Great Heist Films: It's a Crime to Miss Them

Whether it's a 20th century classic or a more modern interpretation, who doesn’t love a great heist movie? Here’s my roundup of favorites.

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A great heist film is thrilling: Meticulous planning, impossible odds, smooth-talking cons and – if all goes well – a perfect getaway. It's so seductive (a jewel thief seemed like a perfect career to me as a child)! Whether it’s a ragtag crew pulling off one last job or a mastermind executing a plan that's years in the making, heist movies tap into our fascination with high-stakes risk.

What makes a heist film truly great? The tension of watching the plan unfold? The charisma of a team of criminals we (reluctantly) root for? Or is it the final twist that leaves us a bit enthralled?

From gritty crime sagas to stylish capers, here’s my round up of movie favorites, proving crime, at least on screen, does pay.

1955 | Rififi

Directed by Jules Dassin / Starring Jean Servais, Carl Möhner, Robert Manuel

What? A down-on-his-luck jewel thief gathers his gang of four to rob a safe in a Parisian jewelry store. Greed and betrayal derail the perfect crime.

Why? Blacklisted Hollywood screenwriter Jules Dassin directed this classic, setting the gold standard for the genre. Rififi is hailed as a heist movie masterpiece, and a blueprint in humanity and complexity for heist films to come. Its crown jewel: A 30-minute, dialogue-free sequence that captures the tension, the precision and the realism of the job. It’s a gritty film noir that shows crime as grueling, unglamorous. The film’s story explores loyalty, greed and betrayal (perhaps expressing the rage that Dassin himself may have been experiencing at the time) – proving that even the best-laid plans can unravel. Some consider the film outdated, but It's essential viewing for any heist film fan.

1972 | The Hot Rock

Directed by Peter Yates / Starring Robert Redford, George Segal, Ron Leibman, Paul Sand

What? Witty, absurd heist comedy introducing Donald Westlake’s character, John Dortmunder, along with a team of thieves who repeatedly steal – and lose – a priceless diamond.

Why? An offbeat favorite of mine for its early 1970s New York backdrop (featuring a helicopter shot of the original World Trade Center under construction) and its use of the ridiculous code phrase: Afghanistan Banana Stand. Dortmunder, a jewel thief just out of prison, gets recruited into stealing a sacred stone from the Brooklyn Museum. All goes well until an arrest, and the stone, umm, disappears? One theft leads to two, to three… Robert Redford leads a great character-actor-filled cast on a zig-zag ride to steal the stone, lose the stone, and get the elusive gem back.

1992 | Reservoir Dogs

Directed by Quentin Tarantino / Starring Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Chris Penn, Steve Buscemi

What? A group of criminals suspects one of them is an informant after a botched diamond heist spirals into violence and betrayal.

Why? Tarantino’s debut feature, and the one that put him on the map. An indie cult classic, this film is fascinating in the heist genre (it successfully mixes genres), because we never see the heist. It’s the before and after that make up the movie. The director’s trademarks – gritty realism, raw violence and stylized dialogue – along with his nonlinear storytelling, support terrific performances. Each character feels three dimensional, even as flawed humans. The discussion about Madonna before the heist, as the team is getting to know one another, is insane, but somehow feels real. It’s a shocking, brutal film, but stands the test of time.

2001 | Ocean's Eleven

Directed by Steven Soderbergh / George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Andy García, Matt Damon

What? Con man Danny Ocean, on release from prison, can't resist a new opportunity – knock off three Las Vegas casinos simultaneously to the tune of millions.

Why? Let’s forget for a moment about the luscious cast that Soderbergh has assembled, this remake of the 1960 Rat Pack heist comedy features sharp performances and focuses on its sophisticated, complex setup. With an oddball gang of associates bringing past baggage to the job, they snipe and spar over every detail. It’s fast pace and deadpan dialogue set against the glitz and glare of the Las Vegas strip invite the audience to join the fun through to its operatic finale.

2006 | Inside Man

Directed by Spike Lee / Starring Denzel Washington, Jodie Foster, Clive Owen

What? A masterful bank heist unfolds as a detective struggles to decipher the thief’s real plan, only to discover that the crime isn’t about the money.

Why? When a group of masked robbers (all using ‘Steve’ aliases) with a brilliant leader takes over a Manhattan bank, a NYC detective arrives to negotiate the tense hostage situation. As the standoff unfolds, it becomes clear that this is no ordinary bank heist. The bank’s owner along with his mysterious fixer is desperate to keep secrets buried. Using flashbacks and nonlinear storytelling, the film reveals a meticulously orchestrated plan. The gang’s leader, seemingly trapped inside the bank, vanishes without a trace, leaving behind a crime with no apparent culprit. It's a taut, and occasionally funny, cat-and-mouse thriller with director Lee’s imprint.

2017 | Logan Lucky

Directed by Steven Soderbergh / Daniel Craig, Adam Driver, Channing Tatum, Riley Keogh

What? Two hard up brothers enlist an incarcerated safecracker to steal millions during a NASCAR race.

Why? Soderbergh supposedly came out of ‘retirement’ to make this movie, the anti-Ocean’s Eleven. With working-class misfits, southern charm and quirky, deadpan humor, it’s hard not to root for this group of underdogs. And Daniel Craig – the anti-Bond – with his bleached blonde buzz cut, it’s great casting. The group devises a twisty, ingenious plan to break out an inmate and get him back the same day, and move the cash through the pneumatic tubes below the racetrack. They’re going for a serious haul, but the film’s charm is that it never takes itself too seriously.

More steals worth a watch:

Big Deal on Madonna Street (I Soliti Ignoti) | 1959, Directed by Maria Monicelli: Funny, idiotic bunch of small-time thieves attempting to pull off a heist.
The Italian Job | 1969, Directed by Peter Collinson: Great British flavor with a cast led by Michael Caine and Noël Coward, with the Mini Coopers car chase through the Italian Alps.
Le Cercle Rouge | 1970, Directed by Jean-Pierre Melville: Three men, together by chance, pull off a jewelry heist – with trench coats, style and an homage to Rififi's silent sequence.

I’d love to hear your choices for your favorite heist movie. What’s your all time favorite?

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