15 Best Heist Movies of the 21st Century Every Crime Movie Fan Should See

15 Best Heist Movies of the 21st Century Every Crime Movie Fan Should See

Heist movies have always been a favorite among crime movie lovers because they combine clever planning, high-stakes action, and characters you can’t help but root for.

The 21st century has given us some of the smartest, most stylish, and most thrilling heist films ever made.

From slick casino robberies to mind-bending dream infiltrations, these movies prove that stealing can be seriously entertaining when done right.

1. The Score (2001)

Robert De Niro plays Nick, a veteran safecracker planning his final job before retirement.

When a young hotshot played by Edward Norton proposes stealing a priceless French scepter from the Montreal Customs House, Nick reluctantly agrees.

Marlon Brando appears as Nick’s longtime fence, adding legendary star power to this methodical thriller.

Unlike flashier heist films, this one focuses on technical precision and professional expertise.

The tension builds slowly as Nick must navigate both the complex security systems and his unpredictable partner’s reckless impulses.

Director Frank Oz keeps the pace deliberate, letting audiences appreciate the craftsmanship involved.

It’s a masterclass in old-school heist filmmaking.

2. Sexy Beast (2000)

Gal Dove, played brilliantly by Ray Winstone, has retired from crime to enjoy the Spanish sunshine with his wife.

His peaceful life shatters when Don Logan, a psychotic gangster portrayed by Ben Kingsley in an Oscar-nominated performance, arrives demanding Gal return for one last heist.

What follows is less about the robbery and more about psychological warfare.

Kingsley transforms from gentle actor to terrifying force of nature, delivering profanity-laced tirades that leave everyone shaken.

The film explores themes of escape, violence, and the impossibility of leaving your past behind.

Director Jonathan Glazer creates a stylish, surreal atmosphere with dream sequences and symbolic imagery.

It’s as much character study as crime thriller.

3. Dragged Across Concrete (2018)

Two suspended cops, played by Mel Gibson and Vince Vaughn, decide to rob criminals for a big payday after losing their badges.

Director S. Craig Zahler crafts a deliberately slow-burn thriller that tests audience patience before erupting into shocking violence.

The film refuses to offer easy heroes or villains, instead presenting morally compromised characters making desperate choices.

Zahler’s unflinching approach divides viewers, with some praising the realism and others finding it too brutal.

The heist itself doesn’t appear until late in the film, with most runtime devoted to character development and mundane details.

Tory Kittles delivers a standout performance as an ex-con trying to provide for his family.

It’s challenging, controversial, and deliberately uncomfortable viewing.

4. American Animals (2018)

Four college students in Kentucky attempt to steal rare books worth millions from their university’s special collections library.

Director Bart Layton blurs reality and fiction by including interviews with the actual criminals alongside dramatic reenactments.

The film explores how boredom, entitlement, and a desire for meaning can lead privileged kids into catastrophic decisions.

Evan Peters, Barry Keoghan, Blake Jenner, and Jared Abrahamson play the would-be thieves with a mix of charm and delusion.

The heist itself is shockingly amateurish, revealing how movies distort our understanding of real crime.

Layton’s innovative storytelling technique keeps audiences questioning what’s true and what’s dramatized.

It’s bold, original, and uncomfortably honest about youthful stupidity.

5. Inception (2010)

Christopher Nolan reimagines the heist genre by setting it inside dreams, where the stakes involve stealing or planting ideas rather than money.

Dom Cobb, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, leads a team of extractors who infiltrate targets’ subconscious minds.

Their latest mission requires going three dream levels deep, with each layer more dangerous than the last.

The film combines stunning visual effects with emotional depth as Cobb battles his own demons while completing the job.

Dreams collapse, gravity shifts, and entire cities fold in on themselves in breathtaking sequences.

Each team member has specialized roles, from architect to forger to chemist, creating a familiar heist structure in an unfamiliar world.

It’s smart, ambitious, and endlessly rewatchable.

6. Ocean’s Eleven (2001)

George Clooney leads an all-star ensemble in this wildly entertaining remake that turned heist movies into pure art.

Danny Ocean assembles a team of eleven specialists to rob three Las Vegas casinos simultaneously, all owned by the ruthless Terry Benedict.

The film balances wit, charm, and intricate planning with effortless cool.

Director Steven Soderbergh crafts a visual feast filled with sharp dialogue and stylish cinematography.

Every member of the crew brings unique skills, from card dealers to acrobats to explosives experts.

Watching their plan unfold is like solving a puzzle where every piece clicks perfectly into place.

The chemistry between Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon makes every scene crackle with energy and humor.

7. Hell or High Water (2016)

Two brothers in West Texas resort to robbing banks to save their family ranch from foreclosure.

Toby is the careful planner while his ex-con brother Tanner brings chaos and violence to every job.

Jeff Bridges plays the Texas Ranger on their trail, just weeks from retirement and determined to solve one last case.

Taylor Sheridan’s screenplay turns a crime story into sharp social commentary about economic desperation and corporate greed.

The film captures the dusty, dying towns of rural America where banks become villains and robbers become folk heroes.

Chris Pine and Ben Foster have incredible chemistry as brothers bound by blood and bad choices.

It’s a modern Western with brains and heart.

8. The Town (2010)

Ben Affleck directs and stars in this gritty Boston crime drama about a crew of professional bank robbers from Charlestown.

Doug MacRay wants out of the life, but his volatile friend Jem keeps pulling him back into increasingly risky jobs.

Complications arise when Doug falls for a bank manager they once took hostage, creating impossible choices between love and loyalty.

The film captures Boston’s working-class neighborhoods with authenticity and respect, showing how crime becomes generational.

Intense heist sequences, including a spectacular armored car robbery, showcase meticulous planning and brutal execution.

Jeremy Renner delivers a fierce performance as the unpredictable Jem, earning an Oscar nomination.

It’s raw, emotional, and action-packed throughout.

9. Baby Driver (2017)

Baby, a young getaway driver with tinnitus, drowns out the ringing in his ears with a constant soundtrack of music.

Director Edgar Wright synchronizes every car chase, gunshot, and footstep to the beat, creating a musical heist film unlike anything else.

Baby works for a crime boss to pay off a debt, dreaming of escape with his waitress girlfriend.

The opening chase sequence alone is worth the price of admission, perfectly choreographed to Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.

Ansel Elgort brings quiet intensity to Baby, while Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, and Jon Hamm round out the criminal crew.

The film celebrates classic car culture and vintage music with infectious energy.

It’s a rhythmic adrenaline rush from start to finish.

10. Logan Lucky (2017)

Director Steven Soderbergh returns to heist films with this blue-collar caper set at the Charlotte Motor Speedway during a NASCAR race.

The Logan brothers, cursed with bad luck their whole lives, recruit a bleach-blonde explosives expert played hilariously by Daniel Craig to rob the speedway’s underground vault system.

Their plan involves prison breaks, vacuum tubes, and perfectly timed distractions.

The film lovingly portrays working-class Southerners as smart, capable people underestimated by everyone around them.

Channing Tatum and Adam Driver bring warmth and humor to the Logan brothers, while Craig steals every scene with his eccentric performance.

Unlike Ocean’s Eleven’s glamour, this heist feels scrappy and improvised.

It’s clever, funny, and surprisingly heartfelt.

11. Widows (2018)

When four criminals die during a botched heist, their widows inherit both the debt and the danger.

Veronica, played powerfully by Viola Davis, must unite these strangers to complete the job their husbands failed to finish.

Director Steve McQueen transforms a heist thriller into a commentary on race, class, gender, and political corruption in modern Chicago.

The ensemble cast, including Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, and Cynthia Erivo, brings depth to women forced into impossible situations.

The film balances emotional grief with meticulous planning as the widows learn criminal skills from scratch.

Political subplots involving corrupt aldermen add layers of tension beyond the central heist.

It’s gripping, socially conscious, and emotionally powerful throughout.

12. Triple Frontier (2019)

Five former special forces operatives reunite to rob a South American drug lord’s jungle compound.

Oscar Isaac, Ben Affleck, Charlie Hunnam, Garrett Hedlund, and Pedro Pascal play soldiers struggling in civilian life who see one last score as their ticket to security.

The heist goes smoothly, but escaping with the money proves far more difficult than anticipated.

Director J.C. Chandor explores how greed corrupts even the most disciplined warriors.

The second half becomes a brutal survival story as the team crosses the Andes with too much cash and too little trust.

The film asks whether these men are heroes or just thieves with better training.

It’s tense, morally complex, and beautifully shot in Colombian locations.

13. The Vault / Way Down (2021)

A genius engineer assembles a crew to rob the Bank of Spain’s legendary underwater vault during the World Cup final when the entire country is distracted.

The vault, considered impenetrable, requires solving complex engineering puzzles and perfect timing to access.

Freddie Highmore leads the international cast in this Spanish production that combines Ocean’s Eleven style with technical challenges.

The film embraces classic heist tropes while adding unique Spanish flavor and World Cup excitement.

Watching the team navigate the bank’s elaborate security systems provides genuine suspense and clever problem-solving.

The underwater vault design itself becomes a character, presenting obstacles that require both brains and bravery.

It’s entertaining, clever, and visually impressive throughout.

14. Lift (2024)

Kevin Hart leads a crew of international thieves attempting to steal gold from a passenger plane mid-flight.

The film takes the heist genre literally airborne, combining high-altitude action with globe-trotting locations and stylish execution.

The team must navigate tight spaces, suspicious passengers, and the constant threat of discovery while 30,000 feet in the air.

Director F. Gary Gray brings experience from The Italian Job to create slick, entertaining heist sequences.

The ensemble cast includes Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sam Worthington, and Vincent D’Onofrio as specialists with unique skills.

The confined airplane setting creates natural tension and forces creative problem-solving from the criminals.

It’s a fun, high-flying addition to the heist genre with solid entertainment value.

15. Den of Thieves 2: Pantera (2025)

Big Nick, the obsessive cop played by Gerard Butler, continues his cat-and-mouse game with master thief Donnie in this sequel that expands the scope internationally.

The crew plans an audacious diamond heist with higher stakes and more elaborate planning than the original film.

The sequel promises bigger action, more complex crew dynamics, and the same gritty realism that made the first film a cult favorite.

Director Christian Gudegast returns to explore the blurred lines between cops and criminals in greater depth.

The panther nickname reflects the crew’s predatory precision and deadly efficiency.

Early reports suggest globe-trotting locations and even more intense heist sequences.

It’s a promising continuation of a modern heist franchise with serious ambition.