There’s just something about a heist movie that hits different. Maybe it’s the thrill of watching clever crooks outsmart the system or the satisfaction of seeing a group of underdogs pull off an impossible job. And with the recent heist that took place at the Louvre, we all know what everyone’s go-to film genre these days will be. So here are 10 heist films for you to binge-watch.
- Ocean’s Eleven (2002)
The Ocean’s Eleven remake by Stephen Soderbergh is pure cinema. George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, and Julia Roberts headline a star-studded cast of con artists plotting to rob three Las Vegas casinos at once. Stylish and impossibly smooth, this is the heist movie that makes us want to wear suits, play poker, and talk in witty one-liners. It’s also so well-crafted that even the sequels (Ocean’s Twelve, Ocean’s Thirteen, and Ocean’s Eight) couldn’t quite top it.
- Inception (2010)
Sure, Inception is a sci-fi mindbender about dreams within dreams, but strip away the surreal visuals and you’ve got a high-concept heist film. Leonardo DiCaprio leads a team of “extractors” who infiltrate people’s subconscious to steal or plant ideas. Every aspect of the plan, including the crew, the setup, and the timing, meticulously adheres to the heist blueprint. It’s just that this time, the safe they’re cracking is someone’s mind.
- The Town (2010)
Ben Affleck steps behind and in front of the camera in The Town, a gritty story about Boston bank robbers trying to make one last big score. Affleck plays Doug, a thief who falls for a woman he once took hostage, while the relentless FBI agent (Jon Hamm) hunts him down. With its tense shootouts and emotional weight, it’s one of the best modern crime thrillers around.
- Army of Thieves (2021)
Army of Thieves, a prequel to Army of the Dead, is much more fun than it should be. Directed by and starring Matthias Schweighöfer, it follows a quirky safecracker on a globetrotting adventure to open a series of legendary vaults. Fast-paced and charming, it’s a love letter to the classic European heist movie.
- Sugar & Spice (2001)
If you believed that cheerleaders were only skilled in pyramid formations and spirit fingers, Sugar & Spice will challenge your perception. Marley Shelton leads a squad of perky teens who turn to robbery when one of them gets pregnant and needs cash. They binge-watch old heist flicks, plan meticulously, and somehow make it look adorable. Think Bring It On meets Point Break. It’s a cult classic waiting to be rediscovered; darkly funny, a bit dated, but undeniably entertaining.
- Heist (2001)
When it comes to crime thrillers, David Mamet doesn’t just write the rules; he rewrites them mid-sentence. Heist stars Gene Hackman as a career criminal forced into one last job by a manipulative fence (Danny DeVito) who insists on including his unreliable nephew, played by Sam Rockwell. What unfolds is classic Mamet: sharp dialogue, layered betrayals, and twists stacked like dominoes. It’s not just about who gets away with the gold, but who’s smart enough to survive the con.
- Fast Five (2011)
This is the movie that turned the Fast and Furious franchise into an action juggernaut. Instead of just racing cars, the crew pulls off a high-octane heist in Brazil, dragging a vault through the streets in one of the wildest chases ever filmed. Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson engage in a testosterone-fueled pursuit that elevated blockbuster heist movies to unprecedented heights.
- Widows (2018)
Three women, portrayed by Viola Davis, Elizabeth Debicki, and Michelle Rodriguez, face the challenge of completing their husbands’ failed heist themselves. Directed by Steve McQueen, Widows is all sharp political commentary and gripping suspense. It’s about survival, power, and what happens when the underestimated step up to the role.
- Logan Lucky (2017)
Steven Soderbergh returns to his favourite genre with Logan Lucky, a working-class heist comedy about two brothers (Channing Tatum and Adam Driver) who plot to steal a NASCAR race. They recruit Joe Bang, an eccentric explosives expert played by Daniel Craig in full redneck mode, and chaos ensues. It’s clever, funny, and has one of the most surprisingly wholesome endings in any heist movie.
- Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007)
Sidney Lumet’s final film, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead, is a tragic crime drama dressed up as a heist movie. Philip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke play brothers who plan to rob their parents’ jewellery store, where everything that could go wrong goes wrong. What begins as a straightforward task transforms into a profound assault of moral decay, guilt, greed, and familial devastation. Lumet reminds us that in the realm of crime, no one escapes untouched.
