Heist Movie Recommendations

Shortlist - heist classics

• Ocean's Eleven (2001) - HBO max, $prime video
• Heat (1995) - $prime video
• Inception (2010) - hulu
• Italian Job (2003) - $youtube
  • see also Italian Job (1969) - prime video
• Baby Driver (2017) - $prime video

Currently Watching

• Great Pretender - Netflix
  • maximal color palette, jazzy soundtrack
  • haven't got far enough yet to tell how good the heist part is

Recently Watched

• The Killing (1956, dir. Kubrick) - rent

review

This movie was much more of an "intricate clockwork" heist than the others so far. The multiple views of the same timeline style of storytelling works well for this. It brings together an unlikely crew (but without quite the unique specialization that makes oceans 11 / the Italian job so fun).

Some great acting performances add another layer of intrigue and tension

• Taking of Pelham 1,2,3 (1974) - pluto tv

review

I think this ended up being a keystone for heist movies to follow.

Not a ton of flashy strategy, but just enough. Not a huge amount of character development, but some fun personalities. Lots of very newyorkian flavor. It's biggest strength is the tension of the negotiation in my opinion

• Logan Lucky - prime video, hulu

review

Despite the questionable accents and opportunity to slip into tropes about rednecks (which were mostly avoided), it ended up being a fun ride.

Some fun heist implementation strategy, characters you wanna root for, and a surprising amount of heart and charm. Not the most high-art heist movie ever made, but a thoroughly enjoyable watch

• Money Heist "La casa de papel" (2019) - Netflix

review

A multi-part series about an extended heist in the Royal Mint of Spain. The narration and dubbing take some getting used to, but after a while the show settles in to be a compelling mix of character drama and a tense, siege-like heist. Also lots of good cat and mouse between the crew and the police.

Movies (to - watch pile)

• Widows (2018) - $prime video
• Thief (1981) - $vudu
• Ladykillers (1955) - $prime video $youtube
• The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) - $prime video & (1999) - prime video
• Gonin aka "The Five" (1995)
• The King of Theives (2019) - prime video
  • a telling of the real-life "Hatton Garden Job" wiki

Animé

• Great Pretender - Netflix
• Baccano
• Lupin III - where to start
• Super Crooks - Netflix - soon to be released

Misc / unreviewed

• Heist Podcast

• Several "interviews with experts" videos on youtube

  • Former Diamond Thief And Detective Break Down 7 Jewel Heists In Movies And TV | How Real Is It? - youtube
  • Former Art Thief And Detective Rate 9 Art Heists In Movies And TV | How Real Is It? youtube
  • Former Jewel Thief Reviews Famous Heist Movies, From ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ to ‘Heat’ youtube

• Additional unsorted movies

  • The Town (2010)
  • Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973)
  • Rififi (1955)
  • The Usual Suspects (1995)
  • Reservoir Dogs (1992)
  • Inside Man (2006)
  • A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
  • Heist (2021) - Netflix
    • true crime documentary
  • Army of the Dead (2021 dir. Zack Synder) - Netflix
    • heist during zombie apocalypse

Sources

here are some other lists of heist movies I scanned through to make this one:

• The 30 Greatest Heist Movies Ever Made - esquire.com

• The 20 Best Heist Movies Of All Time - slashfilm.com

• Great Pretender & 9 Other Great Heist Animé - cbr.com