Where is the Netflix film The Noel Diary filmed? With a host of Christmas movies at the end of the year, we delve into the locations of this popular movie.
The Noel Diary is a romantic comedy that is based on a bestselling book by Richard Paul Evans. The film follows the story of an author called Jacob Turner, who receives a phone call to tell him that his estranged mother, whom he has not seen for twenty years, has died.
Jacob has inherited his mother’s home, and over the holiday season, he returns to the home to settle the accounts, both mentally and physically. However, the house itself is in a bit of turmoil as it appears his mum has been a bit of a hoarder, so there is a lot of baggage for Jacob to work through when he arrives. When he finds an old diary and receives a visitor, Rachel, who is also looking to the past to find answers, they decide to become allies in making sense of their lives. Of course, their meeting might turn into more than just allies and friends.
Is The Noel Diary on Netflix?
Yes, The Noel Diary is available to watch now with a subscription to Netflix.
Where is The Noel Diary filmed?
The Noel Diary is set in Connecticut, so thankfully, the filmmakers were able to film on location, making sure that the movie has an authentic feel. Some liberties may have been taken, though, as often happens in these things, so the house where the main story unfolds, which is said to be in Bridgeport, is actually on Westport’s Washington Avenue.
A Bridgeport location can be seen though, at a book signing with Jacob that takes place in The Mechanics and Farmers Saving Bank that doubles for a scene that appears to take place in Chicago. Other locations include Remo’s Italian Restaurant in Stamford. This was used as a meeting place for the main characters Jacob and Rachel, The Griswald Inn in Essex was sourced to stand in for Maple Falls Inn, and RJ Julia Booksellers in the town of Madison was used for the scene where Rachel goes to buy a copy of one of Jacob’s bestselling books. Canaan’s Town Hall seems to have been used to depict the downtown area of Maple Falls, and it should be noted that the town of Maple Falls is a fictional creation for the movie.
Why did The Noel Diary film at these locations?
Obviously, from a filmmaking point of view, it is often best to use the location in which the movie is set in. However, the cost is often a factor in these situations, and it can be expensive for producers to film where the scene is set.
There are various ways that directors get around this, and there are some famous locations that are cost-effective and can double for the real thing. The Noel Diary was originally going to be shot in Vancouver, and fans of locations will know that this a go-to area due to the long hours of daylight, the longer “golden hours,” and the milder winter that allow for longer shooting times but probably more importantly, it is cheaper to film there as there are tax breaks that greatly reduce the costs of location filming there.
However, due to the pandemic, The Noel Diary had to abandon their initial plan to film there, and the only other option was to shoot in a real location. Although more expensive, it has to be said that if you live in Connecticut and watch this film, you will be pleased to see real locations used.
