Recommend Me Some Heist Movies

Cafe Society
#1

We’re on a bit of a heist movie binge at Chez Mahna.

Last night, we watched Rififi and enjoyed it a hell of a lot (though it went a little over the top at times, but that’s par for the course in any 50s film noir)

Other heist movies we’ve previously enjoyed:
Heat
The Italian Job (both the original and remake)
The Thomas Crown Affair (ditto)
The Score
Reservoir Dogs
The Usual Suspects
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (and also Snatch, though not as much)

So, are there any spectacular must-watch heist movies missing from our list? We lean more towards dark and gritty (like Heat), rather than glossy and flashy (like Oceans Eleven).

#2

My personal favorite Heist movie is Heist.

#3

If you don’t mind mixing genres a bit: Kelly’s Heroes and The Grey Fox.

I’ve never seen The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3, but hear it’s a standout of its type.

#4

Sexy Beast has heist, but is not really a heist movie. Still damn good though.

#5

It is indeed–a fantastic film and perhaps the best heist film of the 70s.

And if you liked Rififi, then you’ll like Topkapi, which takes things up a couple of notches (both directed by Jules Dassin, but the latter has a star-studded cast and beautiful Turkish scenery).

#6

Sneakers is kind of a heist movie, and it has a great cast.

#7

You might find *The Bank Job *and Inside Man interesting.

#8

The Anderson Tapes (with a twist).

You’d also probably like the first few seasons of the TV show Hu$tle.

#9

For a lighter offering, especially if you like Ryan Reynolds, try Foolproof (2003).

It’s about a group of 20-somethings who plan elaborate heists as a game, until a bad guy blackmails them into working for him on a real crime. Completely implausible and fairly predictable, it’s still a fun watch IMO, with an appealing cast.

#10

You might like a couple early heist films: Stanley Kubrick’s The Killing and John Huston’s The Asphalt Jungle.

#11

How about Goodtime Slim, Uncle Doobie, and the Great Frisco Freakout?

#12

No love for Ocean’s 11 (the Clooney one)? I mean, it’s not a Great Film, but it’s ridiculously fun.

#13

I’ll second The Killing.

Didn’t see The Sting mentioned.

You might also try Thief and Nueve Reinas.

#14

And for TV shows based around heists, I highly recommend Leverage, and the cancelled-before-its-time Smith.

#15

The Ladykillers, 1955 version, as mentioned by ColonelDax elsewhere. The Coen brothers remake is okay.

Sneakers was the very first movie I bought on DVD.

#16

Second the recommendation of Thief. An overlooked classic.

And if you’re looking for movies like Reservoir Dogs, where a heist is a key element of the plot but not the main plot itself, then check out The Silent Partner.

#17

There’s a whole raft of them listed here.

One of my all-time favorites, not yet listed is The Getaway (1972). The remake with the Baldwins is a poor copy.

#18

The Sting is not a heist. It’s a con.

#19

Gambit with Michael Caine and Shirley MacLaine. Two heists for the price of one. The first when Caine lays out how it is going to work to his confederates, the second when it actually goes down. The former – needless to say – goes more smoothly than the latter.

#20

And if you like cons versus heists, check out Confidence.