A Look at Various Movies Set in Illinois (LIST)

Last week, I found a viral TikTok video that looked at movies set in the state of Iowa. That same account, known as "OnSecondWatch," also uploaded a video looking at various films set in Illinois. That is on today's agenda!

Obviously, the wealth of movies set in Illinois is in large part thanks to the presence of Chicago. Chicago is the backdrop in innumerable motion pictures. I watched OnSecondWatch's video on movies set in Illinois, and cherry-picked the ones I thought were the best. Full disclosure: just because a movie was set in a location doesn't mean it was filmed there.

READ MORE: Viral TikTok Video Looks at Best Movies Set in Various Iowa Towns

Halloween (1978), Haddonfield, IL (Fictional):

Halloween, one of the indispensable godfathers of the slasher genre, is set in the fictitious town of Haddonfield, IL. Haddonfield is said to be located in Livingston County, a real county, in contrast, which exists in the north central region of the state. What can be said about the original Halloween? It's one of the greatest horror films of all-time, underscored by that doomy, synth-heavy score from John Carpenter.

Find out where you can stream Halloween (1978).

Home Alone (1990), Winnetka, IL:

It's true that Home Alone is said to be set in Chicago, but due to the famous Home Alone house existing in Winnetka, a suburb of the city, I consider Winnetka to be the primary setting of the film. Sidebar: the house actually sold recently after lasting merely one week on the market. This is one of a couple John Hughes movies to be included on the list, though Hughes was a writer and producer on the film. The film was directed by Chris Columbus, who would go on to direct the first two Harry Potter movies.

Find out where you can stream Home Alone.

A League of Their Own (1992), Rockford, IL:

A League of Their Own is a movie my father used to watch all the time when I was growing up, so I feel like I've always had a small connection to the film, beyond the fact that I grew up in Illinois. The tremendously funny comedy follows the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL), and features an all-star cast of Tom Hanks, Rosie O'Donnell, and Geena Davis just to name a few.

Find out where you can stream A League of Their Own.

The Breakfast Club (1985), Shermer, IL (Fictional):

Another John Hughes banger, The Breakfast Club stands the test of time as one of the all-time great comedy-dramas of its (or any other) era. Like many Hughes films, it's set in the fictional town of Shermer, IL, which went on to have a real lived-in quality as far as fictional movie towns are concerned. Last year, for the first time ever, the cast of The Breakfast Club had a large reunion, which included the presence of everyone: Emilio Estevez, Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, and Ally Sheedy. We are really lucky to still have these great actors all healthy and doing well.

Find out where you can stream The Breakfast Club.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986), Shermer, IL (Fictional):

Another John Hughes film, set in Shermer, Ferris Bueller's Day Off followed The Breakfast Club in 1986. What a twofer for Hughes: two incredible teen dramas back-to-back from one another. Ferris Bueller's Day Off would be a great film if it were just an easygoing comedy about a kid who didn't want to go to school one day, but it's so much more. Ferris' pithy musings about appreciating life, valuing friendships, and making time for yourself have proved to be generationally relevant.

Find out where you can stream Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

The Fugitive (1993), Chicago, IL:

Often considered one of Harrison Ford's best films, The Fugitive revolves around a doctor (Ford) who is framed for the murder of his wife. He's sentenced to death, but escapes custody after a bus crash. He races against the clock to find the real killer while evading the police and U.S. marshals, one of whom played by the great Tommy Lee Jones.

The film was based on the 1960s TV series, and would go on to be nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Jones took home Best Supporting Actor.

Find out where you can stream The Fugitive.

A Raisin in the Sun (1961), Chicago, IL:

I wanted to include A Raisin in the Sun on this list, for I think of all of the films listed, this is the one a person is most likely not to have seen.

Sidney Poitier gives an incredible performance as Walter Lee Younger, a son in working class family in Chicago. The family is eagerly anticipating a life insurance check of $10,000, and each member of the Younger family has a different idea of how the money should be spent. Walter Lee has the idea to invest the money into a liquor store, which would generate income great enough to help lift the family out of poverty. A Raisin in the Sun is a painfully underrated movie, based on a play by Lorraine Hansberry.

Find out where you can stream A Raisin in the Sun.

Check out OnSecondWatch's TikTok video for more films set in Illinois.