Naman Shrestha
Based on the eponymous memoir by Jeff Bauman and Bret Witter, ‘Stronger’ is a 2017 biographical drama movie helmed by David Gordon Green that follows Jeff Bauman, who loses both of his legs after two bombs explode during the Boston Marathon in April 2013. Upon waking up in the hospital without his legs, he manages to help the police discover the identity of one of the suspects responsible for the bombings while he begins his challenging journey toward recovery. Supported by family and girlfriend, Bauman starts on a path toward physical and emotional rehabilitation, making for an inspirational and heroic journey.
Jake Gyllenhaal portrays Jeff Bauman alongside Tatiana Maslany, Miranda Richardson, Carlos Sanz, and Clancy Brown in supporting roles. The drama movie unfolds in Boston as we get a glimpse into Bauman’s life full of ups and downs, from when the tragic bombing at the marathon took his legs to the time he recovers bravely after going through so much physical and mental pain in the hospital. So, it is natural if you wish to find out where ‘Stronger’ was filmed. In that case, we have got you covered!
Stronger Filming Locations
‘Stronger’ was filmed in Massachusetts and New York, especially in Greater Boston and New York City. Principal photography for the David Gordon Green directorial reportedly commenced in early April 2016 and wrapped up in June of the same year. So, let’s not waste time and get a detailed account of all the specific locations that can be spotted in the Jake Gyllenhaal starrer!
Greater Boston, Massachusetts
Almost all of ‘Stronger’ was lensed on location in Greater Boston, making for the ideal filming site because the story is based in Boston and its surrounding areas. The city of Boston served as the primary production location as the director and his team set up camp in and around Boston Marathon Finish Line at 655 Boylston Street, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital at 300 1st Avenue in the Charlestown neighborhood, and Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge at I-93.
The emotional reception that Bauman received before Game 2 of the 2013 Eastern Conference quarterfinals in May 2013 in TD Garden at 100 Legends Way, Boston, was recreated on location with hundreds of actual fans as they stuck around for the shooting after a game in the arena. Moreover, the interior hospital scenes of ‘Stronger’ were taped in the Old Radius Specialty Hospital (permanently closed) at 59 Townsend Street in the Roxbury neighborhood.
The filming unit recreated the marathon finish line scene on an unused runway at Union Point in the former South Weymouth Naval Air Station at 10 Patriot Parkway in the city of Weymouth. Furthermore, Buddy’s Union Villa at 190 Washington Street in the North Easton neighborhood of Easton doubled as Brickhouse Center Pizza, a pizza shop in Chelmsford. Besides that, Chelmsford Youth Baseball Field along Route 110 near the Chelmsford Housing Authority at 10 Wilson Street in Chelmsford and Skyline Drive in Braintree also served as important filming locations.
Jake Gyllenhaal sat down for a conversation with Gold Derby in December 2017 and was asked how shooting the movie in Boston impacted the story and his performance. He explained, “Well, there’s no other place we could shoot, and I don’t think we could fake it anywhere else. I don’t think we could’ve gone to Vancouver and shot half of it, which was a strain on our budget, I have to say, but there was no other choice. I think the energy of that city, not only their support but also their criticism drove us to try and tell the honest story, and it also created a sensitivity around, and the energy of that city is in the movie.”
New York City, New York
For shooting some additional portions of ‘Stronger,’ the cast and crew traveled to New York City. You might spot a few iconic and famous landmarks in the backdrop of some scenes, including the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, the World Trade Center, Times Square, and Central Park. The Big Apple’s locales have also been featured in various movies and TV shows, such as ‘The Son,’ ‘What’s Love Got to Do with It,’ ‘She Said,’ and ‘Mad Men.’
Read More: Stronger: Is Carlos Based on a Real Person? Where is He Now?
