This is the seventh 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 seventh article will cover the Top Heist Films You Haven’t Seen from 2015 – 2019 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
Unlike the first half of the 2010’s, the quality of Heist Films from 2015 – 2019 was vastly improved and featured many classic subgenre films. As for subgenre themes, Heist Films based on historical figures and events continued to be the dominant theme of this period followed by Heist Comedies and a return of Ensemble Cast Heist Films (with an interesting subtheme development).
Many infamous and lesser-known historical heists and robberies were the focus of films during this five-year period. The Wannabe (2015) was another film about Thomas and Rosmaire Uva (who were also previously the focus of Rob the Mob (2014)) which detailed the couple’s robberies of Mafia social clubs. The 1997 robbery of Loomis, Frago & Co. in North Carolina was the basis of the heist comedy Masterminds (2016). The Old Man & The Gun (2018) was a Biopic starring Robert Redford as Forrest Tucker who stole over $4 million from banks during his string of robberies. The French Carbon Connection scandal was the inspiration for Carbone (2017) while The Hatton Garden Job (2017) covered 2015’s Hatton Garden safe deposit burglary in London. American Animals (2018) would document an obscure heist involving the theft of rare books from the Transylvania University’s library. A $9 million heist of United California Bank was dramatized in Finding Steve McQueen (2019) and Stockholm (2019) would cover the Norrmalmstorg Robbery in Stockholm, Sweden whose events would birth the term Stockholm Syndrome. And finally, Vault (2019) would detail the Bonded Vault heist of 1975 in Providence, Rhode Island which netted the thieves $30 million.
Heist comedies were also again prominent in this latter half of the decade with various comedic tones. Quirky and Offbeat Comedy would be found in Masterminds (2016), Blue Iguana (2018) and The World Is Yours (2018), Raunchy Comedy in Bad Santa 2 (2016), Dark Comedy (mixed with light-hearted comedic elements) in Deidra and Laney Rob a Train (2017), Buddy Comedy in Going in Style (2017), Action Comedy in Logan Lucky (2017) and Horror Comedy in Monster Party (2018).
Ensemble Cast Heist Films would make a roaring return to the subgenre with Heist (2015), Point Break (2015), Triple 9 (2016), Masterminds (2016), Free Fire (2017), Baby Driver (2017), Logan Lucky (2017), Den of Thieves (2018), American Animals (2018), Triple Frontier (2019), Avenger’s Endgame (2019) and The Gentlemen (2019). And groups of female thieves and robbers would be a subtheme of Ensemble Cast Heist Films that would give rise to Female Heist Films towards the end of the decade with Ocean’s Eight (2018), Widows (2018) and Hustlers (2019).
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 2015 – 2019: Focus (2015), Victoria (2015), Triple 9 (2016), At the End of the Tunnel (2016), Now You See Me 2 (2016), Hell or High Water (2016), Bad Genius (2017), Baby Driver (2017), Good Time (2017), Logan Lucky (2017), Den of Thieves (2018), American Animals (2018), Shoplifters (2018), Widows (2018), Triple Frontier (2019), Avenger’s Endgame (2019), Hustlers (2019) and The Gentlemen (2019).
Lesser-known Heist Films from 2015 – 2019 that didn’t make our list: Anti-Social (2015), Blackhat (2015), Momentum (2015), Heist (2015), The Wannabe (2015), Public Friends (2016), Criminal (2016), Kills on Wheels (2016), The Trust (2016), Masterminds (2016), Deidra and Laney Rob a Train (2017), Free Fire (2017), The Hatton Garden Job (2017), Lowlife (2017), Wheelman (2017), Monster Party (2018), 68 Kill (2018), The Hurricane Heist (2018), Beyond the Edge (2018), The Guardian Angel (2018), The World Is Yours (2018), Museo (2018), Blue Iguana (2018), The Old Man & The Gun (2018), Crypto (2019), The Whistlers (2019), Lying and Stealing (2019), Vault (2019), Burn (2019) and Low Tide (2019).
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Here is our list of the Top Heist Films You Haven’t Seen from 2015 – 2019:
#10
Stockholm
Plot: After taking hostages in a Stockholm bank, ex-con Lars Nystrom demands the release of his old partner in crime from prison. As the situation escalates, Lars starts to let down his guard as he develops an uneasy bond with one of the female employees.
KBZ’s Take: Stockholm is based on Jan-Erik Olsson’s 1973 robbery of the Norrmalmstorg Bank. Ethan Hawke stars as Lars Nystrom (dramatized version of Olsson) and Noomi Rapace stars as a composite character of real-life bank employees during the hostage situation.
Hawke and Rapace are excellent in the film and help portray how a bond between captor and captives can develop. This psychological condition would later be called Stockholm Syndrome based on the events from this film.
Though the film does dramatize the real-life situation a bit, it’s for the better and one of the subgenre’s better films from the latter half of the 2010’s.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/43QcKNC
#9
Carbone
Plot: In danger of losing his business, Anthony Roca, an ordinary man, develops a scam that will become the heist of the century. Overtaken by the crime, he will have to deal with betrayal and murder.
KBZ’s Take: The foundation of Carbone is more akin to a Financial Fraud film, but it also has significant heist themes to be included on our list. There’s also the matter of the gangsters that Roca (Benoît Magimel) and his crew get involved with to disastrous effect.
The film is based on the The French Carbon Connection scandal where Roca devises a plan to manipulate the VAT on carbon tax credits. The film follows typical heist narratives showing the men pulling off the heist, getting rich off of it and their eventual downfall.
If there’s one criticism of the film, it’s the opening scene which gives away how the film will end. We won’t go into that here for people who have not seen the film yet, but we do strongly recommend the film for fans of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://www.netflix.com/fr-en/title/81005312
Plot: A small time crook and a newly-orphaned teenage boy team up to perform a string of robberies.
KBZ’s Take: This is one of the ‘smaller’ heist films on our list as it doesn’t have an expansive heist planning stage or a team of robbers executing the perfect heist. Lost in the Sun is about a small-time crook John (Josh Duhamel) who robs gas stations to pay off a debt and survive.
We would equate the film to more of a Road Trip Film where John offers to give Louis (Josh Wiggins) a ride to his grandparents’ home after Louis’ mother has died. How Josh fits into the life of Louis is revealed throughout the film and it’s a great journey as John and Louis bond both on the road and through performing robberies. One of the lesser-known films of the subgenre you won’t regret checking out.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3YjxL25
Plot: Loyalties are tested when a high-flying Brussels gangster and a young racing driver with upper-class roots fall in love.
KBZ’s Take: There are often times a film is considered a letdown by moviegoers because the trailer of the film promises something the film doesn’t deliver. That’s the case with Racer and the Jailbird. The trailer promised an action-packed and thrilling heist romance. However, the film is much more about the tragic romance between Gigi (Matthias Schoenaerts) and Bibi (Adèle Exarchopoulos) as Gigi’s lifestyle catches up to the couple and life itself eventually catches up to Bibi.
Fortunately, we had not seen the trailer before this film and thought it was a great subgenre film for what it is. It does have some thrilling heist sequences, but they are primarily in the first half of the film. The second half of the film is much more focused on Gigi and Bibi’s life post-robberies.
There are many subgenre films we have to watch for these articles, some of which we have to force ourselves to watch the entire way through. Racer and the Jailbird isn’t one of those films as it kept our attention the entire time and is one of the better subgenre films you shouldn’t miss. In fact, it’s a great compromise film for a date night with equal thrills and romance.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3s32mEU
#6
Semper Fi
Plot: Cal is a dedicated cop who also serves as a sergeant in the Marine Corps Reserve. When his reckless half-brother lands in jail for accidentally killing a man, Cal and his buddies hatch a plan to break him out of prison – no matter what the cost.
KBZ’s Take: Semper Fi doesn’t involve a typical heist as it’s more centered around a prison break. But the prison break planning and execution sequences rivaled those of traditional subgenre films so we had to include the film on our list.
The film does take a while to get going as it primarily focuses on Oyster (Nat Wolff) and his eventual arrest and imprisonment. That’s when the film’s pacing picks up as Callahan (Jai Courtney), who took custody of his half-brother Oyster, must decide between following the law as a police officer or taking care of his family as Oyster’s condition worsens while in prison.
Though critics didn’t seem to like the conflict between following the law vs. following family, it’s an enjoyable enough film that will make you relate to Callahan’s predicament and provides a thrilling heist sequence in its third act.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/44STnVj
#5
Shimmer Lake
Plot: Shot in reverse day-by-day through a week, a local sheriff embarks on a quest to unlock the mystery of three small-town criminals and a bank heist gone wrong.
KBZ’s Take: Films shot in reverse chronological order can be difficult to pull off as the audience knows the film’s ending right off the bat. Christopher Nolan’s Memento (1999) perfected the format with Leonard’s short-term amnesia and detective-like mystery and the recent Cities of Last Things (2018) detailed how a man’s life ends while showing his life story in reverse. Shimmer Lake uses this reverse format to detail the events of a heist and how it all went wrong.
To make a reverse chronological film successful, there must be only enough revealed that adds to the suspense and mystery of the story while keeping the viewer’s attention. Shimmer Lake excels in showing multiple characters’ motivations changing as more about them is revealed in reverse. The heist portion of the film is at the end (though it’s the initiating catalyst of the story).
Shimmer Lake isn’t in the same league as Memento, but it’s one of the better films of the subgenre that turns a typical heist narrative on its head through reverse storytelling and revelations.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://www.netflix.com/title/80103734
#4
Marauders
Plot: An elite group of bank robbers seem to be robbing banks for something other than money.
KBZ’s Take: Marauders is one of those films that has a lower rating than the film warrants. Most negative criticisms of the film cite a dense and confusing narrative. But it’s only a confusing film if you’re not paying attention to it and Marauders does require full attention to understand its complexity.
However, there are some valid criticisms of the film. It does have a lower budget feel to it and Bruce Willis seems miscast for the role he plays (of the few minutes he actually appears in the film). With that said, the film does have some of the more exciting heist sequences of the subgenre which are thrilling all on their own. For subgenre fans, it’s a must-watch film for the heists (even if you don’t care for or understand the plot).
Additional Lists: Top Caper & Heist Films You Haven’t Seen (Part 1) #6
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3XNvsnf
Plot: In 1972, a gang of close-knit thieves from Youngstown, Ohio attempt to steal $30 million in illegal contributions. Based on the true story of the biggest bank heist in US history.
KBZ’s Take: This is another film on our list based on a real-life event – the $9 million heist of United California Bank. While a portion of the film is devoted to the actual heist, the film is much more about the characters – especially the romantic foundation of Harry Barber (Travis Fimmel) and Molly Murphy (Rachael Taylor).
Fimmel and Taylor have great chemistry in this film and provide some of the film’s more comedic moments. While the film isn’t a straight up comedy, it does weave subtle humor throughout the film as the quirky cast of characters come together for the robbery.
It’s one of the lesser-known Ensemble Cast Heist Films without an A-level cast, but you won’t forget William Fichtner’s Nixon-hating criminal anytime soon.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3s4vjjN
#2
Bad Genius
Plot: Brilliant student starts an exam cheating business.
KBZ’s Take: This Thai film is one of the few films we recommend to others when they ask for a great, lesser-known film. It blends together the best elements of Films About Con Artists and Films About Capers & Heists into an exhilarating ride.
The film’s screenplay and plot are straightforward but it’s the direction that keeps you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens to the main characters. This film is similar in style and substance to the “students training to scam Las Vegas” film 21 (2008), so if you enjoyed that film, you’ll like this one even more.
Additional Lists: Top Caper & Heist Films You Haven’t Seen (Part 1) #3, Top Films About Con Artists You Haven’t Seen #7
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3B2dx2C
Plot: A paraplegic discovers criminals living next door are planning a bank robbery.
KBZ’s Take: This Argentina & Spain co-production is one of the best caper and heist films to come out in the last 10 years. This film takes a twist on the usual caper and heist tropes with our main character planning and executing his own heist of an ongoing heist.
What we can talk about with respect to the film is the brilliant performance from Leonardo Sbaraglia (as Joaquín). Joaquín is the main character who is paraplegic but also happens to be a criminal mastermind of his own. This doesn’t bode well for the thieves that are planning an elaborate heist in the room next to his (and which he can overhear in detail).
To say anymore will ruin the film but it’s filled with suspense and an ending that you won’t see coming. We highly recommend the film as it’s not only one of the best Heist Films of the 2010’s, but it’s also one of the best films of the entire subgenre.
Additional Lists: Top Caper & Heist Films You Haven’t Seen (Part 1) #4
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3EWY7xs
