Maps of Movies

Bruce Almighty (2003)

Where Bruce Almighty says it takes place, and where it was really shot.

Buffalo is a Los Angeles backlot, the spa is a Japanese garden, and the Tony Bennett restaurant is a downtown LA landmark

Scenes and places

Buffalo, home of Eyewitness News (2003)

Bruce is a TV field reporter in Buffalo who is tired of cheerful fluff stories and wants the anchor chair. He is sure he is next in line. That ambition sets up everything that goes wrong for him.

Set in WKBW-TV newsroom and downtown Buffalo — Bruce works as a field reporter for Eyewitness News on WKBW-TV in Buffalo, New York.

The Buffalo seen on screen is mostly a Los Angeles backlot: Universal's New York Street, built to stand in for big-city East Coast blocks.

Filmed at New York Street, Universal Studios Lot, Los Angeles — Buffalo's streets were built here, on the studio backlot. Coordinates are for the whole lot, not the street itself. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there:

The on-air meltdown at Niagara Falls (2003)

Sent to Niagara Falls for a live report, Bruce learns that his rival Evan has been given the anchor job he wanted. Furious, he turns the broadcast into an on-air outburst and is fired.

Set in Niagara Falls — Bruce is sent to report live at Niagara Falls, aboard the Maid of the Mist. Google Maps · Apple Maps

Niagara Falls sits on the Canada-US border; boat tours called the Maid of the Mist take visitors to the base of the falls.

Filmed at Niagara Falls — Italian Wikipedia lists the Falls among the film's other locations but does not say which scenes were shot there. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there:

The warehouse where God hands over the keys (2003)

Bruce, angry at God, follows a mysterious pager message to a warehouse and meets a man who says he is God. God offers him the job for a while and sets two rules: Bruce cannot tell anyone, and cannot override free will.

Set in An empty warehouse — A pager message sends Bruce to a warehouse, where he meets God in human form.

Grace's spa day (2003)

Grace gets a full day of beauty and serenity that Bruce set up, and she is amazed at how attentive he has become. Her friend reads the signs and decides he is about to propose.

Set in A day spa — Grace spends a pampered day at a beauty spa that Bruce arranged.

The Japanese Garden is a traditional-style garden on the grounds of a water reclamation plant in the San Fernando Valley.

Filmed at The Japanese Garden (Shoin building), Tillman Water Reclamation Plant, Lake Balboa, Los Angeles — The Shoin building was used as the spa in the film. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there:

The restaurant with Tony Bennett (2003)

At the romantic dinner, Bruce tells Grace he has been named anchor, but the prayers of the whole city pour into his head, so loud he can barely follow her. She cannot understand why he is acting strangely.

Set in The Blue Palm restaurant — The romantic restaurant where Bruce and Grace had their first date.

The James Oviatt Building is a 1928 Art Deco building in downtown Los Angeles; its ground-floor restaurant Cicada has appeared in several films.

Filmed at Cicada, James Oviatt Building, Los Angeles — The restaurant scene with Tony Bennett was filmed at Cicada. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there:

Alone on the highway (2003)

With Grace gone and the city in chaos, Bruce walks a lonely highway and asks God to take back his powers, leaving his fate in God's hands.

Set in A highway at night — Bruce walks alone on a highway.

Characters

• Bruce Nolan — A Buffalo TV reporter who blames God for his stalled career and is handed God's powers.
• Grace Connelly — Bruce's girlfriend, who sees what his new powers do to him.
• God — A man in a warehouse who offers Bruce his job for a while, to test him.

Questions answered on the map

• Where is the Tony Bennett restaurant from Bruce Almighty really?
• Where was Grace's spa in Bruce Almighty filmed?