Top Ten Films Set in Philadelphia

Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, has been an important part of America since, well, the very beginning. It's also been host to many very good films. Here are the top ten films set in Philadelphia.

Nomination Criteria:
1. Feature Length Film
2. The majority of the story must take place in the Philadelphia metropolitan area

Scoring Criteria:
1. Rotten Tomatoes rating
2. Metacritic rating
3. IMDb rating
4. IMDb Top 250
5. Oscar Performance
6. AFI 100 list
7. AFI 100 10th list
8. Box Office
9. Cultural Impact

#10 Trading Places

This 1983 Christmas movie just couldn't fail. With John Landis directing, Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd starring, and a loose adaptation of The Prince and the Pauper, Trading Place was destined to be a hit. An audience favorite and a success at the box office, Trading Places cemented itself as one of the great comedies of the 80s.

1. 88%
2. 66%
3. 7.5
4. N/A
5. 0/1
6. None
7. None
8. #4 at the Box Office
9. 3/10

#9 12 Monkeys

This Terry Gilliam film is, in one word, weird. Combining time travel with post-apocalyptic worlds and mental health, this movie is quite odd. Flavored with typical Gilliam flavor, the movie was a modest success at the box office and received favorable critical reviews.

1. 88%
2. 74%
3. 8.1
4. #205
5. 0/2
6. None
7. None
8. #31 at the Box Office
9. 1/10

#8 The Last Detail

Jack Nicholson is the 1970s: could this movie have failed? In addition to strong critical reviews, it was also fairly successful at the box office. The story of sailors spending their time before the ship off is poignant, and stands the test of time.

1. 92%
2. N/A
3. 7.6
4. N/A
5. 0/3
6. None
7. None
8. #21 at the Box Office
9. 1/10

#7 Philadelphia

In 1993, Philadelphia (the film) hit all the right buttons. It featured a hot topic issue (AIDS) with raw emotion and power. Tom Hanks won his first of consecutive Best Actor Oscars for his portrayal of an AIDS patient. Critical acclaim has severely dropped since its release, but it remains a powerful film.

1. 77%
2. 66%
3. 7.7
4. N/A
5. 2/5 (won Best Actor)
6. None
7. None
8. #12 at the Box Office
9. 2/10

#6 Kitty Foyle

The dress is more famous than the film. Ginger Rogers won an Oscar for her performance in this 1940 hit. Critically acclaimed and successful at the box office, the film's biggest impact was on fashion. The Kitty Foyle dress became the iconic outfit of the 1940s and a favorite for many years after.

1. 71%
2. N/A
3. 7.1
4. N/A
5. 1/5 (won Best Actress, nominated for Best Picture)
6. None
7. None
8. #14 at the Box Office
9. 6/10

#5 Silver Linings Playbook

The most recent film on this list by over a decade, Silver Linings Playbook had it going. Receiving huge critical acclaim on her way to winning an Oscar, Jennifer Lawrence cemented her position at the Hollywood actress of the 2010s. Additionally, it was the first film since 1981 to be nominated in every acting category. Time will tell on this film, but right now it is a hit.

1. 92%
2. 81%
3. 7.9
4. N/A
5. 1/8 (won Best Actress, nominated for Best Picture)
6. N/A
7. N/A
8. #23 at the Box Office
9. 1/10

#4 Witness

This 1985 film proved Harrison Ford had what it took to be more than just an action star. Both a box office hit and a critical favorite, it received eight Academy Award nominations. While the film has become largely forgotten, critical acclaim remains strong.

1. 91%
2. 76%
3. 7.5
4. N/A
5. 2/8 (nominated for Best Picture)
6. None
7. None
8. #8 at the Box Office
9. 2/10

#3 The Sixth Sense

The impact of The Sixth Sense must not be overlooked. One of the most quotable dramas of the 1990s, it was also a huge box office success. Additionally, it waved in a new era of plot twists in Hollywood, for better or for worse. It's critical acclaim was huge and remains strong, although its twist ending hasn't aged well.

1. 85%
2. 64%
3. 8.2
4. #160
5. 0/6 (nominated for Best Picture)
6. N/A
7. #89
8. #2 at the Box Office (#64 all-time)
9. 8/10

#2 The Philadelphia Story

The Philadelphia Story is one of the most iconic and greatest romantic comedies of all time. Staring Katherine Hepburn, Jimmy Stewarrt (in an Oscar-winning role), and Cary Grant, the film was one of the biggest hits of 1940. It has withstood the test of time very well and remains a favorite.

1. 100%
2. N/A
3. 8.1
4. N/A
5. 2/6 (won Best Actor, nominated for Best Picture)
6. #51
7. #44
8. #4 at the Box Office
9. 5/10

Honorable Mentions

Some movies scored very highly on our rubric but just barely missed the cut. In no particular order, here are the honorable mentions:
1776
Best in Show
Rocky III
Blow Out

#1 Rocky

Rocky is, arguably, the greatest boxing movie ever made. It topped the box office when it was released, launched Sylvester Stallone's career, and won the Academy Award for Best Picture. Critical acclaim remains strong, and Rocky Balboa has been adopted as a favorite character for the city of Philadelphia.

1. 92%
2. N/A
3. 8.1
4. #218
5. 3/10 (won Best Picture and Best Director)
6. #78
7. #57
8. #1 at the Box Office (#74 all-time)
9. 8/10