FirstOntario Centre in the ring for boxing movie Flint Strong
Hamilton is standing in for Flint, Michigan, and the London Olympics in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's autobiographical boxing feature Flint Strong."
The movie tells the story of Claressa 'T-Rex' Shields, who rose from the streets of Flint to win gold at the 2012 Games in the first female boxing competition.
Her father served time in prison and her mother struggled with addiction and she moved in with the family of her coach. She arrived in London at age 17.
Ryan Destiny (the Fox TV show Star" 2016-2018) is playing Shields and her coach Jason Crutchfield is played by Brian Tyree Henry, best known for If Beale Street Could Talk" (2018). Her mother Jackie is played by Canadian actress Olunite Adeliyi, who was in CBC's The Porter."
The movie took over the FirstOntario Centre for the first two weeks of July. It included scenes of the hoisting of flags for the Olympic ceremony. There is probably a depiction of Shields' appearance in the U.S. Olympic trials in February 2012. The film also shot at Liuna Station and at a former wholesale food store near Gage Park.
The movie was written by Barry Jenkins, who won an Oscar for Moonlight" (2016) and is directed by Rachel Morrison. It is the first feature for Morrison, who was nominated for cinematography at the 2017 Oscars for Mudbound." The movie follows the 2015 documentary T-Rex: Her Fight for Gold."
Also in the area:
- Kiefer Sutherland's spy series for Paramount+ was back in town. Rabbit Hole" filmed at a plaza at Barton Street East and Sanford Avenue North June 26-28; at a home on Keith Street, near Wentworth Street North, between June 27-July 15; and at St. Jean de Brebeuf Catholic Secondary School between July 4-11 The owner of Shawarma and Grill on Rymal Road East posted on social media July 15 a picture of Sutherland visiting his restaurant for lunch. He had chicken and rice.
- The CBC sitcom Workin' Moms" shot at Mohawk College between July 7-12. The show is filming its 7th season and features Hamilton actress Juno Rinaldi.
- Murdoch Mysteries" filmed at the Scottish Rite between June 27-30. It has filmed at the Queen Street South landmark many times.
- Titans," the superhero show on HBO Max, was shooting scenes for its 4th season in Dunnville July 6-7. It shot scenes at the Knights Inn motel on Plains Road East in Burlington last month.
- A documentary on the creation of BlackBerry filmed at the Russell Williams Family Restaurant on Plains Road East last month. It stood in for a Kitchener diner.
Did the late, great James Caan ever make a picture in Hamilton? Bada-bing. You betcha.
Caan - who died July 6 at age 82, and best known as hot-tempered Sonny in The Godfather" - was in town in January 2016 filming The Red Maple Leaf." It was from food and beverage mogul-talk show host Frank D'Angelo and also featured Martin Landau, Paul Sorvino and Kris Kristofferson. Caan played a U.S. Senator whose granddaughter is kidnapped. Hamilton stood in for Ottawa. D'Angelo played a detective who has a chance to redeem himself by solving the case. Sadly, it was no Godfather. D'Angelo has made films about cops, mobsters and vampires. Vanity Fair called the cinema of D'Angelo a world in which continuity errors, plot inconsistencies and baffling incompetence reign supreme." Ouch!
Daniel Nolan is a freelance writer who writes about film for The Hamilton Spectator. He can be reached at dannolanwrites@gmail.com