This is the fifth 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 fifth article will cover the Top Heist Films You Haven’t Seen from 2005 – 2009 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 second half of the 2000’s saw a slight decrease in Heist-themed films but did feature a return to some of the more popular themes of the subgenre. Remakes and Heist Films based on Historical Figures or Events were the two dominant themes of the subgenre while film franchises based on Heists or Capers also continued with some blockbuster Heist Films.
With the popularity of Heist-themed films near an all-time high, it was inevitable that the subgenre would see remakes of previous notable Heist films of the past. Fun with Dick and Jane (2005) starring Jim Carrey and Téa Leoni was a remake of the 1977 film starring George Segal and Jane Fonda. 3:10 to Yuma (2007) was a remake of the 1957 film and both films were based on the Elmore Leonard short story “Three-Ten to Yuma”. The Second Wind (2007) was a remake of the French Gangster and Heist classic Le deuxième souffle (1966). Mad Money (2008) was loosely based on the 2011 British film Hot Money (2001) and both films involved a plan to steal ‘worn out’ money due for destruction in government facilities. And The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009) was a modernized remake of the 1970’s subgenre classic.
The subgenre also saw a return to historical-based Heist films based on a variety of gangsters, thieves and robberies. The Bank Job (2008) was based on London’s Baker Street robbery which saw Anthony Gavin and his crew steal between £1.25 and £3 million as well as rumored photographs of government officials in compromising positions. Mesrine: Killer Instinct (2008) & Mesrine: Public Enemy Number One (2008) were Historical Biopics about France’s Public Enemy No. 1 in the 1970’s – Jacques Mesrine. Public Enemies (2008) starring Johnny Depp was based on one of the most infamous bank robbers in U.S. History – John Dillinger. And 21 (2008) was based on the MIT Blackjack Team that used card counting to perform a series of capers at Las Vegas casinos.
Heist Franchises remained popular in the latter half of the 2000’s with Ocean’s Thirteen (2007) continuing the Ocean’s franchise, National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007) becoming the second film in the National Treasure series of films and Fast & Furious (2009) would be released as the fourth film in the blockbuster Fast and Furious film franchise.
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 2005 – 2009: Inside Man (2006), Ocean’s Thirteen (2007), The Lookout (2007), 3:10 to Yuma (2007), Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007), National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007), The Bank Job (2008), 21 (2008), Revanche (2008), The Dark Knight (2008), RockNRolla (2008), Mesrine: Killer Instinct (2008) and Public Enemies (2008).
Lesser-known Heist Films from 2005 – 2009 that didn’t make our list: Chaos (2005), Into the Blue (2005), Fun with Dick and Jane (2005), Bandidas (2006), Firewall (2006), Flawless (2007), The Second Wind (2007), Sparrow (2008), The Brothers Bloom (2008), In the Shadow of the Nega (2008), Thick as Thieves (2009), Prison Break: The Final (2009) and The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009).
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Here is our list of the Top Heist Films You Haven’t Seen from 2005 – 2009:
#10
The Dukes
Plot: Once one of the most popular doo-wop duos in the 1960s, Danny (Robert Davi) and George (Chazz Palminteri) now barely make a living in the music business. While their loyal manager (Peter Bogdanovich) struggles to find them gigs, Danny and George decide to boost their bank accounts the old-fashioned way: burglary. Hearing about a shady dentist’s stash of gold fillings, the men prepare to pull off a heist.
KBZ’s Take: Chazz Palminteri had a good run in the 1990’s with A Bronx Tale (1993), The Usual Suspects (1995) and Analyze This (1999). The Dukes is one of his lesser-known films after that run and is worth checking out by fans of the subgenre.
The film is labeled a comedy (and has some comedic elements during the heist) but the film is much more about aging popstars coming to grips with life. There are some very good scenes in this film that any film or music star will probably relate to after their star has faded and reality has set in.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3r19npq
Plot: Alejandro (Fernando Colunga) and Emilio (Miguel Varoni), two professional thieves, hatch the perfect plot to rob a TV infomercial king. They plan to plant their crew in their mark’s everyday life as household staff, chauffeurs, gardeners and the like, where they will have access to high-security areas without attracting attention. When their regular crew pass on the job Alejandro and Emilio must use real immigrant laborers, who are completely honest and innocent of past wrongdoing.
KBZ’s Take: Also known as Ladrón que roba a ladrón, To Rob a Thief is a lighthearted ensemble Heist film in the vein of Ocean’s Eleven (2001). And though the film is from the U.S., it features a Hispanic cast and mostly Spanish dialogue.
Even if you loathe subtitled movies, it is a film you should check out if you’re a fan of the subgenre. There are some unique heist elements in the film and some great performances from Fernando Colunga, Miguel Varoni and Saúl Lisazo.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/4325xJU
#8
Mad Money
Plot: Three female employees of the Federal Reserve plot to steal money that is about to be destroyed.
KBZ’s Take: Mad Money is a fun female-driven Heist film with the crew comprised of Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah and Katie Holmes. Though they’re the main leads in the film, there’s also some funny supporting roles by Ted Danson and Stephen Root.
The film is unique within the Heist subgenre with its focus on the theft of old and worn money that’s marked for destruction and begs the question, “Why haven’t there been more robberies of this kind?” The film helps answer that by showing the pitfalls in trying to steal what you think might be easy money.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/46nZCla
#7
Armored
Plot: A crew of officers at an armored transport security firm risk their lives when they embark on the ultimate heist against their own company. Armed with a seemingly fool-proof plan, the men plan on making off with a fortune with harm to none. But when an unexpected witness interferes, the plan quickly unravels, and all bets are off.
KBZ’s Take: There’s quite a few Heist films showing the heist of an armored truck. However, this film flips the script by focusing on an armored truck crew’s plan for a heist.
While the first half of the film is a bit predictable, Armored excels once everything doesn’t go according to plan in the second half. That’s where the cast comes in to play with some excellent performances from Columbus Short, Matt Dillon, Laurence Fishburne, Amaury Nolasco and Jean Reno.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3JzEVJl
Plot: A shady lawyer attempts a Christmas Eve crime, hoping to swindle the local mob out of some money. But his partner, a strip club owner, might have different plans for the cash.
KBZ’s Take: Like Die Hard (1988), this film takes place during Christmas Eve and could be open to debate if it’s a Christmas Film or not. We personally think it is and it’s one of the best Yuletide thrillers to watch during the winter holiday.
Film Noir wouldn’t be the first subgenre you would think of with Director Harold Ramis as he’s mostly known for comedies like Caddyshack (1980) and Groundhog Day (1993). But Ramis pulls off Noir well in this film with dark and subtle comedic elements in the vein of the Cohen Brothers.
As for the film, it doesn’t actually feature a heist. Everything in the film happens after the heist and the trust that dissolves between the heist partners as criminal elements close in on them. It’s a different type of Heist film recommended for fans of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3PuqhXD
Plot: A comedy centered on three museum security guards who devise a plan to steal back the artworks to which they have become attached after they are transferred to another museum.
KBZ’s Take: Morgan Freeman starred in two Heist-themed films in 2009 – this film and the forgettable Thick as Thieves (2009). While Thick as Thieves (aka The Code) was the more well-known film (which also starred Antoni Banderas), The Maiden Heist is actually a fun, smaller budgeted heist film with a unique plot.
Though films like The Thomas Crown Affair (1999) have involved the theft of high-priced artwork, The Maiden Heist focuses on the inept planning and bumbling execution of the art heist by novice criminals. This is where the film shines with performances by Freeman, Christopher Walken and William H. Macy as the security guards turned thieves who are much better at admiring art than stealing it.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3NjBuYm
#4
Revanche
Plot: Ex-con Alex plans to flee to the South with his girl after a robbery. But something terrible happens and revenge seems inevitable.
KBZ’s Take: Revanche was a nominee for 2009’s Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards. Though the film lost to Departures (2008), which is a great film, Revanche should have won because it’s an amazing film about the lives of two people that lead them to a crime and the loss and tragedy that follow.
Though the film only features a short heist segment, it’s all the events leading up to and after the heist that make the film memorable. You can relate to Alex (Johannes Krisch) and Tamara’s (Irina Potapenko) situation which gets more dire after each passing frame. And once the tragic event happens in the film, you can also relate to the loss and regret haunting the individuals involved with the bank robbery.
We don’t want to give too much more of the plot away, but we will say this isn’t an action-oriented Heist Film. It’s about the ramifications of decisions made during a fateful event and one of the best films of the subgenre that fans shouldn’t miss.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3pjgkl6
Plot: Frantic to be free of Felix, her wealthy but drunken and violent drug-lord husband, Ana tricks her fresh-from-prison sister, Aurora, and two other ex-partners in crime into coming to her aid. Now that their crew is reassembled, the women begin planning a heist that will rid Ana of Felix and net them enough cash to be set for life.
KBZ’s Take: When watching Walking Vengeance, it becomes apparent that Writer and Director Agustín Díaz Yanes went to the Quentin Tarantino School of Crime Films. The film is very reminiscent of Tarantino’s crime films and very, very violent.
The film is led by an amazing cast including Diego Luna and José María Yazpik as the Mexican Narcos and Victoria Abril, Arianda Gil, Pilar López de Ayala and Elena Anaya as the female thieves who plan on robbing them. The four women have an intricate plan to rob the Narcos’ money, but everything doesn’t go according to plan leading to many suspenseful twists and turns.
Though the film is a sequel of sorts to Yanes’ Nobody Will Speak of Us When We’re Dead (1995), it’s not required to see the first film to understand the second. The only common denominator between the films is Abril and loads of violence.
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Plot: Jacques Mesrine, a loyal son and dedicated soldier, is back home and living with his parents after serving in the Algerian War. Soon he is seduced by the neon glamour of sixties Paris and the easy money it presents. Mentored by Guido, Mesrine turns his back on middle class law-abiding and soon moves swiftly up the criminal ladder.
KBZ’s Take: This French film has 2 parts – Mesrine: Killer Instinct (2008) and Mesrine: Public Enemy #1 (2008) – and is often compared to Scarface (1983). That comparison is spot-on as Vincent Cassel gives a performance of a lifetime as a disillusioned ex-soldier who turns to a life of crime.
While the first film is more of a Biopic that covers Mesrine’s transformation to a life of crime, the second film focuses on Mesrine’s actual crimes and pursuit by French law enforcement. Both films are equally amazing and shouldn’t be missed by fans of the subgenre.
Additional Lists: Top Gangster & Mob Films You Haven’t Seen #8
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/43XbKrY
Plot: When two brothers organize the robbery of their parents’ jewelry store, the job goes horribly wrong, triggering a series of events that send them and their family hurtling towards a shattering climax.
KBZ’s Take: Though this is one of the more popular films on our list, it’s still amazing to us how many people have not yet seen this film. We wanted to include it here in case fans of the subgenre might not have yet seen this subgenre classic.
Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead is not an action-packed heist film by any means. It’s character-driven and shows the aftereffects of an inside job heist on a family business. There are so many great performances in the film from Ethan Hawke and Albert Finney to Marisa Tomei and Michael Shannon. But it’s Philip Seymour Hoffman who carries the film as the debt-ridden broker who has no qualms about destroying the fabric of his family.
It’s not only a classic film of the decade, but of the entire subgenre.
Additional Lists: Top Caper & Heist Films You Haven’t Seen (Part 1) #10
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3OWkyHL
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