Los Angeles is known in the film industry for its widespread ability to stand in for virtually any city in the world onscreen. Other cities standing in for Los Angeles? That is a much less common phenomenon, though thanks to runaway production, it has been known to happen. The Vancouver filming of “BH90210,” the 2019 meta-revival of ‘90s hit “Beverly Hills, 90210,” is a particularly egregious example. A few others? “The L.A. Complex” pegged Toronto to mask as the City of Angels, “Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce” looked to Vancouver as a La La Land surrogate, as did the first two seasons of “Lucifer,” and “The Kissing Booth” took things even farther by venturing all the way to South Africa for a SoCal stand-in! There are some L.A. sites, though, that simply can’t be replicated elsewhere, namely the Malibu shoreline and its “27 miles of scenic beauty.” As such, producers of the ‘Bu-set movie “Some Kind of Beautiful” opted to film on location in the seaside city.
The 2014 flick tells the story of self-described “libidinous” University of Cambridge professor Richard Haig (Pierce Brosnan), who, upon getting one of his much younger students, Kate (Jessica Alba), pregnant, decides to change his debaucherous ways. The recovering cad promptly relocates from London, following Kate to her native California, where the two settle into an idyllic Malibu estate, and he becomes a doting dad to their son, Jake (Duncan Joiner). The couple’s happiness is short-lived, however, as Kate soon falls for Brian (Ben McKenzie), a co-worker her own age, which causes Richard to return to his lothario roots, whereupon he beds Kate’s sister, Olivia (Salma Hayek).
Marketed as a romantic comedy, the film largely fell flat with audiences and critics alike, a sentiment reflected by its pitifully low score of 6% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer. Matt Zoller Seitz of RogerEbert.com places the blame of the flick’s “tedium” squarely on the shoulders of screenwriter Matthew Newman and director Tom Vaughan, and not on Brosnan and his co-stars, of whom he says, “It’s difficult to feel sorry for such good-looking, impeccably dressed lead actors, but this film makes it possible. There isn’t a line or moment where you don’t feel their strain from trying to make something out of nothing.” Ouch!
At least Kate and Richard’s Malibu hacienda makes for a stunning distraction throughout the 99-minute runtime!
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Image Credit: Compass The sprawling residence sits tucked away on a sleepy cul-de-sac mounted atop Point Dume at 28838 Cliffside Dr. In truth, though, to call the place a “residence” is something of a misnomer. Constructed in 1972, the property is a virtual compound, which, as a past listing notes, “encompasses four separate living quarters” – a main house, a pool house, a guest house and a studio – totaling seven bedrooms and eight baths!
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Image Credit: Compass Situated on a striking 1.01-acre parcel on a jagged bluff overlooking the Pacific, the compound offers dramatic views, a huge expanse of lawn, deck space and access to the beach below via the area’s private Riviera III easement.
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Image Credit: Compass A gated driveway leads to the detached three-car garage, which, with paneled wood doors, arched brick-lined openings and exquisite cyan tiling, looks straight out of a Spanish-style design book! The guest house, with its one bedroom, one bath and kitchenette, sits attached to the structure, as does the one-bedroom, one-bathroom studio space.
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Image Credit: Compass The sparkling central pool and adjacent two-story pool house are parked behind the garage, the latter accessed via a vibrantly tiled colonnade. The serene quarters feature one bedroom, two baths, a full kitchen and a living room.
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Image Credit: Compass The main residence, sporting four bedrooms and four baths in 2,551 square feet, stands at the rear of the property and is peppered with French doors offering pristine views of the ocean beyond. Other architectural details dotted throughout the one-story dwelling include two fireplaces, beamed ceilings, built-in wood shelving and saltillo tile flooring.
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Image Credit: Compass The gorgeous estate last sold in September 2016 for $17,754,000.
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Image Credit: Lionsgate Films -
Image Credit: Compass The vast majority of “Some Kind of Beautiful” takes place at the bucolic property, which Richard jokingly refers to as a “modest little house.” Of landing the tony pad, he explains that it was purchased by Kate’s wealthy, but largely absentee father “out of guilt” over never being around.
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Image Credit: Compass With its detached guest house, the pad provided the perfect layout for the inevitable point in the film when things go “pear-shaped” between Kate and Richard, causing him to move into the ancillary quarters for a prolonged period. As he tells Jake, “Now, I know two years in the pool house makes me look a little inert, but I’ll say two things. First, your mom and Brian hated me being there which was the most wonderful incentive to stay. And secondly, I wanted to be close to you.”
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Image Credit: Compass Both the exterior and interior of the home were utilized in the production. The handsome living room, with its vaulted ceiling, immense fireplace and gorgeous views, is where Kate first announces to Richard that she is leaving him for Brian.
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Image Credit: 20th Television “Some Kind of Beautiful” is not the hacienda’s only onscreen rodeo. The property also served as the home of James Heller (William Devane), where Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) briefly reunites with Audrey Raines (Kim Raver) in the season six finale of “24” titled “Day 6: 5:00 A.M. – 6:00 A.M.,” which aired in 2007.
Disclaimer: Please remember this is a private home. Do not trespass or bother the residents or the property in any way.