# Crime Movies: One Last Big Score? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 21, 2015, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-movies-one-last-big-score/710455 "2015-01-21T04:13:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-movies-one-last-big-score/710455/1 "2015-01-21T04:13:09Z")
Anyone think of any movies with this theme? For example Heat (1995) starring Al Pacino and Robert De Niro > [@](#): > > Neil and his professional criminal crew hunt to score big money targets (banks, vaults, armored cars) and are, in turn, hunted by Lt. Vincent Hanna and his team of cops in the Robbery/Homicide police division. A botched job puts Hanna onto their trail while they regroup and try to put together one last big ‘retirement’ score. > **[Heat (1995) ⭐ 8.3 | Action, Crime, Drama](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113277/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_27)** > > 2h 50m | R ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-movies-one-last-big-score/710455/2 "2015-01-21T04:22:45Z")
Blow Carlito’s Way Contraband Gone in 60 Seconds The Town Ronin The Usual Suspects ---
**Author:** ![erysichthon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@erysichthon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erysichthon)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-movies-one-last-big-score/710455/3 "2015-01-21T04:28:08Z")
A [recent article in _Slate_](http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/the_completist/2015/01/michael_mann_movies_i_watched_them_all_plus_the_tv_shows_here_s_what_i_learned.html) claims that every Michael Mann film is about this: > [@](#): > > Have you seen the newest Michael Mann film? No, not the one about the ex-con who falls in love as he tries to take a final score—you’re thinking of _Heat_. Nope, also not the one about the ex-con who falls in love as he tries to take a final score—that was _Public Enemies_. I can see why you’re confused, but this is certainly not the one about the ex-con who falls in love as he tries to take a final score—that was _Thief_. I’m talking about the one that arrives in theaters Friday, about an ex-con who falls in love as he tries to take a final score. It’s called _Blackhat_. Have you seen that film before? ---
**Author:** ![Stanislaus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stanislaus/32/3391_2.png) [@Stanislaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stanislaus)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-movies-one-last-big-score/710455/4 "2015-01-21T10:27:40Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Blow > Carlito’s Way > Contraband > Gone in 60 Seconds > The Town > Ronin > The Usual Suspects Ronin is not about a retirement score. The crew are mercenaries doing yet another gig, but there’s no suggestion that it’s anyone’s last big job. Sam, in fact, never retired. In the Usual Suspects, Kaiser Soze disappears after the events in the film, but there’s no suggestion he’s quitting the remorselessly evil crime lord business. He’s just doing less public-facing work. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-movies-one-last-big-score/710455/5 "2015-01-21T11:45:22Z")
> [@Stanislaus](#): > > Ronin is not about a retirement score. The crew are mercenaries doing yet another gig, but there’s no suggestion that it’s anyone’s last big job. > > Sam, in fact, never retired. > > In the Usual Suspects, Kaiser Soze disappears after the events in the film, but there’s no suggestion he’s quitting the remorselessly evil crime lord business. He’s just doing less public-facing work. In fact **msmith** seems to have just randomly selected “films which feature soime kind of heist” wth no relation to wht the OP askled. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-movies-one-last-big-score/710455/6 "2015-01-21T12:18:36Z")
> [@Stanislaus](#): > > Ronin is not about a retirement score. The crew are mercenaries doing yet another gig, but there’s no suggestion that it’s anyone’s last big job. > > Sam, in fact, never retired. > > In the Usual Suspects, Kaiser Soze disappears after the events in the film, but there’s no suggestion he’s quitting the remorselessly evil crime lord business. He’s just doing less public-facing work. It’s stated in the movie somewhere that Dean Keaton (Gabriel Byrne) is talked into doing one last big score by Verbal. Keaton had tried to go legit (trying to get investors for his restaurant concept, dating Edie Finneran), but was pulled back into it. Verbal says that the rest of the guys won’t take him without Keaton being involved. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-movies-one-last-big-score/710455/7 "2015-01-21T18:25:42Z")
THE HOT ROCK predates all the films mentioned and is a comedy about how Robert Redford, recently released from prison, is enticed to come back for one last score–the precious gem of the title. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-movies-one-last-big-score/710455/8 "2015-01-21T18:50:20Z")
It’s been awhile, but I think Sean Connery’s motivation in **The Anderson Tapes** is to make his big score and live on it from then on. I also seem to think that this was a theme in **High Sierra**. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-movies-one-last-big-score/710455/9 "2015-01-21T18:59:43Z")
> **[One Last Job - TV Tropes](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/OneLastJob)** > > A seasoned criminal announces that he'll take on One Last Job before retirement to peaceful honest life. The possible reasons are many: they're tired of the risk and violence, they want to marry without dragging their sweetheart into their … ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-movies-one-last-big-score/710455/10 "2015-01-21T19:00:41Z")
> [@erysichthon](#): > > A [recent article in _Slate_](http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/the_completist/2015/01/michael_mann_movies_i_watched_them_all_plus_the_tv_shows_here_s_what_i_learned.html) claims that every Michael Mann film is about this: > [@](#): > > Manhunter, his 1986 serial-killer film The author doesn’t even mention the source material, _Red Dragon_. I wonder if he was aware of it. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-movies-one-last-big-score/710455/11 "2015-01-21T19:04:20Z")
Unforgiven. > [@](#): > > Retired Old West gunslinger William Munny reluctantly takes on one last job, with the help of his old partner and a young man. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-movies-one-last-big-score/710455/12 "2015-01-21T21:36:47Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > The author doesn’t even mention the source material, _Red Dragon_. > > I wonder if he was aware of it. I’m sure he was, but he was pointing out themes in Mann’s work, and directors do gravitate to their themes, even if it was originally from a book. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-movies-one-last-big-score/710455/13 "2015-01-21T21:41:45Z")
_Thief_ was the one that immediately came to mind, followed by the remake of _Gone in 60 Seconds_. There soitanly are a lot of them, Ollie. ---
**Author:** ![FuriousGeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecae2f/32.png) [@FuriousGeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FuriousGeorge)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-movies-one-last-big-score/710455/14 "2015-01-21T22:03:59Z")
[The Score](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0227445/) with Edward Norton, Robert DeNiro and Marlon Brando (in the last heist of his acting career). Robert DeNiro’s character was in it for one last heist before going straight for Angela Basset. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-movies-one-last-big-score/710455/15 "2015-01-21T22:08:39Z")
> [@Mr\_Shine](#): > > In fact **msmith** seems to have just randomly selected “films which feature soime kind of heist” wth no relation to wht the OP askled. No, you just know shit about movies. Blow - Yes, the film George Jung’s rise. But his “last big score” ended up being his undoing. (THe OP didn’t say the entire film had to be about the LBS). Carlito’s Way - Carlito is sucked into “one last job” by his lawyer Kleinfeld (although it’s a prison break and not a heist). Contraband - Retired smuggler Farraday is pulled into doing one more heist to save his brother. Gone in 60 Seconds - Retired car thief Raines is pulled into doing one more job to save his brother. The Town - MacRay is pulled into one more job otherwise they will kill his girlfriend (the hostage from the last job) Ronin - It’s been awhile since I saw this one. I could have sworn it was someone’s “last job” (or they were pretending it was as part of their cover) The Usual Suspects - See Superdude’s comments ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2015, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-movies-one-last-big-score/710455/16 "2015-01-21T22:13:00Z")
I’ll also throw in Point Break. The botched heist at the end was supposed to be Bodhi’s crew’s “traveling money” (OP didn’t say “last heist ever”) ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2015, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-movies-one-last-big-score/710455/17 "2015-01-22T02:23:43Z")
The Killing from Stanley Kubrick would also be in the “one last heist” movie category. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2015, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-movies-one-last-big-score/710455/18 "2015-01-22T02:34:27Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > I’ll also throw in Point Break. The botched heist at the end was supposed to be Bodhi’s crew’s “traveling money” (OP didn’t say “last heist ever”) I don’t think that one works. They did a last score every year or something. I really member that was part of the gangs MO. String of robberies then take a break. ---
**Author:** ![Wolf333](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf333/32/3460_2.png) [@Wolf333](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolf333)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2015, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-movies-one-last-big-score/710455/19 "2015-01-22T02:51:52Z")
Not a heist movie, but John Woo’s _[The Kille](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Killer_%281989_film%29)r_ should still count. > [@](#): > > To get the money for Jennie, Ah Jong decides to perform one last hit ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2015, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-movies-one-last-big-score/710455/20 "2015-01-22T05:10:01Z")
[_Sexy Beast_,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexy_Beast) although Gal has already retired and is forced into one last job against his will. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-movies-one-last-big-score/710455.md?page=2)