Movie scenes filmed at Joliet bar

The Terrace Inn Lounge, a bar in Joliet, had some unusual guests Wednesday morning.

The makers of an upcoming movie called “Monuments” were shooting a scene outside the bar, located in the 600 block of Gardner Street. Crew members could be seen moving around lights and light reflectors near a prop “state trooper” car.

The entirety of the inside of the bar was transformed into a makeshift hair, makeup and wardrobe studio, with crew members running around and actors waiting for their next scenes.

Lionel Norris, the longtime owner of Terrace Inn Lounge, said the production company called him a couple of months ago, pitching the shoot. Norris said he thought the movie would be a good opportunity for exposure. He even let them put up a fake sign for the movie version of the bar, which is called “The Happy Farmer.”

“I just wanted to be a help,” Norris said.

The crew started early Wednesday, arriving at 5 a.m., Norris said. He said they would be done by the time he opened the bar for normal business hours.

Jack Newell, the writer, director and producer of “Monuments,” said the movie is about a man whose wife dies unexpectedly. The character goes on a cross-country road trip to scatter his late wife’s ashes at a museum they used to visit together.

“The idea here is that we wanted something that looks rural and sort of lived in and not brand-new and spanky,” Newell said. “This location had a great look for that.”

Newell said he liked how the bar was right beside Interstate 80. He said Norris was great to work with because the crew had to paint and take off some of the beer advertisements. The crew also has filmed at other locations in and around Will County. The specific scenes they were filming had to do with the main character coming into the bar to find a “crazy dance scene” that Newell described as “magical realism.”

Norris, who has owned and run the bar for 34 years with his family, was just pleased to see the action on set and how filmmaking works. He said since business has slowed in recent years, it was cool to see some action there Wednesday.

“It was exciting,” Norris said. “I haven’t seen a movie being shot before. [It’s] a lot of work.”

Newell said the movie is set to be released next year.