With Hollywood being a central area in LA, several movies have been inspired by their hometown to create a movie based on the location. Some of the best movies that take place in LA focus on celebrity life, like Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, or La La Land.
Featuring beautiful scenic views like the Hollywood Sign to the Walk of Fame, movies set and filmed in LA give viewers a look into the life of the rich and famous. From the beautiful oceans to the palm trees lining the street, these are the top recommendations if you want to check out the best movies that take place in LA.
6. La La Land, Netflix (2016)
The 2016 musical romantic comedy-drama, La La Land, is one of the best movies that take place in LA. Starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, the movie was written and directed by Damien Chazelle, following the story of a struggling jazz pianist and an aspiring actress who meet and fall in love while pursuing their dreams in Los Angeles.
The movie was so highly praised that it received seven awards at the 74th Golden Globe Awards and eleven nominations at the 70th British Academy Film Awards, winning five, including Best Film. It’s since been regarded as one of the best films of the 2010s and the 21st century, along with one of the best musical and romantic films of all time.
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5. Chinatown, Paramount Plus (1974)
One of the best movies that take place in LA goes to Chinatown, one of the greatest films of all time. Chinatown is a 1974 neo-noir mystery film directed by Roman Polanski, starring Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway.
The California water wars inspired the movie, which was a series of disputes over southern California water at the beginning of the 20th century, by which Los Angeles interests secured water rights in the Owens Valley. It features a multi-layered story that is part mystery and part psychological drama.
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4. Boogie Nights, Paramount Plus (1997)
Boogie Nights is one of the best movies that takes place in LA. The 1997 period drama was written, directed, and co-produced by Paul Thomas Anderson, and is set in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley.
Starring Mark Wahlberg, Julianne Moore, Burt Reynolds, and many more, the movie follows a young nightclub dishwasher who becomes a popular star, chronicling his rise in the 1970s through his fall during the excesses of the 1980s. The film is a mockumentary of Anderson’s short film released in 1988 called The Dirk Diggler Story.
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3. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Hulu (2019)
One of the best movies that take place in LA is Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, a more recent film released in 2019 starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, and Margot Robbie. The comedy-drama is Quentin Tarantino film that received high praise when released, becoming one of the top-ten films of 2019. A novelization was written by Tarantino in 2021, his debut as an author.
The movie is set in 1969 Los Angeles and follows a television actor Rick Dalton and his stunt double Cliff Booth as they endeavor to achieve lasting success in Hollywood while meeting several colorful characters along the way.
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2. L.A. Confidential, Prime Video (1997)
L.A. Confidential is a 1997 neo-noir crime film directed, produced, and co-written by Curtis Hanson based on James Ellroy’s 1990 novel sharing the same name. It’s the third book in his L.A. Quartet series and tells the story of a group of LAPD officers in 1953, and the intersection of police corruption and Hollywood celebrities.
It specifically follows the corruption growing with three policemen: one strait-laced, one brutal, and one sleazy. It follows their investigation through a series of murders with their own brand of justice. Starring Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, James Cromwell, Guy Pearce, and Kim Basinger, the movie received high praise when it was released, and is regarded as culturally significant.
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1. Pulp Fiction, Prime Video (1994)
One of the best movies that take place in LA goes to Pulp Fiction, written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. Pulp Fiction is a cult favorite and is highly regarded as one of the greatest films ever made. The movie stars John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, and Uma Thurman.
It follows four intertwining stories of crime and violence in Los Angeles, California, specifically the stories of two mob hitmen, a boxer, a gangster and his wife, and a pair of diner bandits. The title comes from pulp magazines and hardboiled crime novels that were popular during the mid-20th century and are known for their graphic violent, and punchy dialogue, which is usually common within Tarintino movies.