10 Great Movies Filmed in Cincinnati

Quite a few movies have been filmed in Cincinnati, Ohio — perhaps more than you might expect! In fact, the Film Commission of Cincinnati notes that over 50 films have been filmed in the Cincinnati area since about 1980. This list of awesome movies filmed in Cincinnati is just a selection of these many films. However, it’s a great start if you’re looking for a movie to watch tonight, so keep reading.

And keep in mind that if you’re looking to film a movie yourself or simply to do a photoshoot, whether in Cincinnati or elsewhere, there are numerous spaces for just that that are available to rent on Peerspace. It’s the largest online marketplace for production and event venues, available to rent by the hour!

1. Rain Man

This might be the most famous movie filmed in Cincinnati, which is why it’s the first on our list. It stars major Hollywood legends Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman. It also won a ton of awards: the 1988 Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Original Screenplay! The movie features significant Cincinnati landmarks like the Roebling Bridge, Columbia Parkway, and the Dixie Terminal Building. 

2. Carol

This is one of several movies filmed in Cincinnati based on a novel! In it, Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett play two women having an affair. Interestingly, it’s meant to be set in 1950s New York City, but the director decided that Cincinnati would be the perfect place to evoke that era and location, rather than using NYC itself! Specifically, they filmed scenes of a busy NYC street at the corner of 12th and Walnut. Additional scenes were filmed at Arnold’s Bar (an old bar that goes all the way back to the 1830s!) as well as at the Hilton Netherland Hotel.

3. Dark Waters

Based on a true story, this is a 2019 legal thriller about Rob Bilott, an attorney attempting to hold DuPont — one of the largest corporations on Earth — accountable for poisoning a small town. It stars Mark Ruffalo and Anne Hathaway and is absolutely worth a watch if you care about environmental issues or have an interest in the law. Notably, Rob Bilott continues his legal battle against DuPont today.

4. Ides of March

This is a 2011 political drama with plenty of scenes shot in downtown Cincinnati, including Fountain Square, Miami University of Ohio, and the Over-the-Rhine historic district. The cast includes Ryan Gosling as a junior campaign manager for a presidential candidate played by the charming George Clooney. In addition to these world-class leads, the cast also includes Evan Rachel Wood, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Paul Giamatti. 

5. Miles Ahead

Don Cheadle stars as legendary jazz musician Miles Davis, and it’s a great casting choice. This movie filmed in Cincinnati also happens to be the first film that Don Cheadle directed. The movie also stars Ewan McGregor as a journalist, and Emayatzy Corinealdi as dancer Frances Taylor, so there’s plenty of star power to be had here. 

6. Airborne

The Cincinnati Enquirer calls this “the best movie from Cincinnati that you’ve never seen,” and it’s an undeniably Cincinnati movie. It’s about a cool teenage surfer kid from California who is forced to go and stay with relatives in Cincinnati when his parents go to Australia. This goofy, hilarious movie filmed in Cincinnati is a complete cult classic, with significant cameos from now-famous actors like Jack Black and Seth Green. And it’s also a movie about rollerblading, which you frankly don’t see that many sports films about!

7. Marauders

A thrilling action movie about a major bank robbery with Bruce Willis and Adrien Grenier, Marauders features numerous Cincinnati locations. The Roebling Bridge, the Great American Ball Park, the Over-the-Rhine district, the iconic Arnold’s Bar, and more. The Cincinnati skyline also makes a major appearance.

8. Little Man Tate

Both starring and directed by the inimitable Jodie Foster, the 1991 film was her directorial debut in which she played a single mother to a highly gifted 7-year-old named Tate. Along with his intellectual talents, Tate is very sensitive and struggles with social interaction. So much so that the movie chronicles his mother’s efforts to give him a happy and healthy childhood. Scenes for Little Man Tate were shot at Miami University and the University of Cincinnati, Indian Hill, and the Over-the-Rhine district, among other Cincinnati locations.

9. Traffic

Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones star in Traffic, a 2000 crime drama and winner of a total of four Oscars. However, the movie was based on the 1989 British TV show, Traffik, and focuses on four different characters’ relationships with criminal activity and drugs. Cincinnati locations to be seen in the movie include the Over-the-Rhine District, a Hyde Park house, a condo on Gano Street, and several others.

10. Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile

This horrifying drama based on a true story is about the crimes of Ted Bundy, played by Zac Efron. However, the film shows the unusual perspective of his girlfriend, Elizabeth Kloepfer (played by Lilly Collins), from whom Bundy hid his murders even while they lived together. The movie was shot in Greater Cincinnati locations, including Mainstrasse, Campbell County Courthouse in Newport, and Clermont County Jail.

Ranging from comedies and rom-coms to dramas and horror movies, the selection of movies filmed in Cincinnati is surprisingly broad. However, it makes sense when you consider that Cincinnati is known as a great place to film a movie. The above list is a great start, but definitely keep investigating the numerous films that fall into this category if you’re a Cincinnati resident hoping to spot some local landmarks in the movies you’re watching! You’ll find tons of viewing possibilities.

Find unique film shoot locations in Cincinnati on Peerspace