This is the sixth in a series of articles where we’ll be covering the Top Heist Films. Films About Heists also include Films About Capers, Films About Thieves, Films About Bank Robberies, Films About Armored Car Robberies and Films About Bank Heists. In general, this subgenre covers anything to do with armed robbers or thieves.
This sixth article will cover the Top Heist Films You Haven’t Seen from 2010 – 2014 and you can check out additional articles by decade below. We are also going to include a Best Of subgenre article as a grand finale. There are so many great Heist films over the last 60 years that we felt it best to break down some of the subgenre’s forgotten and lesser-known gems by decade before we give you the Best Of list which will likely feature many films you’ve already heard of or have seen.
- Top Heist Films You Haven’t Seen – 1970’s
- Top Heist Films You Haven’t Seen – 1980’s
- Top Heist Films You Haven’t Seen – 1990’s
- Top Heist Films You Haven’t Seen – 2000 – 2004
- Top Heist Films You Haven’t Seen – 2005 – 2009
- Top Heist Films You Haven’t Seen – 2010 – 2014
- Top Heist Films You Haven’t Seen – 2015 – 2019
- Best Recent Heist Films
- Best Heist Films
The 2010’s were a down decade for Heist Films. Though the volume of films was consistent with previous decades, the decrease in quality was noticeable. However, the first half of the decade did provide a few classic films of the subgenre and saw a return to some popular themes including Biopics, Comedies and Noir-based Heist films.
Heist films based on historical figures and events continued en masse from 2010 – 2014. The German film The Robber (2010) was based on real-life marathon runner and bank robber Johan Kastenberger. The Australian Pettingill crime family was the inspiration for Animal Kingdom (2010) which in turn spawned an even more successful TV series. Nokas (2010) was a cinematic recreation of the Nokas Cash Handling robbery which was the biggest-ever heist in Norway. Thomas and Rosmaire Uva were the subjects of Rob the Mob (2014) which detailed the couple’s robberies of Mafia-run social clubs (some of which were owned by the Gambino crime family). And Electric Slide (2014) was a Biopic of Eddie Dodson who was connected to 72 bank heists in Los Angeles.
Caper comedies and Heist films with various comedic styles also proved popular in the first half of the decade. Dark Comedy Heist Films included 30 Minutes or Less (2011), Thin Ice (2012), Dom Hemingway (2013) and Plan C (2012). Quirky and Offbeat Comedy were the foundations of Heist films including The Hot Potato (2011), Flypaper (2011), Robot & Frank (2012) and The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014). And Tower Heist (2011) saw a return to the Ensemble Heist theme as a Buddy Comedy.
The early half of 2010 also saw a return of Noir-themed Heist films with The Double Hour (2011), Drive (2011), The Place Beyond the Pines (2013) and Tommy (2014).
Our complete list of Caper and Heist Films features over 448+ films from 1956 – 2023. This collection features almost every film involving a caper, heist or robbery and films focused on thieves and burglars. If you don’t see a film in our collection, it might not have enough Heist Film elements to be included but is likely in our lists of Films About Con Artists, Films About Financial Fraud or Films About Fugitives which are all closely aligned with the Heist Film subgenre. Also, as we’re always updating our Heist Film collections and will be releasing additional articles of great Heist Films, subscribe to our newsletter for our latest updates as we post them.
Classic Heist Films from 2010 – 2014: Inception (2010), The Town (2010), Nokas (2010), Drive (2011), Robot & Frank (2012), Parker (2013), The Place Beyond the Pines (2013), Trance (2013), Now You See Me (2013), Metro Manila (2013), The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), The Drop (2014) and Who Am I (2014).
Lesser-known Heist Films from 2010 – 2014 that didn’t make our list: The Blonde with the Bare Breasts (2010), Takers (2010), The Zero Hour (2010), The Hot Potato (2011), Countdown (2011), Wrecked (2011), Flypaper (2011), Sleepless Night (2011), Plan C (2012), The Thieves (2012), Deadfall (2012), Empire State (2013), Tommy (2014), Electric Slide (2014), Night Moves (2014), Plastic (2014), Cut Bank (2014), The Forger (2014), American Heist (2014) and 7 Minutes (2014).
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Here is our list of the Top Heist Films You Haven’t Seen from 2010 – 2014:
#10
Sushi Girl
Plot: Fish leaves prison after serving six years and receives an invitation to dinner from a fellow criminal. During a tense dinner, attempts are made to find out where Fish hid the goods from a robbery, as food appears on the naked body of a woman.
KBZ’s Take: We had a debate for this ranking on our list and it was between this film, The Blonde with the Bare Breasts (2010), The Hot Potato (2011) and Plastic (2014). Though Sushi Girl won out, we would recommend watching those other films as they’re at the top tier of our honorable mentions list.
As for the Sushi Girl, it’s obviously inspired by the Quentin Tarantino Heist Films of prior decades and is elevated above typical subgenre fare by some great performances and an out of nowhere plot twist. Casual filmgoers might be turned off by some of the violence in the film, but fans of the subgenre should enjoy the film overall.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3rj5rAl
#9
Thin Ice
Plot: A dishonest insurance salesman’s life quickly disintegrates during a Wisconsin winter when he teams up with a psychopath to steal a rare violin at the home of a reclusive farmer.
KBZ’s Take: Thin Ice is very reminiscent of Fargo (1996) with quirky characters, a dark comedic tone and a somewhat ridiculous heist scheme. But of all the similar Fargo-inspired capers that followed over the years, this is one of the better ones.
The film has multiple layers of cons and capers (with an especially brilliant ending) led by some great performances from Greg Kinnear, Billy Crudup, David Harbour and Alan Arkin.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3rsKZ0g
Plot: A chambermaid and a former cop meet at a speed dating event and a romance develops. But during a romantic getaway things suddenly take a turn for the worse when her mysterious past is revealed.
KBZ’s Take: This Italian film might not be for everyone as it’s much more of a Psychological Thriller with Neo Noir elements. However, it’s still a film with many twists and turns centered around a heist and the subsequent fallout.
We’re mainly recommending the film as it’s one of the most suspenseful of the subgenre and has some amazing performances from the two leads – Ksenia Rappoport and Filippo Timi. Highly recommended film for fans of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3PMFGTm
Plot: Following the death of his mother, J finds himself living with his estranged family, under the watchful eye of his doting grandmother, Smurf, mother to the Cody boys. J quickly comes to believe that he is a player in this world. But, as he soon discovers, this world is far larger and more menacing than he could ever imagine. J finds himself at the center of a cold-blooded revenge plot that turns the family upside down.
KBZ’s Take: We’re surprised how many fans of the Animal Kingdom TV series have not seen the original Australian film it’s based on. While the TV series has had multiple seasons to flesh out the dynamics of the Pettingill crime family, the original film is a great introduction to J, Baz, Smurf and Pope.
Some of Australia’s best acting talent of the time also starred in this film with Ben Mendelsohn (as Pope), Joel Edgerton (as Baz), Jacki Weaver (as Smurf) and Guy Pearce (as Detective Leckie). If you’re a fan of the series, this film is a must-see to see two different interpretations of Pope’s explosive character by Mendelsohn (original) and Shawn Hatosy (series). And if you haven’t seen the series yet, the film is a great launching pad into one of the best crime families of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/46IX5Ci
Plot: A Brooklyn teenager sees art school as his way to a better life, while his older brother pursues a life of crime to improve his life. The brothers clash when a Rolling Stones concert creates two very different ways of making a big payday.
KBZ’s Take: White Irish Drinkers is primarily a Coming-of-Age period film set in the mid-70’s. And it’s a very good one at that. The film does involve a heist, but it doesn’t happen until the third act.
While the heist itself isn’t unique, the events leading up to the heist and eventual fallout make the film one of the more memorable subgenre films of the early 2010’s.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3PXGzIZ
#5
The Robber
Plot: A champion marathoner leads a double life as a serial bank robber, sprinting between fixes (and away from police cavalcades) as many as three times a day.
KBZ’s Take: This is a German film with many exhilarating heist scenes but is primarily a character study of marathon runner and bank robber Johan Kastenberger. The film examines how a man who was a successful runner couldn’t break his addiction to a life of crime.
While the film starts slow, it does build up to numerous bank heists in the second act and a just as thrilling third act with Kastenberger on the run. It’s a subgenre film that has an almost perfect balance between Heist Film and Fugitive Film sequences all centered around a man who has nothing to gain but everything to lose for his adrenaline rush.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://www.vudu.com/content/movies/details/The-Robber/248038
Plot: Crunch Calhoun, a third-rate motorcycle daredevil and part-time art thief, teams up with his snaky brother to steal one of the most valuable books in the world. But it’s not just about the book for Crunch – he’s keen to rewrite some chapters of his own past as well.
KBZ’s Take: We probably have this film ranked higher than it should be, but we’re huge fans of Kurt Russell and this is one of his better lesser-known films. Though the film doesn’t quite reach the lofty ambitions of Ocean’s Eleven (2001) that it aspires to be, it still features an entertaining heist with many twists and turns.
Besides Russell, there’s also some great performances in this Ensemble Heist Film from Jay Baruchel, Chris Diamantopoulos, Terence Stamp and Matt Dillon.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3JVj4w2
#3
Rob the Mob
Plot: The true-life story of a crazy-in-love Queens couple who robbed a series of mafia social clubs and got away with it – for a while – until they stumble upon a score bigger than they ever planned and become targets of both the mob and the FBI.
KBZ’s Take: The popular saying, “Not the sharpest tools in the shed”, would apply to the two main characters in this film – Tommy Ulva (Michael Pitt) and Rosie Ulva (Nina Arianda). As they initially develop their plan to rob the mafia, you can only shake your head at the inevitable outcome.
The film is a true story about Thomas and Rosmaire Uva and works primarily because of Pitt and Arianda’s performances in the film that help give more insight into the couple and why they continued with their dangerous string of heists. There are also some good supporting performances from Andy Garcia, Ray Romano, Frank Whaley and Griffin Dune that make this one of the best subgenre films from the first half of this decade.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/43mZaAY
#2
Nokas
Plot: On the morning of April 5, 2004, the greatest bank robbery in Norwegian history was carried out in Stavanger. The robbery itself is the man character of the story, and is highlighted from the perspective of the police, the robbers, the central cash service personnel and ordinary people near the scene of the crime.
KBZ’s Take: This little-known Norwegian film is one of the best films of the subgenre every fan should check out – especially if you like Heat (1995). The film is a recreation of Norway’s most infamous robbery and there are many tense moments throughout the film.
Where the film excels is in showing the cold and ruthless efficiency of the robbers as they break into the central cash reserve building and fend off the police that start circling nearby. The scenes are very reminiscent of the bank and gunfight scene from Heat, but shown in a more realistic manner.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3NNFfp9
#1
Metro Manila
Plot: Looking for a brighter future in metropolitan Manila, Oscar Ramirez and his family leave their miserable life in the rice terraces of Banaue, in the northern Philippines. In the sweltering capital, where all kinds of perils lurk in every corner, Oscar catches a lucky break when he is offered a steady work for an armored truck company and the senior officer Ong takes him under his wing.
KBZ’s Take: We thought Nokas (2010) was going to be a lock for our #1 ranking on this list until we saw Metro Manila. It was a film we had been putting off but watched before completing this list and it easily captured our top slot.
The film is not easy to watch. The first act of the film is primarily about Oscar (Jake Macapagal) and his family as they live in the depths of poverty. There are some very depressing scenes as the family moves to Manila but continues to experience hardship and falls prey to scam artists in the city.
It’s when Oscar takes the job with the armored truck company that the heist elements start. Though this film does feature an overall heist narrative, it’s much more about Oscar and his internal sense of honor vs. the burgeoning corruption surrounding him. It’s also one of the best lesser-known films of the subgenre that focuses on a man that will do anything for the survival of his family.
This is a must-see film of the subgenre that no fan should miss.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://youtu.be/PYXIfFyZVfE
