Which Movie Best Represents Indiana? Here's What the Experts Say

Let's say you wanted to tour America and take in all that the 50 states have to offer, but you don't have the time, money, or energy needed to do that. I have a pseudo-solution for you. You can experience the United States with the help of some movie magic.

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The travel website Far & Wide put together a list of 50 movies that best represent each state in America. In theory, just from watching a film, you could get a sense of what it would be like to visit a particular state.

We picked 50 films that are set and/or filmed in the states they represent. There’s a mix of drama, comedy, horror, and action films — all of which we feel truly capture the people, culture, scenery, and history of a given state.

Here are some that we found.

15 Movies You May Not Have Known Take Place In Indiana

Just to be clear, these movies were not necessarily filmed in Indiana, although some were - all of these movies are set, or take place in Indiana.

What Movie Best Represents Indiana?

There are several great movies that were either shot or set in Indiana - see my previous article highlighting Movies I Bet You Didn't Know Take Place in Indiana - but which one best represents us? Some might say it's Rudy, others might vote for A Christmas Story, or maybe even Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The folks at Far & Wide, however, went in a little more obvious direction. They determined that the movie that best represents Indiana is...HOOSIERS.

I'm not sure this choice needs any explanation or justification - seems pretty straightforward to me. I can't argue with this choice - it's a great flick, and I can't think of a better one for Indiana.

Here's a true story about me and Hoosiers. I saw it in the theater way back in 1986. I decided to shoot some hoops when I got home, and I swear I could not miss. I was making everything - and I felt just like Jimmy Chitwood!

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What About Illinois?

I can only imagine how many films were shot or set in Illinois, making this a really difficult choice. Far & Away decided that the 1986 John Hughes classic Ferris Bueller's Day Off is the one movie that best represents Illinois.

What About Kentucky?

When it comes to the Bluegrass state, were heading to Butcher Hollow, the birthplace of country music legend Loretta Lynn. Her 1980 biopic Coal Miner's Daughter has been chosen as the movie that best represents Kentucky.

See the movies for the rest of the country HERE.

Postcards from Indiana's Past Showcase the Weird and Wonderful

Apparently, there is quite a market for old postcards on eBay. I found some really interesting ones, some even have handwritten messages on them. Basically, postcards were the original text message.

25 Most Common Last Names in Indiana

Do you share the same last name as thousands of your fellow Hoosiers? Forebears looked at hundreds of names across the state and ranked them based on the number of people who have them. Take a look at the list below to see where (or if) your last name is on the list.