Philip Seymour Hoffman Filming a Movie In Port Chester This Week

Jerry Federici spends his days walking his dog Savannah, watering his lawn and taking care of his home. But this week those tasks are just a little more exciting, thanks to his new temporary neighbors, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Christina Hendricks, Richard Jenkins and John Tuturro. The movie and television stars are on site to film scenes for an independent feature film “God’s Pocket.”

“It has been pretty cool and really interesting. All the people have been very professional and cordial,” Federici said.

Crews are filming at 96 Perry Avenue in the home where the neighborhood’s beloved lifelong Port Chester resident Vera Davis lived until her death at age 94 last July, Federici said.

“She was a very humble person. I think she would have been overwhelmed they were using her home,” he said.

The movie is John Slattery’s directing debut. Slattery, of "Mad Men" fame, adapted the Pete Dexter novel “God’s Pocket” with Alex Metcalf. Park Pictures Features is producing the film in partnerships with Hoffman’s Cooper’s Town Productions and Slattery’s Shoestring Pictures.

Hollywood blogs describe the story as set in a blue-collar neighborhood of “God’s Pocket,” where the lead character is a father trying to cover up his stepson’s death in a construction incident.

Deadline.com reports the plot:

Set in the gritty blue-collar neighborhood of God’s Pocket, Mickey’s crazy stepson Leon is killed in a construction “accident” and Mickey quickly tries to bury the bad news with the body. But when a local columnist comes sniffing around for the truth, things go from bad to worse. Mickey finds himself stuck in a life and death struggle between a body he can’t bury, a wife he can’t please and a debt he can’t pay.

Port Chester residents can’t see much of the drama unfold since the Perry Avenue home is being used for all inside shots, Federici said, but the neighbors on the quiet block did gather to watch the first day of filming last Wednesday, he said. All outdoor shots are being filmed in Yonkers, he said the site director told him.

Davis’ two nephews have been trying to sell their aunt’s home for the last several months and have completely emptied it out, which Federici thought made it an easy shooting location for the film crew, although he did not know how the producers found his block for filming. The filming company will pay the Village of Port Chester $630 for their filming permit and $125 for each day of filming.

Crews started shooting on June 19 and continued today. They will film until Wednesday and on July 17 and 20 from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

They have two trucks parked on Perry and three large movie trailers for the actors on Neuton Avenue next to the high school playing fields.

“Philip Seymour Hoffman frequently walks up and down the street. I say hi, he says hi back,” Federici said. He also noted that his dog has been a big hit with the crew.

Across the street from Federici, Bob Koellisch and his 96-year-old father Ed spent the day watching the crew from their front lawn.

“It hasn’t bothered us,” the junior Koellisch said. “It gives us something to watch.”

This is not the only feature film being shot in the Port Chester area this month. A Tina Fey, Jason Bateman and Jane Fonda Film "This Is Where I Leave You" filmed in Rye the last two Saturdays.

Do you welcome film crews in your town? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.