Shubhabrata Dutta
If you are looking for some adrenaline on the cheap, heist movies should be your best bet. People break into banks or jewelry stores, and the tension spirals out of control. Ultimately, the perpetrators flee with the reward in a near-impossible feat or mess up the plan beyond repair. No matter what the outcome is, heist thrillers are all the rage nowadays, especially with shows like ‘Money Heist’ smashing online streaming charts. Now, if you are looking for some great heist movies you can watch on HBO Max, we have prepared a list, gathering the genre’s classics for your consideration.
8. The Trust (2016)
When you are working with Nicolas Cage to steal dirty money, you need to be prepared for anything and everything. In ‘The Trust,’ Sergeant David Waters (Elijah Wood) teams up with his older boss, Lieutenant Jim Stone (Cage), both in the Evidence Management unit of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, to steal a stash of dirty cash hidden somewhere inside a building. It is clear that their objective is risky, and there are high chances of the gang coming after them, not to mention all the stuff they need to pull off the heist without setting off any alarms. Considering Stone is unhinged and proudly so, Waters has to keep him in check and ensure that everything goes as planned. Directed by Alex and Ben Brewer, ‘The Trust’ is a binge-watch-worthy heist movie that has equal amounts of Cage-propelled humor, heist, and action. You can watch it here.
7. Focus (2015)
Starring Will Smith and Margot Robbie, ‘Focus’ follows professional manipulator/con man/thief Nicky Spurgeon, who agrees to take novice/sexy Jess Barrett under his wing to teach her his craft. However, when things take a romantic turn, Nicky cuts it off with her. 3 years pass, and the two people again come across each other, although this time, they are on either side of a deal. Nicky is supposed to help billionaire motorsport team owner Rafael Garriga (Rodrigo Santoro) win the championship by manipulating the latter’s foremost competitor, McEwen (Robert Taylor). Jess is with Garriga now, surprisingly to Nicky’s disdain. With his former feelings creeping up on him and posing a compromise, if not a threat to his current arrangement, Nicky has to be careful of his steps. Can he maintain his focus? To find out, you can stream the film here.
6. Empire State (2013)
Starring Liam Hemsworth, Dwayne Johnson, Emma Roberts, and Michael Angarano, ‘Empire State’ shows Chris Potamitis, a security guard at an armored truck company, getting inadvertently pulled into a cash heist after he reveals the flaws in his company’s security to his best friend Eddie. The heist is pulled off, but now the duo has to outrun Detective James Ransome. Stakes get higher by the minute as the local gang lords are also after the money, thanks to Eddie’s association with them. Directed by Dito Montiel, ‘Empire State’ gets its name from the armored truck company that was looted. You can watch it here.
5. Killing Them Softly (2012)
Directed by Andrew Dominik, this neo-noir crime thriller is set in the 2008 economic recession and surrounds a poker game heist carried out by two small-time robbers who were hired by Johnny “Squirrel” Amato for the same. Crime boss Driver hires hitman Jackie Cogan to figure out a way to deal with the financial spiral that the heist has sent the criminal economy into. We find out how Cogan handles the case and the steps he takes to re-establish peace and get the criminal money running in this film. It is based on the 1974 novel ‘Cogan’s Trade’ by George V. Higgins. You can stream it here.
4. The Hobbit Trilogy (2012-2014)
‘The Hobbit’ trilogy is an epic fantasy-adventure movie franchise directed by Peter Jackson. The series follows Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit who embarks on an unexpected adventure with a group of dwarves and the wizard Gandalf to reclaim their homeland from the fearsome dragon Smaug. As they journey through treacherous lands of Middle-Earth filled with mythical creatures and face daunting challenges, their ultimate goal is to steal the Arkenstone from Smaug’s lair. The film stars Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins, Ian McKellen as Gandalf, and Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield. Although not strictly a heist movie per se, ‘The Hobbit’ series does revolve around a daring mission to retrieve a precious artifact, an element that resonates within popular heist films. With its stunning visuals, captivating storytelling, and memorable performances, this cinematic masterpiece deserves a spot on this list. You may watch ‘The Hobbit’ here.
3. Now You See Me (2013)
Directed by Louis Leterrier, ‘Now You See Me’ is a heist movie that shows how four small-time magicians steal money from a bank via their performance and distribute the money among its audiences. This sets an FBI agent and an Interpol agent on their trail, assisted by a guy who is a professional exposer of illusions. What follows is how the trio looks into the case and the four magicians and find out how they pulled off the heist. It is a one-of-a-kind heist film that is packed with thrill and excitement from start to finish. Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Mark Ruffalo, Morgan Freeman, and Michael Caine, this film is a must-watch. You can stream it here.
2. No Sudden Move (2021)
‘No Sudden Move’ is an enthralling crime thriller film directed by Steven Soderbergh. The plot, set in the 1950s, revolves around a group of small-time criminals who are hired for what seems to be a simple job but quickly find themselves entangled in a complex web of deceit and danger. As they navigate through unexpected twists and turns, their lives become increasingly intertwined with powerful forces that will stop at nothing to protect their secrets.
The film boasts an impressive cast, including Julia Fox, Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Toro, Frankie Shaw, Ray Liotta, and Brendan Fraser. Whether you’re a fan of gripping suspense or masterful storytelling, this film is definitely worth watching for its intriguing plot and stellar performances from its star-studded cast. You may watch the film here.
1. Wanda (1970)
Barbara Loden graces the central role in her celebrated indie heist drama ‘Wanda.’ While chronicling a small-town ambiance, the movie lends a timely look at how women are traditionally portrayed in cinema. Furthermore, it drives its message home by taking the protagonist, Wanda’s plight to new heights. In a desolate Rust Belt town, she lives the life of a drifter, having given custody of her children to their father, as she fears that she is not enough to care for them. In due time, Wanda meets small-time criminal Norman Dennis, and the two plan a heist that goes awry. While not strictly a heist movie, it is one of the few female-centric movies on the list that conceals a theft in the plot. You can stream the film here.
Read More: Best Heist Movies on Netflix
