Image credit: Lions Gate Films, Universal Pictures, Fox Searchlight, Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures
Cunning plots, high stakes, and the inevitable twists.
The 2000s were a great era for heist movies, and these underappreciated films are here to prove it.
Expect a few spoilers along the way!
1. The Bank Job (2008) In 1971 London, a car dealer named Terry is approached with a foolproof plan to rob a bank. The target? A bank's vault full of cash and jewels. But here's the juicy bit – the vault also contains compromising photos of British Royalty. Terry assembles a motley crew of thieves, and they dig a tunnel to the vault.
It's a classic heist with a few hitches, unexpected twists, and sweaty-palm moments. The aftermath? They find out they've been double-crossed by the government and the mob.
2. Inside Man (2006) This one's a chess game in a bank robbery disguise. Smooth-talking detective Frazier is up against a cunning bank robber, Dalton, who's executed a seemingly perfect heist.
As Frazier tries to negotiate with Dalton, who's taken hostages inside a Manhattan bank, he realizes there's more to this heist than just money. Dalton's crew, disguised as painters, have built a fake wall in the bank! They hide behind it, tricking everyone into thinking they've escaped.
The real twist? They weren't after the money but a secret document hidden in a safe deposit box.
3. Sexy Beast (2000) Gary Dove is a retired safecracker lounging in sunny Spain, but his past life isn't ready to let him go. Enter Don Logan, a menacing figure who wants Gary for one last job – robbing a bank vault filled with diamonds. It's a simple task, right? Not quite.
They have to navigate an underwater tunnel to get to the loot. Things get heated, and Logan's volatile nature leads to a tense and violent climax.
4. Heist (2001) Joe Moore, a veteran thief, faces retirement. But there's always that "one last job," and this one involves a gold heist. Partnered with his crew and his wife, Joe plans an intricate robbery involving a cargo plane. But the twisty plot thickens with betrayals, double-crosses, and a heist within a heist.
Joe's got to outsmart everyone, including his fence who's trying to set him up.
5. The Score (2001) Nick, a master thief close to retiring (seeing a pattern here?), is roped into one final heist by his longtime associate Max. The target is a priceless French scepter, and the plan is to steal it from the heavily guarded Montreal Customs House. Enter Jack, a young, ambitious thief who brings both skill and unpredictability. It's a generational clash and a battle of wits.
The heist unfolds with meticulous planning, tension-filled execution, and the inevitable "everything going sideways" moment. Nick has to deal with not just the heist, but also Jack's wild card factor.
6. The Good Thief (2002) Meet Bob, a heroin-addicted gambler and thief in the French Riviera, planning his last great heist before retiring. The target? The casino's priceless collection of art. Bob's plan involves creating a fake heist to distract the police, while the real job goes down.
It's a smooth blend of deception and sleight of hand, with Bob's team hacking the casino's security and replacing the paintings with fakes. But here's the twist: the cops are onto him, and there's a mole in his crew.
7. Layer Cake (2004) No names here, just a savvy drug dealer known as "XXXX." He's looking to retire (yes, again) from the gritty world of drug trafficking. His final task? Finding the missing daughter of an upper-crust associate and offloading a huge shipment of ecstasy.
But this cake has many layers, including double-dealings, a Serbian hitman, and stolen drugs from a gang of merciless war criminals.
8. 9 Queens (Nueve Reinas) – 2000 Set in Buenos Aires, this Argentinian thriller revolves around two con artists, Marcos and Juan. Their plan? To forge and sell a sheet of rare stamps – the "Nine Queens."
The plot is a slick series of deceptions involving a wealthy stamp collector, a corrupt businessman, and a host of other shady characters.
9. The Italian Job (2003) This is a classic tale of revenge and gold bars. After being double-crossed by one of their own post a successful heist in Venice, Charlie and his crew of thieves plan a daring gold heist in Los Angeles to get back at their betrayer. They use mini Coopers for the getaway, zipping through subways and streets.
It's a high-octane chase with clever plans, traffic hacking, and charismatic banter.
10. Swordfish (2001) Welcome to the world of cyber-heist, led by the enigmatic Gabriel and his right-hand woman, Ginger. They recruit Stanley, a disgraced hacker, for their operation – to steal billions in illegal government funds. It's a flashy, tech-heavy plot with twists, turns, and a hefty dose of Hollywood action.
The plan involves hacking, distractions, and a level of deception that blurs the line between the good guys and the bad.
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