Yes, There's a Movie Set in Every Single US State — These Are the Most Iconic

As we celebrate holidays like Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, and Labor Day, we can't help but think about the vast history of our country, and the very different states that make up our nation. This complex variation is represented on film, and yes — there's a movie set in every single US state. There's obviously more than one memorable movie per state and multiple memorable movies set in certain states, but we've narrowed it down to one single iconic film to represent each one.

01
Alabama: Forrest Gump
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Alabama: Forrest Gump

Though Forrest's hometown of Greenbow, AL, isn't real, he has so much love for his home state, even though he gets to see a great deal of the world.

02
Alaska: Into the Wild
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Alaska: Into the Wild

Like the book, the film paints such a gorgeous picture of untouched American wilderness, even if there is no traditionally happy ending.

03
Arizona: Tombstone
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Arizona: Tombstone

Doc Holliday is, memorably, your huckleberry in this Wyatt Earp Western set in the town it's named after.

04
Arkansas: True Grit
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Arkansas: True Grit

Young Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) is on a mission to find the man who killed her father and bring him to justice in the Western era drama that begins in a dusty, wild Arkansas.

05
California: Vertigo
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California: Vertigo

Lots of San Francisco landmarks get their close-up in Hitchcock's iconic thriller, like this scene of an attempted suicide at the Golden Gate Bridge.

06
Colorado: The Shining
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Colorado: The Shining

The mountains and trees of Colorado are a breathtaking defining feature and have been used to dazzle in films, but there's also something about the snow-covered Winter — showcased in one of the most terrifying horror films ever — that's equally thrilling.

07
Connecticut: Mystic Pizza
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Connecticut: Mystic Pizza

The pizza is as exquisite as its leading ladies in this movie, set in the very real town of Mystic, CT.

08
Delaware: Fight Club
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Delaware: Fight Club

Aside from the classic Wayne's World line ("Hi. I'm in Delaware"), this is Delaware's biggest moment on the big screen.

09
Florida: Magic Mike
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Florida: Magic Mike

Magic Mike and the boys delight the ladies of Tampa at their sexy strip club.

10
Georgia: Gone With the Wind
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Georgia: Gone With the Wind

The iconic Southern tale takes place at Tara, the plantation owned by the family of Scarlett O'Hara.

11
Hawaii: Blue Crush
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Hawaii: Blue Crush

Oh, all the things you thought you could do because of Blue Crush, like live in the most gorgeous state in the union.

12
Idaho: Napoleon Dynamite
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Idaho: Napoleon Dynamite

The fact that Napoleon and his cohorts live in Preston, ID, is an inspiration directly from the filmmaker, Jared Hess, who grew up in the same town.

13
Illinois: Ferris Bueller's Day Off
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Illinois: Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Ferris Bueller loves Chicago, and Chicago loves Ferris Bueller.

14
Indiana: A Christmas Story
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Indiana: A Christmas Story

This classic piece of Americana is set in the fictional Indiana town of Hohman. It's based on the real Indiana town of Hammond, which is where author Jean Shepherd (whose short stories inspired the film) grew up.

15
Iowa: Field of Dreams
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Iowa: Field of Dreams

If you build it, he will come — and we will always think of Iowa as some magical baseball farmland, too.

16
Kansas: The Wizard of Oz
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Kansas: The Wizard of Oz

Kansas will always be the land of sweet farm girls, tornadoes, and the yellow brick road because of this classic.

17
Kentucky: Elizabethtown
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Kentucky: Elizabethtown

It may be named after the specific place of Elizabethtown, KY, but the place comes to symbolize homecoming and all its complicated emotions.

18
Louisiana: Interview With the Vampire
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Louisiana: Interview With the Vampire

These brutal, passionate vampires jaunt around many places, including Europe, but New Orleans is where they make their home (and try to do dastardly things to Lestat in a swamp).

19
Maine: The Cider House Rules
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Maine: The Cider House Rules

The quaint orphanage at the center of this film iconically memorializes its setting with the sweet refrain: "Goodnight, you princes of Maine, you kings of New England."

20
Maryland: Wedding Crashers
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Maryland: Wedding Crashers

"Crabcakes and football! That's what Maryland DOES!"

21
Massachusetts: Good Will Hunting
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Massachusetts: Good Will Hunting

As the first feature written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, who both grew up in Massachusetts, it makes sense that they would set it in the Boston area, with their characters specifically from South Boston.

22
Michigan: American Pie
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Michigan: American Pie

With a title like American Pie, it makes sense that the setting is a Midwestern state known for its wholesomeness, even if these boys aren't wholesome at all.

23
Minnesota: Drop Dead Gorgeous
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Minnesota: Drop Dead Gorgeous

Close your eyes and I bet you can hear the heaviest Minnesotan accent in this satire about a small town and its over-the-top pageant (for real, it's called the Sarah Rose Cosmetics Mount Rose American Teen Princess Pageant!).

24
Mississippi: The Help
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Mississippi: The Help

This 2011 movie explores the tension-filled race dynamics of the 1960s and uses a setting of particular significance in the time frame: Jackson, MS.

25
Missouri: Gone Girl
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Missouri: Gone Girl

Both set in and filmed in Missouri, where the Midwestern state contributes to Amy's feeling of identity loss, among other things.

26
Montana: Legends of the Fall
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Montana: Legends of the Fall

What's more beautiful in this film: the wilds of Montana or Tristan (Brad Pitt)? We won't make you say it, but we know the answer.

27
Nebraska: Nebraska
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Nebraska: Nebraska

This one was an obvious choice, but we had to. Alexander Payne's black and white dramedy gives its setting a simultaneously stark and graceful feel.

28
Nevada: The Hangover
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Nevada: The Hangover

It's ironic that a movie about blacking out is so memorable. Vegas, of course, is where it all begins and is the perfect place for this.

29
New Hampshire: What About Bob?
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New Hampshire: What About Bob?

Lake Winnipesaukee, NH, would have been the perfect vacation getaway if not for, you know, Bob.

30
New Jersey: Garden State
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New Jersey: Garden State

Zach Braff's directorial debut is another movie that uses its state setting as a symbol of the complicated feelings about one's home.

31
New Mexico: Thor
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New Mexico: Thor

OK, but look at New Mexico too and not just the shirtless demigod (Chris Hemsworth) who crashes there.

32
New York: Elf
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New York: Elf

There are countless movies set in New York and so many iconic ones that it was hard to narrow this one down, but we did. The way Buddy the Elf approaches the Big Apple's yellow cabs, giant department stores, and buzzing energy with such wonder earns it the spot on the list.

33
North Carolina: Bull Durham
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North Carolina: Bull Durham

"Bull Durham" is actually the nickname of Durham, NC, the town where Crash Davis (Kevin Costner) shows off his stuff on the baseball field.

34
North Dakota: Fargo
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North Dakota: Fargo

No movie will ever be more iconically North Dakota than comedy-drama-murder mystery Fargo.

36
Oklahoma: Oklahoma!
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Oklahoma: Oklahoma!

Another obvious one, but you know there is someone in your life who starts singing the title song when they hear the state's name.

37
Oregon: Wild
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Oregon: Wild

Taking place largely in California, Cheryl's (Reese Witherspoon) journey on the PCT ends at the breathtaking Bridge of the Gods on the border of Oregon and Washington.

38
Pennsylvania: Rocky
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Pennsylvania: Rocky

Dun dun nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh NUH! (That's the theme song to accompany Rocky running up the Art Museum's steps in Philadelphia).

39
Rhode Island: Dumb and Dumber
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Rhode Island: Dumb and Dumber

It's important to note that though Harry and Lloyd make their life in Rhode Island, they choose to leave it because they ain't got no jobs, no food, and their pets' heads are falling off.

40
South Carolina: The Notebook
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South Carolina: The Notebook

The picturesque town of Seabrook Island is where Noah and Allie meet, fall in love, and then fall back in love years later.

41
South Dakota: Son in Law
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South Dakota: Son in Law

Cali boy Pauly Shore gets a taste for farm life when he tags along to a friend's for Thanksgiving in her South Dakota hometown.

42
Tennessee: Walk the Line
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Tennessee: Walk the Line

Country music's home is Nashville, so we had to highlight this epic Johnny Cash biopic, since he also called the place home.

43
Texas: Varsity Blues
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Texas: Varsity Blues

Nothing is more Texan than football, this pigskin-obsessed '90s classic proves.

44
Utah: 127 Hours
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Utah: 127 Hours

Utah's Canyonlands National Park may be the site of suffering for James Franco's character, but it's also a place of revered beauty.

45
Vermont: Super Troopers
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Vermont: Super Troopers

This comedy made us want to go to Vermont right meow, crazed police departments and all.

46
Virginia: Donnie Darko
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Virginia: Donnie Darko

Virginia is for lovers and also brilliant but slightly disturbed teenagers with visions of a frightening bunny rabbit.

47
Washington: Sleepless in Seattle
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Washington: Sleepless in Seattle

This movie gave the Pacific Northwestern city a sudden very romantic quality.

48
West Virginia: October Sky
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West Virginia: October Sky

Coalwood, WV, is where Homer Hickam (Jake Gyllenhaal) gets inspired to eventually become an astronaut instead of a coal miner like his father.

50
Wyoming: Brokeback Mountain
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Wyoming: Brokeback Mountain

This tragic romance finds its home in the mountains of Wyoming, though the titular Brokeback Mountain is actually fictional.