DexertoAs far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster. No, wait, that’s not it. I mean, as far back as I can remember, I always wanted to rank the best gangster movies.
Yes, I love gangster films and I’m not the only one. Some of the best movies ever made (most of them by Martin Scorsese admittedly) are about charismatic crooks and murderous mobsters doing some pretty terrible things in the name of getting rich and powerful.
However, there are now more gangster movies to watch than there are bullets in Sonny Corleone’s chest (if you know, you know), and it can be as tough as becoming a made man to know which films are worth your precious time.
Well, I’m no rat, but the Dexerto TV and movies team has looser lips than Frankie the Squealer (especially Cam he just loves squealing; it makes him feel big). So when I made them an offer they couldn’t refuse (I asked them to pick the best films set in the criminal underworld), they sang like canaries. So enjoy their picks for the best gangster movies – and remember, always take the cannoli.
15. Miller’s Crossing
20th Century Fox- Release date: September 22, 1990
- Director: Joel Coen
- Cast: Gabriel Byrne, Albert Finney, Marcia Gay Harden, John Turturro
- How long is it? 1 hour, 55 minutes
What it’s about: When gang war breaks out in an unnamed city in prohibition-era America, low-level gangster Tom Reagan finds himself caught between the Irish and Italian mobs, using all his smarts to play both sides of the conflict.
Why we like it: Miller’s Crossing is the Coens at the height of their powers, and the result is a unique gangster movie with a complex plot, crackling dialogue, and stunning visuals. But the real reason this movie made this list is because of two scenes that are amongst the best the Coen brothers ever shot – the moving moment where Bernie Bernbaum (an amazing John Turturro) begs Tom Reagan for his life, and the spectacular sequence where mob boss Leo O’Bannon evades hit-men to the strains of ‘Danny Boy.’
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Written by Chris Tilly
14. A History of Violence
New Line Cinema- Release date: September 23, 2005
- Director: David Cronenberg
- Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, Ed Harris, William Hurt, Maria Bello
- How long is it? 1 hour 36 minutes
What it’s about: A quiet small-town man becomes a local hero after stopping a violent robbery, but his sudden fame brings dangerous men from his past a-knocking.
Why we like it: Cronenberg swaps his textbook body horror for psychological tension in this brutal, brooding crime thriller. Beautifully shot and impeccably executed, A History of Violence is less about mob life and more about identity and morality. It runs at a slower pace than others within this genre, but this deliberate approach only heightens its impact. And let’s not forget the outstanding cast, including a career-best performance from Mortensen, and Harris’ menacing presence solidifying him as one of cinema’s great villains.
Written by Daisy Phillipson
13. Casino
Universal Pictures- Release date: November 22, 1995
- Director: Martin Scorcese
- Cast: Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Sharon Stone, Frank Vincent, John Manca
- How long is it? 2 hours 58 minutes
What it’s about: Robert De Niro is Ace, cutting about the gambling rooms of Las Vegas looking all haughty and powerful. He’s working for the Mafia, with his ties to fiery friend Nicky and love interest Ginger. Proper Bugsy Malone names, here.
Why we like it: By this point in time, Scorsese is Scorsese-ing at his finest level. Casino is basically a museum artifact of everything he does so well. What looks like an action epic on the surface is actually something much deeper and denser, with a hint of true story just to tie all of the intrigue together. De Niro is the work bestie who’s never let Scorsese go, and for that, we’re eternally thankful.
Written by Jasmine Valentine
12. Infernal Affairs
Media Asia Films- Release date: 12 December, 2002
- Directors: Andrew Lau, Andrew Mak
- Cast: Andy Lau, Tony Leung, Anthony Wong
- How long is it? 1 hour, 41 minutes
What it’s about: A Hong Kong cop goes undercover in a triad at the same time a member of that triad has infiltrated the police force.
Why we like it: We could have put remake, The Departed, on this list, as it has the budget, the Hollywood stars, and the Oscars. But Martin Scorsese’s movie fails to capture the suspense of the original, which becomes unbearably tense as the two undercover spies get ever closer to identifying each other. Andy Lau and Tony Leung are electrifying as the two rivals gradually losing all sense of self, while the grandstanding rooftop climax – where they finally confront each other – is perfection.
Written by Chris Tilly
11. The Usual Suspects
Universal Pictures- Release date: August 16, 1995
- Director: Bryan Singer
- Cast: Kevin Spacey, Gabriel Byrne, Chazz Palminteri, Kevin Pollak, Benicio del Toro, Stephen Baldwin
- How long is it? 1 hour 46 minutes
What it’s about: After a brutal massacre in San Pedro Bay, one of the survivors recounts the events that led to the slaughter to a US Customs Agent while also telling him about the mysterious crime lord Keyser Söze, who organized the whole thing.
Why we like it: Surprisingly violent and slightly labyrinthian, you might expect The Usual Suspects, with its notorious twists and turns, to be a difficult film to follow. However, editor John Ottman does a tremendous job keeping things pacy and, more importantly, coherent while the ensemble cast works wonders with Christopher McQuarrie’s intelligent script. Don’t listen to those who say the film loses some of its power if you know the twist; it just makes it all the more rewatchable.
Written by Tom Percival
10. Snatch
Screen Gems- Release date: December 6, 2000
- Director: Guy Ritchie
- Cast: Jason Statham, Brad Pitt, Stephen Graham, Benicio del Toro, Vinnie Jones
- How long is it? 1 hour 44 minutes
What it’s about: A stolen diamond, an underground boxing ring, and a whole lot of double-crossing gangsters collide in this fast-talking, fast-punching crime caper.
Why we like it: Alongside Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch cemented Ritchie as a master of the British gangster flick. Like the rowdy, foul-mouthed cousin you love to hate, this comedic gem is chaotic in the best way, with rapid-fire dialogue, eccentric criminals, and a bare-knuckle boxing Brad Pitt who you’ll barely understand but love anyway (keep an eye out for a baby-faced Stephen Graham, too). And let’s not forget the many one-liners that’ll stick with you for life. “In the quiet words of the Virgin Mary… come again?”
Written by Daisy Phillipson
9. Jackie Brown
Miramax- Release date: December 25, 1997
- Director: Quentin Tarantino
- Cast: Pam Grier, Bridget Fonda, Robert Forster, Robert De Niro, Aimee Graham
- How long is it? 2 hours 34 minutes
What it’s about: A flight attendant – guess what her name is – gets caught smuggling gun money. When she does, she has a choice… team up with the cops to haul her boss to jail, or not tattle and go herself. Frankly, an impossible choice.
Why we like it: It’s the Tarantino movie you’ve overlooked for years but desperately need to see. Pam Grier oozes sexy cool in the lead role (a female lead in a gangster movie?! WHAT?!), playing an empowered woman in a way 90s movies rarely did. It’s also a nod to the Blaxploitation cinema movement of the 1970s, meaning there are deeper cultural layers than just classic shoot-em-up violence.
Written by Jasmine Valentine
8. Scarface
Universal Pictures- Release date: December 9, 1983
- Director: Brian De Palma
- Cast: Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Bauer
- How long is it? 2 hours 50 minutes
What it’s about: Cuban refugee Tony Montana moves to Miami and soon finds himself turning to crime to make ends meet. Before long, Tony has established himself as a powerful drug dealer and crime lord, but as his empire grows, so too does his list of enemies.
Why we like it: If The Godfather is the film that made crime seem classy, then Scarface exposes the criminal underworld as the dirty, sweaty, and violent place we all know it really is. Perhaps unsurprisingly, then Scarface is both incredibly violent and highly profane, yet beyond this exuberant and highly entertaining bombast lurks a deeper story about the death of the American Dream and the dangers of excess.
Written by Tom Percival
7. City of God
Miramax Films- Release date: January 17, 2003
- Director: Fernando Meirelles, Kátia Lund
- Cast: Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino, Phellipe Haagensen, Alice Braga
- How long is it? 2 hours 10 minutes
What it’s about: A kid growing up in Rio de Janeiro’s most dangerous slum tries to escape a life of crime, while his childhood friend rises through the ranks of the city’s ruthless gangs.
Why we like it: “If you run, the beast catches you; if you stay, the beast eats you.” Raw, electric, and devastating, City of God is a gangster film like no other. The handheld camerawork throws you into the chaos, the storytelling is gripping, and the performances – many from non-acting favela residents – are impeccably real. It’s a film that doesn’t just show you crime; it makes you feel the desperation and the tragic inevitability of those trapped in a world with no easy way out.
Written by Daisy Phillipson
6. Reservoir Dogs
Miramax Films- Release date: October 9, 1992
- Director: Quentin Tarantino
- Cast: Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Steve Buscemi, Quentin Tarantino
- How long is it? 1 hour 39 minutes
What it’s about: A diamond heist goes sideways, and the surviving criminals – some bleeding, all paranoid – try to figure out who among them is a rat.
Why we like it: My late father used to re-enact the ear scene every time ‘Stuck In The Middle With You’ came on the radio, a morbidly hilarious ritual that somehow made Tarantino’s blend of ultra-violence and dark humor feel even more iconic. From its non-linear storytelling to its razor-sharp dialogue, Reservoir Dogs cemented itself as one of the coolest – and most brutal – crime films ever made.
Written by Daisy Phillipson
5. Uncut Gems
A24- Release date: December 13, 2019
- Directors: Josh Safdie and Benny Safdie
- Cast: Adam Sandler, LaKeith Stanfield, Julia Fox
- How long is it? 2 hours and 15 minutes
What it’s about: After lending out a precious gem, a New York-based jeweller must track it back down in order to pay off his debts and get free from a vicious loan shark.
Why we like it: Those who say Adam Sandler can’t do drama have clearly never seen Click, but the Sandman is at peak performance in this frightful, stressful drama that has him running around New York like a mad man. From start to finish, Uncut Gems grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let you go, with the situation growing more and more dire with every passing problem he finds himself tangled up in. Funny, dark, and a complete riot.
Written by Jessica Cullen
4. Goodfellas
Warner Bros. Pictures- Release date: September 19, 1990
- Director: Martin Scorsese
- Cast: Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci
- How long is it? 2 hours and 26 minutes
What it’s about: The rise and fall of Henry Hill and his years spent in the Mafia under the guidance of famed crime boss Jimmy Conway.
Why we like it: Goodfellas may be the ultimate mafia movie, and it’s all thanks to this dense, ever-evolving story of a group of criminals trying to maintain their power and work out who to trust. The trio of Liotta, De Niro, and Pesci battle it out and constantly weave the line between “cool guy” and deplorable villain, and it’s a perfect trip through time through the ideas of a budding young mafioso.
Written by Jessica Cullen
3. Heat
Warner Bros.- Release date: December 15, 1995
- Director: Michael Mann
- Cast: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Val Kilmer, Ashley Judd, Diane Venora
- How long is it? 2 hours 50 minutes
What it’s about: Robert De Niro is back, back, back again. This time he’s McCauley, a thief hoping to pull off one last heist. However, police detective Hanna is constantly on his back, trying his very best to stop McCauley before it’s too late.
Why we like it: If you were to choose a dream cast for the most epic action crime movie of all time, it would likely be the cast of Heat. We’ve all dreamed of strutting out of a car and blazing a place up, but only De Niro, Pacino, and Kilmer can actually make it look this cool. A high-tension cat-and-mouse, nothing is ever as simple as crime vs. justice. Everybody is obsessed with something… it’s just a question of whether they’ll ever let go.
Frankly, I can’t believe this is made by the same man behind Ferrari, but life never ceases to amaze. This time, I’m feeling the Heat in the best way (quote the full line in your heads).
Written by Jasmine Valentine
2. The Godfather
Paramount Pictures- Release date: March 24, 1972
- Director: Francis Ford Coppola
- Cast: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton
- How long is it? 2 hours 55 minutes
What it’s about: After Vito Corleone, the patriarch of the Corleone Crime Lord, is gunned down, his youngest son, Michael, reluctantly takes charge of business while his father recovers. However, Michael’s ruthlessness and intelligence mean he’s a better fit for “this thing of ours” than he ever thought possible.
Why we like it: A grand tragedy, The Godfather is often used as a measuring stick for other great films, and it’s widely considered not just a good gangster movie but one of the best movies of all time – and honestly, it’s easy to see why.
On a purely technical level, the film is superb – it’s exceptionally cast, looks gorgeous, sounds amazing, and is well edited – it genuinely pushed the boundaries of what people thought film could be. Yet the Godfather’s real power isn’t technical. It’s dramaturgical. Anyone and everyone can relate to Michael Corleone’s Faustian story. True, they might not be criminals (or I hope not at least), but which of us wouldn’t sacrifice our very souls to protect our families?
Written by Tom Percival
1. Pulp Fiction
Miramax Films- Release date: October 14, 1994
- Director: Quentin Tarantino
- Cast: John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman
- How long is it? 2 hours and 29 minutes
What it’s about: A story of four entwined stories taking place in LA: a boxer on the run, a gangster and his wife, a couple holding up a diner, and two hit men who have their worst day on the job.
Why we like it: Tarantino has become as much of an authority on crime movies as, say, Martin Scorsese, but his darkly humorous and interwoven approach has never been more at play than in Pulp Fiction. The movie that inspired a million dorm room posters, it’s still difficult to say which subplot is our favorite all these years on. Immensely quotable, perfectly violent, and always surprising, it should be no surprise this is at the top of our list.
Written by Jessica Cullen
Looking for more recommendations? Check out our list of the best Netflix thrillers, or why not read our best sci-fi movies ever made? Still not happy, well in that case our guide to all the new 2025 movies might be just what you need.