The scene in which Cal (Russell Crowe) orders lunch, but is then interrupted by his bag getting stolen, was shot at Ben's Chili Bowl, a real Washington, D.C. lunch counter that has been open on U Street NW since 1958.
The newspapers seen in the movie were printed on the presses of The Washington Post.
Director Kevin Macdonald intended the movie to pay homage to Die Unbestechlichen (1976) by using the Watergate Hotel and the parking garage as locations.
Cal (Russell Crowe) refers to his friend, Representative Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck), as "Sliberty", another reference to Pittsburgh. East Liberty, a section of Pittsburgh, is shortened by natives to "Sliberty". It's one of those things by which you know someone is from Pittsburgh.
Brad Pitt and Edward Norton originally signed on for this movie that would have reunited them for the first time since Fight Club (1999). However, Pitt pulled out before Thanksgiving 2007, when re-writes were made impossible because of the writers' strike. He was replaced by Russell Crowe. Pitt's departure delayed the start of shooting, and made Norton unavailable, as he was committed to start shooting Leaves of Grass (2009) in January. He was replaced by Ben Affleck.