The Heist Film
The heist film's simple premise of a team coming together for a robbery has allowed filmmakers to use the allure of a clever caper – this isn’t your usual smash and grab -- in many different stylistic and cultural contexts. In this Spotlight, we highlight the essential classics and modern reworkings of the genre.
Museo
Based on the largest heist in Mexico's history.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Mexico • 2018
- Director Alonso Ruizpalacios
- Cast Gael García Bernal, Leonardo Ortizgris, Alfredo Castro, Lisa Owen, Leticia Brédice, Ilse Salas
- Genre Crime, Drama
- Available on Kino Film Collection, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Kanopy, Hoopla
Widows
Left with nothing. Capable of anything.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- United Kingdom, United States • 2018
- Director Steve McQueen
- Cast Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, Cynthia Erivo, Colin Farrell, Brian Tyree Henry
- Genre Crime, Thriller
- Available on fuboTV, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube
The Thieves
(도둑들)
South Korean thieves teams up with a Hong Kong crew to steal a diamond from a heavily-guarded casino.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea • 2012
- Director Choi Dong-hoon
- Cast Kim Yoon-seok, Kim Hye-soo, Lee Jung-jae, Jun Ji-hyun, Simon Yam, Angelica Lee
- Genre Action, Crime
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus, Kocowa, Hi-YAH, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, FlixFling, Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, YouTube Free, Pluto TV, Freevee, Hoopla, Plex, Plex Channel
Headhunters
(Hodejegerne)
An accomplished headhunter risks everything to obtain a valuable painting owned by a former mercenary.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Norway, Sweden, Denmark • 2011
- Director Morten Tyldum
- Cast Aksel Hennie, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Synnøve Macody Lund, Julie R. Ølgaard, Eivind Sander, Baard Owe
- Genre Crime, Thriller
- Available on fuboTV, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, FlixFling, Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, VUDU Free, DistroTV, Hoopla, Plex, Plex Channel
Sexy Beast
A retired safecracker relaxing with his family in Spain is approached by a former associate with a job offer.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- United Kingdom, Spain • 2001
- Director Jonathan Glazer
- Cast Ray Winstone, Ben Kingsley, Ian McShane, Amanda Redman, Cavan Kendall, Julianne White
- Genre Crime, Drama, Thriller
- Available on Paramount Plus Apple TV Channel , Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube
Le Cercle Rouge
(Le Cercle rouge)
No place to hide...nowhere to run...
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Italy • 1970
- Director Jean-Pierre Melville
- Cast Alain Delon, Bourvil, Gian Maria Volonté, Yves Montand, Paul Crauchet, André Ekyan
- Genre Crime, Drama, Thriller
- Available on Apple TV, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video
The Italian Job
A comedy caper film featuring a charismatic ex-con, car chases, and chaos galore.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- United Kingdom • 1969
- Director Peter Collinson
- Cast Michael Caine, Noël Coward, Benny Hill, Margaret Blye, Raf Vallone, Tony Beckley
- Genre Action, Comedy, Crime, Thriller
- Available on Paramount Plus, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel, Paramount Plus Apple TV Channel , Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Kanopy
Band of Outsiders
(Bande à part)
A misfit trio in love with anti-heroes plan their own heist in one of Godard's most underrated films.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 1964
- Director Jean-Luc Godard
- Cast Anna Karina, Claude Brasseur, Sami Frey, Danièle Girard, Louisa Colpeyn, Chantal Darget
- Genre Crime, Drama, Romance
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Any Number Can Win
(Mélodie en sous-sol)
A career criminal enlists the help of a former cellmate for a large-scale robbery of a Cannes casino vault.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Italy • 1963
- Director Henri Verneuil
- Cast Jean Gabin, Alain Delon, Claude Cerval, Viviane Romance, Henri Virlogeux, Jean Carmet
- Genre Crime, Drama, Romance
- Available on Criterion Channel
Big Deal on Madonna Street
(I soliti ignoti)
Inept criminals gather a team together to try and dig a tunnel into a pawnshop and rob a safe.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy • 1958
- Director Mario Monicelli
- Cast Vittorio Gassman, Renato Salvatori, Memmo Carotenuto, Rossana Rory, Carla Gravina, Claudia Cardinale
- Genre Comedy, Crime
- Available on Criterion Channel
Bob le Flambeur
(Bob le flambeur)
Bob, making a desperate gamble, soon learns that his game is rigged and the cops are onto him.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 1956
- Director Jean-Pierre Melville
- Cast Roger Duchesne, Isabelle Corey, Daniel Cauchy, André Garet, Gérard Buhr, Guy Decomble
- Genre Action, Crime, Drama
- Available on Kino Film Collection, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Kanopy
The Lavender Hill Mob
A bank clerk and a souvenir maker form a criminal team in order to smuggle gold out of the country.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- United Kingdom • 1951
- Director Charles Crichton
- Cast Alec Guinness, Stanley Holloway, Sid James, Alfie Bass, Marjorie Fielding, Edie Martin
- Genre Comedy, Crime
- Available on FlixFling, Apple TV, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Kanopy, Hoopla