Most times, movies may be shot in Toronto, but Toronto is dressed up to look like somewhere else where the movie is "set". When it comes to Canadian cities, it seems far more fashionable to set in Montreal or Vancouver.

Every once in a long while, a scene or even an entire story is set in Toronto. In my opinion, that's no time to be modest.

Most major cities have their iconography. Movies set in NYC would get shots of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. Or Empire State building. Or Statue of Liberty. Movies set in Paris will always get a shot of the Tour Eiffel. London UK gets shots of Big Ben or the Gherkin. Chicago will get shots of the Sears Tower or John Hancock Tower or looking up at the Board of Trade building from LaSalle St. Seattle gets its Space Needle.

So, when I heard about this movie being set in Toronto, I was looking forward to glorious shots of the CN Tower, the sunshine-splashed Harbourfront, the Islands, the Royal York Hotel, Old City hall, New City Hall, University Ave, Queens Park, ROM, OCAD, AGO, DVP, Gardiner, 401......spots that are "so Toronto"...

Nope, nada.

We got a shot of streetcars (which have indeed become iconic for the city). That's about it. Sure, in the dialog they mention various areas (North York, Nathan Phillips Square), but that's about it.

Now, don't get me wrong. This movie was made by Torontonians who are no less proud of their city as I am. But I get the distinct impression they made conscious choices to NOT shove visual cues down the audience's throat and avoided showing even one recognizable building so I could say "hey, I know where that is." But, why?

The opening scene of the movie 88 Minutes shows the Needle, has a guy get into a cab with Seattle splashed all over it, and then the radio in the cab says "Good morning Seattle". So, it gets established pretty quick that we're in Seattle for this one. The movie entitled Wall Street had "Wall Street" right in the title, and we all know that's in NYC, but the opening shots still included the iconic NYC skyline, and other iconography to set the tone. That's, in part, how these cities become choice destinations for movie settings.

Audiences have to become familiar with the physical landscape that makes a city what it is, or, at least, a romanticized version of what "we think" of what a city is, for the purposes of setting a story. A story that's set in Detroit will look/feel differently than being set in Beverly Hills, or Paris, or the Riviera. To establish a setting identity, we've got to sell it.

So, to all my Toronto story tellers and movie makers out there, don't be shy, don't be modest, show Toronto! Lots of it. It's a beautiful city, with lots and lots of iconic landscapes and buildings and "Toronto things". The Gooderham and Worts Flatiron building should be as familiar to movie audiences as the MetLife building - if not moreso. Toronto traffic - Gardiner, DVP, 401 - that alone is a character in a movie - Changing Lanes could have been set in Toronto!