Written by Nick Hornby, “State of the Union” is a comedy series that borders on love, marriage and heartbreak. The first season follows a couple – Tom and Louise – who struggle to stay in love after 15 years of an unfulfilling marriage. So they resort to marriage counseling when Louise (Rosemund Pike) cheats on Tom (Chris O’Dowd). Season 2 features an older couple who have been together for 30 years.
Each episode of the series takes place in a pub where the characters meet just before their session begins. The story progresses within the confines of an ordinary pub which provides a safe space for the couple to vent their issues and reminisce about their journey together. However, the setup is straightened out in a way that mirrors the emotions felt by the lead couple. If you are curious to know where it is shot and if the story is based on real events, here is everything we know about it!
State of the Union Filming Locations
“State of the Union” is filmed in London, England. The pub which becomes the secondary residence of the main characters is located in the hustle and bustle of the English capital. Now, let’s get into more details!
London, England
“State of the Union” is filmed in the bustling atmosphere of London, England. Alive at all times, the city is appreciated for its culture and its abundance of art, museums and restaurants. Big Ben and Buckingham Palace are two of the city’s most popular attractions. The main characters spend most of their time sitting in a pub located in Hammersmith, West London. It sits next to the picturesque Ravenscourt Park and is called Thatched House.
While filming Season 1 of “State of the Union,” Chris O’Dowd (Tom) struggled to learn the script. As it is a short play, the actors had some things to learn before filming began. So he memorized about 12 pages in one night. Even as a director, Stephen has gone the extra mile to capture the essence of this unique piece. Although the series is simpler compared to other shows, the making of the film was ironically more difficult.
The second season was filmed in a different location, a cafe (called Mouthfeel in the series and based in Connecticut) amid the panic caused by COVID-19. Actress Patricia Clarkson (Ellen) said she couldn’t visit the city during her filming days. Even though there are pandemic restrictions, the lure of London coupled with the tax incentives offered to filmmakers is why it will always remain a popular filming location.
Is the State of the Union based on a true story?
No, “State of the Union” is not based on a true story. The story is credited to Nick Hornby, a renowned writer and lyricist who focuses on arrested development as the main subject of his work. Even in the case of “State of the Union”, the main protagonist, Tom, is a man with the disease. The Bafta winner included the concept in his other books, which have now turned into film adaptations such as ‘Fever Pitch’, ‘High Fidelity’ and ‘About a Boy’.
In terms of character, Tom closely resembles Chris O’Dowd’s character – Duncan – in the movie “Juliet, Naked”. Duncan doesn’t care how his neglect affects his relationship and even life in general. As a result, his longtime girlfriend misses being with him. Speaking about the show, O’Dowd revealed she’s aimed at “anyone who’s ever been in a relationship.” In addition to that, he highlighted its importance as a short comedy.
According to O’Dowd, “What’s interesting is that it’s a short comedy, is that one of the biggest audiences will be commuters. It’s just the thing to watch on your phone for 10 minutes. In addition, he tries to highlight the negative impact of living in a patriarchal society. He believes that “women are not the only losers in a patriarchal society. I think a lot of men haven’t benefited either. I know men have been in power too long – but come on! Having to be aggressive? You despise showing your feelings? It’s all hopeless.
Therefore, based on the other work of Nick Hornby, we deduce that he wants to address real problems that characterize a society. Much of it is attributed to a lack of self-awareness and an inability to move past your mistakes. His fixation on this concept says a lot about his personality and his art as a writer. All things considered, we can deduce that, although the “State of the Union” is not based on real events, it is largely in tune with reality.
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