Gangster and mob movies are among the most compelling and interesting subgenres that film has to offer. Typically depicting street-level crime and centering around the rise and fall of morally flawed yet still sympathetic characters,gangster movies allow law-abiding viewers a window into a dangerous world of conniving and murder.
While gangster movies as a subgenre aren’t as popular as they once were (gone are the days ofMartin ScorseseandBrian De Palma’s legendary back-and-forth of creating some of the most iconic mob movies of the ’80s and ’90s),the 21st century still has plenty of fantastic efforts for genre fans to immerse themselves in. This is a selection of the 10 best gangster movies of the last 25 years.
10’Legend' (2015)
Directed by Brian Helgeland
Identical twins Reggie and Ronnie Kray (Tom Hardy) are London’s most notorious gangsters. While they rise through the ranks of London’s organized crime hierarchy together, their respective methodologies and moral compasses are vastly different. Ronnie operates through violence while Reggie looks to build legitimate business connections, spurred by a newfound love for a local girl. As similar as their appearances are, it’s their clashing ideologies that threaten an entire empire.
Legendworks almost entirely thanks to leading man (men in this case)Tom Hardy. As gimmicky as dual performances as a pair of identical twin mobsters may sound, Hardy embodies both characters with gusto.Each twin has their own quirks, vocal inflections and mannerisms—it’s truly impressive work fromone of Hollywood’s most prominent talents.Legendis not flawless, but it’s fun and full of energy.
Watch on Apple TV
9’John Wick' (2014)
Retired assassin John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is grieving the tragic loss of his wife. Just when he thought he had lost everything he cared about, Russian goons break into his house, steal his prized Mustang, and kill the puppy left by Wick’s wife as a dying gift. Unbeknownst to the mob-affiliated miscreants, Wick is a force of nature not so easily stopped when he has absolutely nothing to lose.
A modern classic that’s more influential than most give it credit for,John Wickisa masterwork of stylish action filmmakingand possiblythe definitive entry to the one-man-army subgenrethat’s now more popular than ever. While primarily an action flick,John Wick’s portrayal of a criminal underworld is a unique one—an aspect fleshed out even further in the series' later entries,but sometimes it’s best to pay homage to where it all started. WithJohn Wick,Reeves breathed life into a modern pop-culture iconand moviegoers worldwide should forever be grateful.
Directed by Sam Mendes
Set in 1930s Southern Illinois, Mike Sullivan (Tom Hanks) serves as a henchman to crime boss John Rooney (Paul Newman). Not only being his right-hand man, Rooney views Sullivan as the son he never had. Things grow complicated when Sullivan’s eldest son inadvertently witnesses a mob hit carried out by his father. Rooney’s true son, Connor (Daniel Craig), insists that there can be no loose ends, threatening the lives of Sullivan and his entire family and forcing him to become an enemy to the mob that once employed him.
Road to Perditionis anelegantly crafted, wonderfully performed and almost operatic gangster epicthat packs a surprising emotional wallop. DirectorSam Mendescultivates fantastic performances from a stellar cast, further bolstering a screenplay with an emotional depth that other genre efforts could only dream of achieving. No matter which way one looks at it,the passion behindRoad to Perditionis undeniable.
Road to Perdition
7’Training Day' (2001)
Directed by Antoine Fuqua
Newly appointed Los Angeles narcotics officer Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke) is assigned his first day on the job where he’ll be shadowing veteran L.A.P.D detective Alonzo Harris (Denzel Washington). While undeniably experienced, Harris' methods are unorthodox and his practices often call his morals into question. This will become all too apparent to Hoyt after a shady dealing goes horribly wrong.
A definitive cop drama and gangster movie classic,Training Dayis a thrilling and engaging watch that findstwo of the best actors of this generation pitted against each otherin a smartly written war of ideology.Training Dayis violent, exceedingly vulgar and immensely entertaining. This is a gangster movie that is unafraid to portray the ugly truth of battling street-level crime; sometimes, there are no good guys.
Training Day
6’Eastern Promises' (2007)
Directed by David Cronenberg
The operations of a Russian organized crime ring based out of London are flipped on its head following the death of a pregnant teenage girl. While doctors manage to save the baby, the circumstances surrounding the young girl’s pregnancy are grim. Dark secrets are revealed that threaten the stability of a far-reaching criminal enterprise, while mob enforcer Nikolai (Viggo Mortensen) is left to search for answers.
Eastern Promisesisone of the most oppressive and dark gangster movies that the genre has ever seen.The atmosphere is thick and the violence is shocking—so much so that it can be difficult to stomach at times, which isn’t at all surprising coming from aDavid Cronenbergeffort. Still,Eastern Promisesis a consistently engaging genre movie thateffectively depicts the dangers and horrors of organized crime.
Eastern Promises
5’Snatch' (2000)
Directed by Guy Ritchie
Snatchis a crime caper that follows multiple crooks pursuing a stolen diamond. A pair of unqualified boxing promoters (Jason StathamandStephen Graham) unwillingly become involved in a scheme to fix a boxing match. The pair are forced to wrangle the talented but rowdy fighter Mickey O’Neil (Brad Pitt). These events coincide with a massive diamond heist that will see both groups clash with severe consequences.
Snatchis a wildly entertaining and decidedly fun movie.Playful yet far from farcical, directorGuy Ritchieinfuses so much energy into every scene that the pace is almost overwhelming.Snatchoffers entertainment value by the boatload; the banter is sharp, the characters are cooky and the direction is unabashedly inventive.This is a gangster movie that only Ritchie could pull off, and while he’s had his fair share of successes since,Snatchwill likely go down as the tenured director’s greatest work.
4’American Gangster' (2007)
Directed by Ridley Scott
Set in 1970s New York, Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) establishes and manages one of the largest heroin rackets the city has ever seen. A former bouncer and collector for the New York mob, Lucas seizes a leadership position following the death of his mentor. As his empire expands, the honest and hard-headed detective Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe) leads a task force looking to take Lucas down.
One of legendary directorRidley Scott’s more underappreciated efforts,AmericanGangsterisa rock-solid, well-acted and utterly absorbing crime drama.As entertaining as it is to witness Lucas' villainous rise to power, it’s detective Roberts' story that provides a strong emotional backbone to the sprawling narrative; he’s incorruptible, almost to a fault, but imperfect as a man.American Gangsteris as sturdy an effort as the genre has to offer.
American Gangster
3’The Gentlemen' (2019)
Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey) is an American graduate of Oxford and owner of one of London’s largest marijuana empires. The sale of his empire causes a chain reaction of blackmail, deception and violence that finds an array of colorful and less-than-qualified characters scrambling over each other in an attempt to claim a fortune for themselves.
A return to the style of movie that earned director Guy Ritchie his earliest praise, it’s difficult not to be ultimately won over by the charms ofTheGentlemen. The ensemble is impressive—perhaps the strongest the director has ever assembled. The excellent cast helps to establishThe Gentlemenas a crime caper that’s funny, clever and confidently helmed, even if it does tread some familiar territory in the process.
The Gentlemen
2’The Departed' (2006)
Directed by Martin Scorsese
The Boston police force is engaged in a war against Irish-American organized crime. Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a young undercover cop assigned to infiltrate the ranks of kingpin Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson). Police investigator Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) opts to bat for the other team, acting as an informant for Costello, ensuring that the crime syndicate stays one step ahead of law enforcement at all times. As the war on crime escalates, both Costigan and Sullivan must maintain their false identities in their attempts to expose one another.
A bonafide gangster movie classic from the man who could be described as the genre’s pioneer,The Departedisgritty entertainment executed with a level of finesse that only a master filmmaker could muster.DirectorMartin Scorseseis no stranger to masterpieces, yetThe Departedis a uniquely excellent effort; not only does it harken back to an era in which Scorsese reigned supreme,but it reinforces his status as the master of crime drama. Fiery, pulse-pounding and ferociously acted,The Departedis not only one of the best gangster movies of the century but one of the greatest of all time.
The Departed
1’The Irishman' (2019)
War veteran turned hit-man for the Buffalino crime family, Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro) reflects on a life that earned him wealth but cost him the connections with those who he cared for most. His heaviest burden to bear is his involvement in the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino), President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, as well as one of Frank’s closest friends.
The Irishmanfeels like the conclusion to the entire genre itself. Introspective and weighty, yet still slickly entertaining,The Irishmanis a monumental achievement that serves as a love letter to a bygone era of filmmaking. It’s impossible not to be giddy with excitementwatchingDe Niro andJoe Pescishare the screen once again.The Irishmanis theAvengers: Endgame(2019)of mob movies;epic in its own way, elegantly presented and a product of pure passion.
