Set aside the glistening pools and crimson carpets, forget the Hollywood sign in perpetual sunshine and its star-studded premieres. The gritty underside of Los Angeles, a world of shadows and secrets where danger lurks beneath the surface, is the heart of the film “The Little Things.”
The movie, set in Los Angeles in the early 1990s, centers on two detectives (played by Denzel Washington and Rami Malek) who look into a succession of murders and eventually track down a loner who may be the murderer (Jared Leto). With a $30 million production budget and a $31 million global total, the film was a box-office success.
Though the movie takes place in a busy city, filmmakers worked hard to create a certain mood and used actual places to depict a city full of sinister secrets. In addition to its gripping storyline, the neo-noir crime thriller “The Little Things” enthralled viewers in 2021 with its depiction of a recognizable but disturbing Los Angeles.
Behind the amazing cast and gripping storyline is a question that may pique your curiosity: Where was “The Little Things” filmed?
Where Was ‘The Little Things’ Filmed?
Audiences are glued to their seats during “The Little Things.” The gorgeous settings used for the film’s filming are one element that heightens its appeal. Filming for “The Little Things” took place entirely in California, with Los Angeles serving as the main location.
The filmmakers purposefully picked these settings to represent a particular LA— one that eschews the typical glitz and glamour in favor of presenting a more somber and even gritty aspect of the city.
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
- Key Scenes: Film Opening
- Best Time To Visit: Ideal to visit in summer between April and June
- Transportation: accessible by bus, train, or flight.
A mystery driver is chasing a woman in the movie’s opening scene. At a closed petrol station, she pulls over. In reality, the actual location where The Little Things was filmed is a steakhouse and bar in Lancaster, rather than a petrol station. The production added the gas pumps.
At this Acton eatery, Mosman’s Steakhouse, which is now permanently closed, Denzel Washington’s character Deke is called to the site of some minor vandalism. The same restaurant’s interior is shown later in the movie, during Deke’s meeting with his ex-wife.
With so much to do, Lancaster guarantees visitors a genuinely unique vacation. Fans can take a buggy tour of Amish country, observe Amish farms in operation, purchase handcrafted Amish items and antiques downtown, go to amusement parks, and see amazing exhibits at the North Museum of Nature and Science.
Things to do: Explore the American Music Theatre and Dutch Wonderland.
Where to eat: For breakfast, visit the Orange Cafe. At Lancaster Central Market, spoil yourself with a delicious lunch that includes fresh vegetables, Puerto Rican and Cuban cuisine, candy booths, and more. For dinner, Luca Restaurant is your best choice.
Where to stay: For all types of travelers, the Hilton Garden Inn Lancaster Hotel is in a prime location. Only minutes from nearby businesses, educational institutions, and, of course, Lancaster’s sights, activities, and shopping!
Los Angeles
- Key Scenes: Forensic Unit, Jail Facility
- Best Time to Visit: Year-round, but March to May is the perfect weather with fewer crowds
- Transportation: accessible by metro or bus systems and car rentals.
The entertainment center of the world, Los Angeles is home to a wide range of sights and activities, including movie studios, the Sunset Strip, Venice Beach, historic museums, renowned amusement parks, vineyards, breweries, outdoor pursuits, vibrant nightlife, and much more.
Deke goes to gather some evidence from the Los Angeles County Forensic Unit. Filming for these sequences took place in the old Glendale City Police Department. Part of a real Los Angeles jail is the police station where Rami Malek’s character, Jimmy Baxter, works. Jimmy invites Deke to accompany him to a crime scene when he is having coffee at a restaurant. It is said that the eatery is situated across the street from the police station. In actuality, it is located in Eagle Rock, some seven miles distant. In the movie, the restaurant is solely visible from inside shots.
Things to Do: Take a tour of the Griffith Observatory or Universal Studios in Hollywood.
Where to Eat: Visit the Chateau Marmont or the Spago Beverly Hills where you may come across Hollywood actors and who knows? Stars from the little things.
Where to Stay: Stay at the Hollywood Hotel located at the corner of Vermont Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard featuring some of the movie scenes.
Downtown Los Angeles
- Key Scenes: murder scene
- Best Time to Visit: March through May and then again between September and November.
- Transportation: Shuttle from the Los Angeles International Airport or take a metro from the Union Station for approximately 10 minutes. The area can be toured on foot.
Although the city’s glitzy beaches and star-studded Hollywood frequently overwhelm it, Downtown Los Angeles is still worth visiting because it offers a variety of attractions like the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Echo Park Lake, and the Original Farmers Market. Downtown Los Angeles has attractions for all types of visitors, including history buffs, thrill seekers, foodies, and culture vultures.
At a building in the center of Skid Row in Downtown Los Angeles, Jimmy and Deke look into a murder scene. In the movie “One Hour Photo,” Robin Williams’ flat is situated just a few buildings down from it.
While having coffee at the Ammons’ Drive Inn and Dairy Bar, Jimmy extends an invitation to Deke to accompany him to a murder scene. The police station and the restaurant are purportedly across the street from each other. In actuality, Eagle Rock is located roughly seven miles distant. In the movie, the restaurant is only visible from the inside.
Deke also had dinner at this Alhambra Bun N Burger joint. Deke stays in the Madison Hotel, which is referred to in the movie as the “St. Agnes Hotel.” The actual hotel where the little things was filmed is located in Downtown Los Angeles’ Skid Row.
Things to Do: Watch a performance at the Walt Disney Concert Hall or spend time at the Broad Museum if you love contemporary art.
Where to Eat: You can enjoy nice dining and take-out at the Ammons Drive in visited by the movie cast.
Where to Stay: The Madison Hotel featured in the movie was purchased in 2017 by a non-profit organization but you can stay at the Residence Inn which is close to most of the movie locations.
North Hollywood
- Key Scenes: crime scene, strip club
- Best Time to Visit: Year-round, but summer for nice weather
- Transportation: accessible by car and foot.
Located on the extreme eastern side of a mountain range that divides Tinseltown from North Hollywood, the latter feels more grounded than its neighbor. Within the town’s approximately one square mile central area, over two dozen prestigious theatres present noteworthy productions in Los Angeles’s unique take on “off-Broadway,” where innovative stagings and unique performances are a regular sight.
Jimmy looks into a murder scene in North Hollywood’s Mulholland Dam. Deke joins him and provides him with information about employees at appliance stores. The public can access the dam, however, getting there does involve a short trek. The Hollywood Reservoir Trailhead has the closest parking, and you will need to travel up Weidlake travel. It’s only a short walk on foot from there.
Jimmy is taken to La Loma Bridge in Pasadena by Deke, who tells Jimmy the specifics of a previous murder scene. The movie “Mank” included a scene set on the same bridge. In the investigation, Jared Leto’s character Albert Sparma emerges as the main suspect. This North Hollywood apartment is home to Sparma.
As Sparma enters a club, he discovers that he has been tricked into leaving his flat so that the police can conduct an unauthorized search. The Oaks Tavern in Sherman Oaks, which is only shown from interior perspectives in the movie, is where these sequences were shot. Sparma also goes to the North Hollywood strip club known as the VIP Showgirls Gentlemen’s club.
Things to Do: Visit the Noho Arts District or go on a spa treatment at one of the many massage parlors.
Where to Eat: La Maria Restaurant and Armo’s Bakery offers your taste buds a delight.
Where to Stay: Stay at the Hilton Garden Inn for comfort.
More Than Just A Scene
The careful selection of filming locations is a major factor in creating the mood of “The Little Things.” As filmmaker John Lee Hancock desired to create more nuance and reality than mere scenery, Los Angeles was chosen because it embodies the story’s dichotomy with its juxtaposition of glitz and squalor. The protagonists’ internal conflicts are represented by the wide, open highways, while the darkness they seek is reflected in the little dwellings and dubious underworld settings.