Yet the film also captures a sense of belonging. At one point, Will declares to his friend Chuckie that he plans to stay in Southie for the rest of his life. It's a closed-in neighborhood in a lot of ways, and that's very representative of Will. A lot of people who grow up there don't leave, which is an aspect of it that really appealed to us in terms of making it believable that Will would want to stay. A walk around town is revealing.
Historical landmarks dot the area.
Monstrous reminders of an industrial past crowd the northern part of this peninsula. Caroline Gray moved here five years ago from Ireland's midlands. A lot have gotten green cards. Some of the wealthiest politicians live in modest dwellings. Artists occupy lofts in places developers are eyeing.