around, he sends his personal assistant, Jamie Simms, to plan the funeral.
Forced to grieve through the entire process with a total stranger, Diane navigates the dark circumstances in the presence of Jamie, with whom she forms an unexpected bond. Featuring a talented ensemble cast comprising Allison Janney, Andrew Rannells, Bonnie Hunt, Suzy Nakamura, Oscar Nunez, and Lisa Schurga, the tale of grief and familial bonds unfolds primarily in the desert’s arid, isolated landscape, reflecting the solitary life Diane leads after her husband’s passing.
Miss You, Love You Filming Locations
‘Miss You, Love You’ was filmed in New Mexico, particularly in the Albuquerque metropolitan statistical area. According to reports, principal photography for the Jim Rash directorial got underway in February 2024 and wrapped up after a few weeks of an intense production schedule in March of the same year. The production reportedly employed more than 100 New Mexicans, including 50 crew members and 75 background talent.
Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area, New Mexico
Filming for ‘Miss You, Love You’ was extensively conducted within the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area. A portion of it was conducted in and around Albuquerque, a prominent filming hub renowned for hosting the production of ‘Breaking Bad,’ ‘Better Call Saul,’ ‘Pluribus,’ among many other popular titles. Its advanced infrastructure, skilled technicians, diverse landscape and favorable weather conditions attract filmmakers from around the world. The cast and crew were spotted taping around Placitas in Sandoval County, just 30 minutes north of Albuquerque. Known for its sweeping views of the Sandia Mountains, the scenic community provided a dramatic backdrop for the events unfolding in the life of Diane Patterson as she navigates grief while planning her husband’s funeral.
In an interview with The Playlist, writer-director Jim Rash shared some interesting insights into production. He revealed that the house Henry settles on in the film is located in Placitas, a place he is quite familiar with. “That’s where that house was, and it’s an artist community. There are tons of art in that world, so I knew that was perfect for Henry,” he said. Another location in the volcanic badlands of Sandoval County contributed to the visual identity of the movie — the Cabezon Peak. Its historic significance, towering structure, and the sweeping desert horizons add a layer of rawness and emotional depth to the somber tone of the narrative. In addition, shooting also took place in the Rio Puerco Valley, a tributary of the Rio Grande, located 20-40 miles west or southwest of ABQ. The striking semi-arid desert terrain and vast scenery elevated the backdrop of the Jim Rash directorial.
The Southwestern charm of the aforementioned spots in New Mexico perfectly complemented Diane’s journey into an unfamiliar land as a New York native, while also ensuring the visuals remained grounded in authenticity. Offering a peek into the vision behind choosing New Mexico as a setting, Jim added, “I also loved the idea of where a New Yorker would be most uncomfortable: the exact opposite of buildings and trees, and enclosure. Open air, sky, bright sun exposure. I thought, ‘Well, that’s perfect.’ I wrote it for New Mexico, and we just lucked out and found the perfect house. You can’t beat what’s out the windows. Echoing his sentiment, Allison Janney (who plays Diane) stated, “Diane moved there for Henry because he wanted to paint the landscape. She is so uncomfortable there. She is a New Yorker, a New Yorker through and through. She doesn’t like being there.”
The actress added, “Jim talks about the fact that it’s completely exposed to the elements, and it’s a great metaphor for what she’s going through. The light is on her; she’s exposed. She has to reveal things in order to get through it. I think it was a perfect place to set this. And I think his mother spent a lot of time in this particular town.” Andrew Rannells, who stars as Jamie, shared that it was his first time visiting the region. “It does feel like you’re on Mars a little bit. The landscape is unlike anything else in the country. So, it’s very easy to feel awed by it and a little nervous, because nothing looks familiar,” he mentioned.
The crew also faced a weather-related challenge during filming when it suddenly began snowing on one of the days. Explaining how they dealt with them as a unit, Rash divulged, “You’re panicking, and we had already shot the characters on the same day, and now there’s snow, so the crew was out there melting the snow with blowtorches. I always remember the stories where you’re crashing, and you’re panicked, and while you’re panicking, you close your eyes, and you open your eyes, and the crew has already started problem-solving, because that’s what they do. They move past the moment of panic and get right to, ‘Well, let’s just do this.'” All in all, despite the ups and downs over the course of production, the cast and crew managed to adapt quickly and kept going, ironing out the issues with utmost dedication, understanding, and hard work.
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