The Top 10 Best Heist Movies

5. The Usual Suspects

Say what you want about Bryan Singer, but The Usual Suspects is one of the greatest films ever made. In fact, I don’t even want to talk too much about it just for the sake of those of you who haven’t seen it. For the sake of this list though, I will say that it’s cast is phenomenal featuring the likes of Kevin Spacey (yeah, he’s a monster, but he’s a really great actor), Gabriel Byrne, and Benicio Del Toro all of whom create some of the most memorable characters in movie history. It also features a twist that is so mind-blowing, that not even the cast knew that it was while they were filming. Honestly though, if you haven’t seen this heist movie you definitely need to add it to your Netflix queue asap.

4. Hell or High Water

Sometimes the heroes of heist movies find themselves turning to crime to get out of a tough spot. The second entry in Taylor Sheridan‘s thematic American Frontier trilogy tackles how much the 99% suffered after the subprime mortgage crisis. In it, two brothers who are getting ready to lose their family ranch decide to rob the bank that holds the mortgage on their land in order to pay them back. At first, it seems like the two might actually get away with everything until the Texas Rangers decide to go after them. The brother’s end up in a race against time to get the cash to save their family home before the mortgage is due and the Texas Rangers

3. Dog Day Afternoon

There have been a lot of “newer” heist movies on this list, but one of the most unique heist movies ever made was Dog Day Afternoon. In it, Al Pacino attempts to rob a bank in order to help pay for his gay lover’s sex change operation. Honestly, it’s a pretty progressive film for the time it was made (1975). Unfortunately, Pacino is not exactly a criminal mastermind and things go south pretty early on and the whole thing turns into a media circus. While he might not be pulling off the most well-planned caper in cinema history the dramatic story behind his robbery makes this one of the most memorable films ever made.

2. Heat

Heat is one of those movies that every heist movie is eventually compared to. Earlier this year, Den of Thieves hit theaters and it drew the ire of critics because it wasn’t “as good” as Heat. While Heat is definitely one of the best heist movies ever made, it’s certainly not the golden standard that all heist movies should be compared to. That being said, Heat is an intense thriller that features Al Pacinopitted against Robert De Niro. It’s cops and robbers taken to the next level as two brilliant men stand off against each other to see which side of the law will reign supreme. While I’m not as enamored with this film as so many others are, I respect it as one of the truly great heist movies of all time.

1. Ocean’s Eleven (2001)

When it comes to heist movies, nothing beats the Steven Soderbergh remake of the classic Ocean’s Eleven. It’s a smart thriller with more style and charisma than you can shake a stick at. At the center of the film are the likes of Brad Pitt and George Clooney, who set out to snag the score of a lifetime and get a little personal revenge at the same time. The team they recruit is made up of some of the most talented actors in Hollywood and all of them bring their A-game making this an enthralling film that you can watch over and over again. It’s a smart, fast-paced film that focuses on the details and pulls of an unbelievable final heist. When it comes to pulling off a great caper, it doesn’t get any better than Ocean’s Eleven.

There you have it, some of the best heist movies to hit the big screen since the Great Train Robbery. Like I said before, there are plenty of heist movies always hitting theaters, so I’d love to hear what some of your favorites are. Be sure to leave a comment to let me know your thoughts and if there’s ever a Top 10 List you want to see me tackle in the future, let me know.