Naman Shrestha
Co-written and directed by Dave Franco, Amazon Prime’s ‘Somebody I Used to Know’ is a romantic comedy movie that follows a workaholic woman named Ally who takes a trip down memory lane by visiting her hometown. Soon, her memories are jogged when she runs into her ex-boyfriend, Sean, from about a decade ago. This reunion makes her question her life choices and the person she has become. Just when Ally starts falling in love with Sean all over again, she finds out that he is engaged to a younger woman named Cassidy.
Overwhelmed and shocked by this revelation, Ally starts getting to know Cassidy better and gets reminded of the person she used to be. The romantic drama film features Dave Franco’s wife Alison Brie in the leading role alongside a bunch of other talented cast members, including Jay Ellis, Kiersey Clemons, Julie Hagerty, and Haley Joel Osment. The relatively darker undertone coupled with different kinds of backdrops reflects the dramatic and comedic elements in the movie. So, it is natural for you to wonder about its actual filming sites. In that case, we have got you covered!
Somebody I Used to Know Filming Locations
‘Somebody I Used to Know’ was filmed in Oregon and Washington, specifically in the Portland metropolitan area, Gearhart, Arch Cape, Manzanita, and Leavenworth. The principal photography for the Dave Franco directorial reportedly commenced in late September 2021 and wrapped up in November of the same year. Now, let’s not waste any time and dive right into all the specific sites that appear in the Amazon Prime movie!
Portland Metropolitan Area, Oregon
Several important scenes for ‘Somebody I Used to Know’ were lensed in the Portland metropolitan area, a metro area in Oregon and Washington that is centered on the eponymous city. While the port city of Portland served as one of the primary production locations, the cities of Estacada and Newberg also feature in the movie. Various interior bar scenes were reportedly shot in Portland.
Other Locations in Oregon
For shooting purposes, the production team of ‘Somebody I Used to Know’ also traveled to other locations in Oregon. For instance, they set up camp in and around McMenamins Gearhart Hotel at 1157 North Marion Avenue in the city of Gearhart and in the unincorporated community of Arch Cape. As for the exterior scene where the characters drive up to their hotel after the family wedding party, it was recorded on Highway 101, down Laneda Avenue in the coastal city of Manzanita.
Leavenworth, Washington
Many key portions of ‘Somebody I Used to Know’ were also taped in Leavenworth, a city in Washington’s Chelan County. In November 2021, the cast and crew members were spotted shooting various important scenes at different sites across the city, including Gazebo, Front Street Park at 820 Front Street, Post Office Saloon at 213 9th Street, Benton Street, and Woodward Street.
Furthermore, Blewett Brewing Company at 911 Commercial Street, München Haus at 709 Front Street, and Rhein Haus Leavenworth at 707 U.S. Route 2 unit f, all in Leavenworth, served as pivotal production locations for the Amazon Prime movie. In February 2023, the director Dave Franco sat down in an interview with Observer and was asked if he intended to set the movie in Palo Alto at first. He replied, “No. We set it in the town of Leavenworth, Washington, which is a quirky little Bavarian town in Washington state.”
Dave added, “I discovered the town because one of my friends’ family has a house there and I went to her sister’s wedding in Leavenworth. I just remember thinking, ‘What the fuck is this place?’ It clearly stuck with me and it ultimately felt like the perfect location for the film. You can imagine it’s the type of place where people grow up and almost take it for granted. There’s this touristy element to it all, like ‘I need to get out of here.’ And then as they grow older they look back and realize how charming it is and how gorgeous it is. That thematically tied into Ali’s character so perfectly.”
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