Someone in a popular online forum put out the call for comedic heist movie recommendations and the internet delivered. They explained they were looking for “one of those movies where they plan out a heist and the entire scheme of the theft isn’t revealed until the end.” Here are the top 12 heist movies people recommended.
1 – The LadyKillers (2004)
The Ladykillers was mentioned a number of times. Directed by the Coen Brothers, the movie is about a gang of criminals who pose as musicians and attempt to carry out a heist. It stars Tom Hanks, Irma P. Hall, Marlon Wayans, and J.K. Simmons. One person said, “I enjoy this movie. It may not be the greatest movie of all time, but it gave me good laughs for a heist movie.”
2 – Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
Many people recommended Fantastic Mr. Fox and it’s the most unconventional of the heist movie classics since it’s a stop motion animated film. “First film that came to mind,” one movie lover said. The voice cast includes George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, and Owen Wilson.
3 – Quick Change (1990)
Quick Change is a crime comedy telling the story of three thieves who successfully rob a New York City bank, but escaping the city is almost impossible. It stars Bill Murray, Geena Davis, Randy Quaid, and Jason Robards.
4 – The Sting (1973)
The Sting is a caper film following two professional con artists (Paul Newman and Robert Redford) involved in a complicated scheme to con a mob boss (Robert Shaw). While one person noted that it’s not technically a comedy, several people disagreed, suggesting there are many laughs. “Hilarious and one of the best heist movies ever,” one movie fan said.
5 – Tower Heist (2011)
Tower Heist is a caper-comedy following an exclusive apartment complex group of employees losing their pensions in the Ponzi scheme of a Wall Street businessman (Alan Alda). They employ a criminal, a bankrupt businessman, and a maid to break into his apartment to steal back their money. It stars Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Casey Affleck, Matthew Broderick, Judd Hirsch, Téa Leoni, Michael Peña, and Gabourey Sidibe.
6 – Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels is a British black comedy crime film following Eddy (Nick Moran), who convinces three friends to pool money for a high-stakes poker game against local crime boss Hatchet Harry (P.H. Moriarty). However, Hatchet cheats and gives Eddy a week to pay 500,000 or forfeit his father’s pub. So they devise another plan that gets them in way over their heads. It stars an ensemble cast featuring Jason Flemyng, Jason Statham, Dexter Fletcher, Nick Moran, Steven Mackintosh, Sting, and Vinnie Jones.
7 – Snatch (2000)
Guy Ritchie’s Snatch is a crime comedy with two intertwined plots. First, after a boxer doesn’t throw a bare-knuckle fight as agreed, a gangster demands another match. Meanwhile, multiple criminals attempt to steal a heisted diamond from another gangster who is in London to sell it. It stars Jason Statham, Brad Pitt, Alan Ford, Benicio del Toro, Dennis Farina, and Lennie James.
8 – The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)
The Thomas Crown Affair is a remake of the 1968 movie of the same name. It follows billionaire Thomas Crown (Pierce Brosnan), stealing a painting from an art gallery. Also, an insurance investigator (Rene Russo) pursues him, and the two fall in love. It also stars Denis Leary.
9 – The A-Team (2010)
The A-Team is an action thriller about a Special Forces team imprisoned for a crime they didn’t commit so they come up with a plan to clear their names. It’s based on the 1980s television series and stars Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Jessica Biel, Quinton Jackson, Sharlto Copley, and Patrick Wilson.
10 – Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is a comedy remake of the 1964 Marlon Brando/David Niven film Bedtime Story and was remade later in 2019 as The Hustle. It follows two con artists competing to swindle $50,000 from an heiress (Glenne Headly) on the French Riviera. Lawrence (Michael Caine) is an educated man with swag and his adversary Freddy (Steve Martin), is a bit less refined.
11 – A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
A Fish Called Wanda is a comedy heist film following a group of diamond thieves double-crossing each other to find diamonds hidden by the gang’s leader. An attorney is central to the story and Wanda (Jamie Lee Curtis) uses him to locate the goods. It stars John Cleese, Kevin Kline, and Michael Palin.
12 – Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974)
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot is a crime comedy following a thief named Thunderbolt (Clint Eastwood), who, amid his escape, meets Lightfoot (Jeff Bridges). They team up with Thunderbolt’s former criminal partners after clearing up a misunderstanding involving a bank robbery. And they create a plot to rob the same bank in Montana again. It co-stars George Kennedy and Geoffrey Lewis.
Source: Reddit