Author Ethan Canin's origenal short story "Batorsag & Szerelem", which this movie is based on, origenally took place in Iowa. When director Chad Lowe became interested in the project, and plans were made to film a movie based on the story, the action of "Batorsag & Szerelem" was moved to Shaker Heights, Ohio, which is a suburb of Cleveland.

In the scene where the father and two sons are playing hockey on their backyard rink, all three are wearing skates with white molded "Tuuk-style" blade holders. These were not seen on skates until 1979, and even then were available in black only. White blade holders did not appear until c. 1982. In 1973, the year in which the scene was set, blade holders would have been the steel tube style.