One of the many benefits of being a wolverine is the luxury of wandering into The UGLI to grab some movies that I probably don’t need to be wasting time watching, but I do anyway. Recently I ended up grabbing 30 Minutes Or Less, a movie set in my hometown of Grand Rapids, MI. It came out awhile ago, and I was aware that it was filmed in my hometown, I just never got around to watching it. After watching the movie, which was hilarious might I add and I highly recommend to anyone who likes Aziz Ansari, car chases, and craziness, I completely saw my hometown in a different light.
I left Grand Rapids with vigor and hope for the bigger and the better, but after seeing it with explosions I began to see the beauty of the place I left behind, and I’m still not completely sure if it’s because of the explosions or… Anyway, Grand Rapids became this Hollywood set in my eyes. The cinematic look of its downtown, usually scattered with people and bad drivers, became this place with artistic backdrops and beautifully ancient brick buildings, liveliness, and vibrancy.
I don’t know if it’s what they call homesickness, whatever that is, but I like to think that it’s my mind’s recreation of a place that I began to lose excitement for. A local bar became a strip club, the Family Dollar that I’ve graced countless times became a stakeout scene, a gas station next to my old house became a scene where a decision to rob a bank was made, which all added this feeling of excitement for sure, but also this intriguing construction and dimension that I’ve never held Grand Rapids to have.
Sometimes we see the Hollywood lights or the hustle and bustle of New York City as these creative and thriving locations, but we don’t see the beauty and the aspects of interest within the places we live. It took me eighteen years to see Grand Rapids in a new light, but I can confidently say that I’m from the west side…of Michigan that is.
And if you would like to see the beautiful city of GR from your own humble abode, along with some hilarious moments, check out the trailer for 30 Minutes Or Less!
Leave a Reply
Be the First to Comment!