A bank robbery can be well planned and thought out. Then it ends successfully for the perpetrator for the time being. However, crime can also be spontaneous, amateurish, and unsuccessful. The fascination of getting as much money as quickly as possible is, in any case, the optimal material for exciting and captivating movies.
Numerous movies have robbery as a central theme. Some are successful, others without or with moderate success. Are you in the mood for clever, funny, or action-packed bank robberies? Well, let’s get to the remote! We have compiled for you a list of the 30 best movies of all time on the theme of bank robbery.
1. Heat
At the center of this 1995 heist movie are two men. One is an ice-cold and calculating professional gangster. The other is a conscientious and fanatical cop. One last big bank heist and then master crook Neil McCauley wants out. But right now, something is going wrong. Cop Vincent Hanna is hot on the crook’s heels and accomplices’ heels.
For the first time in Hollywood history, director Michael Mann brings together top actors Al Pacino and Robert De Niro to the screen. For good measure, Val Kilmer is seen on the side of the crooks in the movie, inspired by a real-life incident. A film that, as the name suggests, is absolutely hot. Conclusion: a must-see!
2. Bonny and Clyde
The story of Bonny and Clyde is an old one. The strip about the pair of crooks is also getting on in years. It was made in 1967 and directed by Arthur Penn. Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway play the pair of crooks who dominated the headlines of the 1930s.
The story is quickly told and probably known to everyone. A couple embarks on gangster careers and commits more or less successful heists in a self-destructive manner before they are finally ambushed.
Warren Beatty was both the lead actor and producer, which was extremely unusual in 1960s Hollywood. After initially negative reviews, Bonny and Clyde became a cult film that served as a model for numerous movies with a similar storyline. Conclusion: worth seeing!
3. Public Enemies (2009)
The charming crook John Dillinger keeps the America of the 1930s in suspense. He and his gang commit spectacular bank robberies and scam lots of money in the process. Thoughtful, methodical, and precise is how they go about it. They are always one step ahead of their pursuers. The public is increasingly sympathetic to Dillinger as the FBI is hunted as public enemy number one.
Johnny Depp is more convincing than anyone else as the charismatic gangster in Michael Mann’s 2009 film. The film is based on true events and became a hit on the big screen, not least due to an excellent leading actor and exciting action scenes. Conclusion: definitely watch!
4. The Town (2010)y
The film centers on a group of bank robbers wreaking havoc in the Boston suburb of Charlestown. The “Godfather” Fergie plans the coups. During a robbery, however, it comes as it must – it does not go smoothly. A hostage is taken, and differences between the gang members ensue. Jem, one of them, becomes more and more unpredictable. Together with Fergie, he insists on further robberies. But a special FBI unit has long been hot on their heels.
The film from 2010 is the work of actor and director Ben Affleck. It is based on the novel Endgame by Chuck Hogans. Conclusion: an exceptional thriller that captivates and must be experienced!
5. The Italian Job (2003)
Peter Collinson is responsible for the direction of the British film comedy. The plot revolves around the master thief Charlie Crocker. He and the aging crook Bridger commit a gold heist in Turin. Exciting and spectacular, the two escape the Italian police and the local mafia. What makes this film special is the cliffhanger with which it ends. It still keeps fans busy today.
In 2003 a remake was made, which ran “Hunt for Millions.” The remake with Charlize Theron and Mark Wahlberg received consistently good reviews. Conclusion: two films that are really fun to watch!
6. Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
The Hollywood film, made in 1975, retraces a real bank robbery on a particularly hot summer day in New York. The perpetrators, three men, rob a bank shortly before closing time. The bank robbers quickly lose control of the situation and take hostages. Police seal off the area, and onlookers and media arrive. The tension is palpable throughout the film, and the audience begins to sympathize with the perpetrators of the crime.
Director Sidney Lumet brought in one of the greats for the lead role. Al Pacino is even said to have had similarities with the real bank robber from 1972. Elton John provided the title song. In addition to the Vietnam theme, the film also brings homosexuality into play, which was very unusual for the time. Conclusion: oppressive, hot, but sensationally good!
7. Inside Man (2006)
Four people come together during a bank robbery in New York. Dalton Russel is the leader of the bank robbers who hold hostages. Keith Frazier is the detective who is supposed to act as a go-between. The third person is the director of the bank. He is afraid that his bank is harboring a secret that will be uncovered. Madaline White, person number four, is therefore supposed to negotiate with the bank robbers bypassing the police.
The thriller from 2006 convinces with its cast. Jodie Foster, Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, and Christopher Plummer are seen here under the direction of Spike Lee. The film was shot in the Financial District, directly on Wall Street. Conclusion: a star-studded cast in a gripping film!
8. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
The film begins with the meeting of eight men in a cafe. They only know each other’s nicknames. Dressed in black and wearing sunglasses, they come out of the diner and put a plan into action. They commit a robbery. But the police are already on the scene. Is there a traitor among the men?
The 1992 film is the debut work of director Quentin Tarantino. He plays the role of Mr. Brown. The peculiarity of this film is the arrangement of the individual scenes. They are not shown chronologically, and the robbery itself is only narrated. Conclusion: Despite low production costs a very successful work!
9. Point Break (1991)
A gang of bank robbers, who act extremely professionally in their coups and wear masks of former US presidents, calls the FBI on the scene. As a young and inexperienced FBI agent, Johnny Utah goes undercover into the surfing scene. Here one suspects the crooks. Soon he gets completely involved with the troupe around the charismatic Bodhi. He falls in love with his surfing instructor, putting her and himself in danger as his cover is blown. He has to take part in the next robbery, but this time something goes wrong.
The film was directed in 1991 by Kathryn Bigelow. The main roles were taken by Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze. The action thriller with the search for the perfect wave received mixed reviews. Conclusion: good and solid entertainment not only for fans of Patrick Swayze!
10. Hell Or High Water (2016)
The story revolves around a father of two and his brother, who has just been released from prison. Their mother bequeaths them a debt-laden estate, which the two desperately want to save from forced sale. The means of choice are bank robberies. But quickly, the lawmen are on their trail. The chase begins. But for the pair of brothers, going to prison is not an option.
The film could be described as a US-American neo-western. It premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival and was subsequently nominated for four Oscars. Directed by David Mackenzie, Jeff Bridges plays the ranger, Marcus. Conclusion: sovereign western and thriller without senseless shootouts!
11. Now You See Me (2013)
Illusion is everything, so the magician Atlas’s magic troupe amazes with a very special trick. They rob a bank on the other side of the world during a show in Las Vegas. They distribute the money in a Robin Hood manner to the astonished audience. It was expected that this action would not be without repercussions, so the FBI came into play. A French Interpol officer assists the investigating agent. But not only the two distrust each other. Welcome to the world of illusion.
The film was made in 2013. Starring Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman, among others. Conclusion: illusion is fascination – that inspires!
12. Quick Change (1990)
A trio of crooks rob a bank in perfect disguise and take hostages. Three hostages get free. But these three are the very bank robbers themselves, who are now on their way to the airport to escape to Fiji. But along the way, the most unbelievable mishaps happen.
A Crazy Brilliant Coup from 1990 is a remake of the highly successful French comedy The Boss. Bill Murray co-directed the film with Howard Franklin. He also took the leading role. Conclusion: both the original with Jean-Paul Belmondo and the remake are crazy, chaotic, and worth seeing!
13. Out of Sight (1998)
A bank robber with a passion, played by George Clooney, ends up in prison again and again because of his coups. During one escape, he gets into the hands of a female federal marshal, played by Jennifer Lopez. His escape agent ensures that both end up in a trunk together. The story takes its course, crook and marshal are attracted to each other. After their escape, the two should become hunters and hunted. The conflict of interest is pre-programmed.
Stephen Soderberg directed Out of Sight in 1998, a crime comedy that scores with romance instead of violence. Summary: a good balance between romance and action movies. Solid entertainment!
14. Baby Driver (2017)
Miles is young and highly talented. He drives a car like no other. Because of his tinnitus, he always has headphones in his ear. But Baby, as Miles is called, is in debt to gangster boss Doc and he knows how to take advantage of it. He lets Baby drive the getaway car in various bank robberies, outrunning the police in the process. But the boy falls in love and wants out. Before that, he has to do one more job.
Edgar Wright wrote the US action thriller. He directed and wrote the screenplay. The first, he worked out completely alone. It stars Kevin Spacey, Ansel Elgort, and Lily James in the leading roles. The soundtrack does not underscore the film this time but is constantly present and foregrounded. This is the music Baby listens to through his headphones. The film received numerous awards. Conclusion: different, but excellently different!
15. Bank Job (2008)
Terry, a small-time car salesman, receives an offer from a young girlfriend that he can’t refuse. It’s about the burglary of Lloyds Bank in London. There are said to be lockers with millions in contents. Terry doesn’t know that in addition to millions, the bank is also keeping numerous dirty secrets.
The film is based on a real incident in 1971. The case was never solved, and media coverage stopped because of the danger to national security. Producers say the film will tell the truth about what happened back then. Special highlight: Mick Jagger makes a brief guest appearance as a bank clerk. Conclusion: gripping English thriller with a touch of conspiracy theory!
16. Widows Trailer (2018)
What happens when a bank robber pays for a coup with his life, leaving his wife with a mountain of debt? Quite simply, the widow organizes her friends to share her fate with her. Together they search for a getaway driver and finish the job the men started.
Directed by Steve McQueen and starred Viola Davis, Cynthia Erivo and Liam Neeson, and Colin Farrell, among others. Conclusion: a heist film in which the women are not just visual accessories!
17. The Place Beyond the Pines (2013)
Aside from some of the most exciting heists ever seen in cinema, The Place Beyond The Pines explores the plight of several people. In the style of a television series, the story begins with a group of characters and then moves on to their descendants. Ryan Gosling plays a stuntman and bank robber who is on a collision course with a young cop.
These father-son stories are about human responsibility, betrayal, and devotion. After a time jump, Dane Dehan and Emory Coen come to the forefront. In the film’s final act, after The Place Beyond the Pines departs from its heist theme, the themes merge into one of the most interesting films on this list.
18. Getaway (2013)
Carter ‘Doc’ McCoy doesn’t want to go back to prison. So he gets involved in a shady deal with Sheriff Jack Benyon. He robs a bank. He embarks on a spectacular escape across the USA towards Mexico with his wife, pursued by his accomplice and the sheriff’s men.
The film is considered an absolute masterpiece by director Sam Peckinpah. Steve McQueen plays the leading role. Critics saw the theme of the American people’s naive relationship to violence in the movie. Conclusion: an action thriller in a class of its own. Must see!
19. Good Time (2017)
The crook Connie Nikas chooses as an accomplice for his bank robbery, his younger, mentally handicapped brother Nick of all people. The coup fails, and Nick is arrested. To raise bail for his little brother, he embarks on an adventurous journey through the underworld of New York. The whole thing becomes a race against time because Nick is in serious danger in jail.
In the role of Connie Nikas can be seen Robert Pattinson. His disabled brother is played by Josh Safdie, who also directed the film together with his brother Benny. He also co-wrote the screenplay. The film premiered in May 2017 in the course of the Cannes Film Festival. Conclusion: a movie like a trip, simply crazy!
20. Bandits (2001)
The two bandits, Joe and Terry, work out a surefire plan. They rob the directors of various banks in their homes. So the next day, they get into the financial institution easily and without problems. The scam is successful until Kate joins them. Two men and a woman – that holds conflicts in itself!
Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, and Cate Blanchett mime the bandit trio in Berry Levinson’s 2001 film. Conclusion: excellently cast rogue comedy that is fun to watch!
21. Thomas Crown is elusive
Businessman Thomas Crown is simply bored with his life of luxury. He plans the perfect crime. Anonymously hired crooks pull off the bank robbery, and Crown takes the loot. However, insurance detective Vicki Anderson quickly gets on his trail. A competition ensues that soon turns into an exciting affair.
In Thomas Crown is unbelievable, Faye Dunaway and Steve McQueen kiss. This kiss, 55 seconds long, will go down in film history as the longest kiss of the time. This scene was shot for a total of eight hours but on different days. The second special feature is the split-screen technique, which shows parallel action in different small windows. Conclusion: a crime comedy worth seeing, excellently acted, and intelligently realized!
22. Drive (2011)
In Drive, Ryan Gosling plays a quiet man who works as a car mechanic in Los Angeles for his buddy Shannon. In addition to this job, the mysterious man secretly earns money by serving as a getaway driver for robberies. His sideline as a stuntman in Hollywood gives him the confidence and skills he feels he needs for his illegal role.
When his neighbor Irene is in distress, he comes to her rescue. The poor woman’s husband is still in jail, and she has to take care of her son Benicio. The man gradually falls in love with Irene, but her husband, Standard (played by Oscar Isaac), is released from prison just days later. A criminal named Cook (played by James Biberi) soon presses Standard into service and hires him to steal from a pawnshop.
This act is meant as compensation for the protection Standard received in prison. When “the driver” learns of Standard’s situation, he decides to help him by being his getaway driver. When the whole plan goes awry, the enigmatic man must protect Irene and Benicio from a gang of gangsters.
23. Locked Down (2021)
Locked Down, shot during the months of the pandemic and lockdown, is both a heist film and a comedy. The movie is about capturing a valuable diamond that could solve the difficult financial situation of the two spouses, whose love story seems to be over and who have to live under one roof due to the Covid 19 pandemic. Space is an opportunity to start a new life and maybe get a second chance.
A film that will delight both lovers of heists and the audience that wants to spend a few pleasant and carefree hours.
24. Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
25. Die Hard (1988)
Suppose your favorite movie is not here, sorry. This list does not claim to be exhaustive, as they say. I’m sure there are a lot more top movies about robbing banks. Everyone has different preferences, so it is always difficult to find the best from the many movies.
The fact is that all these films have successfully run in theaters, won numerous awards, and are still popular to this day. Each of these films is recommended and has its own special highlights. So best check out where you can best stream it now! A lot of fun!
