"This was really the first full-blown, studio production we’ve had in the state since 1939,” says Jerry Jones, director of the Missouri Film Commission. About 80 percent of the movie was filmed in St. Louis (doubling for places like Detroit, Dallas, and Miami, which could prove a draw for other potential filmmakers). The Jason Reitman film contributed an estimated $24 million to the region and created nearly 100 jobs—22 of which were extras laid off at other jobs, cast to show a guttural reaction.
“If I mention movies shot in Iowa, people might think of Field of Dreams or Bridges of Madison County,” says Jones. “That’s not to say a lot of films didn’t have a financial impact, but those are the ones that really caught on with the public. From that standpoint, all the early buzz on this thing seems to indicate this might have some Oscar potential.”
Related article: "Bonus Footage"
