10 Best Bank Robbery Movies of All Time

Top 10 Movie Heists
Top 10 Movie Heists

10 Best Bank Robbery Movies of All Time

Going through a robbery is definitely not something one would like to live through – but it is certainly something we all enjoy seeing in the movies. There’s something about the thrill, about the action, about the circumstances of movie robberies that spell-binds us in front of our screens that everybody loves! Following is a list of the 10 best bank robbery movies of all time. Watch them, love them, share them with your friends!

10. Point Break


There are two robberies in this movie – and both of them are worth your

entire attention. The gang committing them is a very experienced one (they have 30 other such bank robberies on their back) and they normally don’t go for the vault because it saves them time. However, the second robbery in the movie is different: they become greedier and want to go for the big money (we won’t tell you what happens next, but you really need to see it!). Although action-packed (Keanu Reeves is in the cast, by the way), this movie is light-hearted and more than pleasant to watch even for someone who is not particularly keen on action movies.

9. Bandits

In a typical Bruce Willis-style, Bandits is the kind of movie that will knock a burst of laughter (or a 50) out of you. The two main characters are more than likeable (a hypochondriac and a smooth-talker – kind of like the beginning of a good joke) and the robbery itself is, at the least, very funny. The two bandits decide to take a bank manager as their hostage and to rob the bank first thing in the morning when he opens up. If they make it through with their plan or not – that’s for you to find out! One thing is for sure: this is one of the best and funniest robberies in the history of cinema!

8. The Town


Starring Ben Affleck, this movie is a thrilling one indeed. The story goes around Charlestown, a place that seems to have produced more robbers than any other place out there. The movie opens with Ben Affleck holding a speech about the attention to detail his gang puts into each robbery – and that’s is precisely when the robbery in the movie enters the scene. First, they get the cash draws. Then, they get into the safe. And then they make sure that the video tapes are microwaved. The entire first scene is very, very dramatic and it will make you want to watch the entire movie.

7. The Place Beyond The Pines

If Ben Affleck plans his hits carefully and if he has a gang backing him up, Ryan Gosling is a more of an “impromptu” kind of robber. He gets into the banks, he improvises, he takes the money and leaves with whatever he can. This is the kind of movie you can watch with a girlfriend too – especially since we all know just how much the ladies love Ryan. As for the robberies themselves, they are thrilling, interesting and they will keep you watching to the end of the movie. Get a full bowl of popcorn, a friend and watch this movie on a Saturday night because you will not regret it.

6. The Killing

If you want to see a good old-school movie, make sure to watch The Killing. Directed by Stanley Kubrick, this movie has the rare gift of being action and thrill-packed even without the fancy modern special techniques we now use today in the movie industry (this one was created in 1956, so do not expect high definition quality or fantastic explosions – just pure acting and directing “textbook style”). The movie revolves around a gang of petty robbers who want to steal money on a race track – but, as you may very well expect it, things don’t go as well as planned. Watch the movie because it is an all-time must-see for every film-passionate man or woman out there.

5. Hold-Up

The title of the move pretty much suggests everything this movie is about. Rather underrated as a movie, the hold-up scene itself is definitely worth your time because it will be thrilling and exciting. Grimm (played brilliantly by Jean-Paul Belmondo) is a robber who takes hostage no less than 30 people. Throughout the movie (and throughout the robbery proper itself), he acts very odd and leads the police officers into confusion with his behavior, which adds a lot of spice to the movie. If you are a big robbery-movies fan, then this movie is a must-see for certain and you will definitely love it!

4. Public Enemies

Starring Johnny Depp, Public Enemies is a movie you just have to see – regardless of whether you are a big fan of this actor or not. He can be extremely compelling in his roles and Public Enemies is definitely one of his best performances. The robbery scene in this movie is not exactly long, but it is definitely memorable and it is very, very important for the course of the movie’s plot. Led by Depp’s character (Dillinger), a gang of robbers want to take the money from a bank. You need to watch the movie to see what happens next, but we guarantee you’ll like it!

3. The Bank Job

Following a lead offered to him by Martine, Terry robs a bank thinking that everything (money, jewelry) is worth millions. However, what he is about to discover is that the safes do not keep jewelry or money, but very, very dirty secrets. These secrets reveal an entire web of corruption and illegality and they could bring down many very important people. What is Terry about to do with the treasure he has just discovered? You should watch the movie because it is an interesting approach to robbery in general! The Bank Job lasts for about 2 hours (give or take), but every minute of it will catch you.

2. Inside Man

When a bank robbery goes completely crazy and the situation becomes a hostage-taking one, a police man and a broker try to negotiate with the leader of the robbery. The movie is excellent especially because it blends action and interesting dialogues in a perfect way. Rated quite high by most of the watchers, this is a movie you just have to watch. It may be different, interesting and captivating and, at the very least, it will keep you watching for the whole 129 minutes it consists of. Denzel Washington is a more than welcome addition to the movie and he will definitely make you like him a lot.

1. Dog Day Afternoon

If there is one man to rule all types of gangster roles in the entire history of gangster movies, then that should be Al Pacino. Dog Day Afternoon is not necessarily about gangsters and Mafia, but about pilferage (at a larger scale, but nevertheless, nothing “professional”). The entire movie revolves around one robbery – and Al Pacino really makes the most of it with his amazing acting skills! Wonderful movie with a touch of drama and comedy at the same time – definitely a must-see on anyone’s list, really! We guarantee you’ll be laughing and crying at the same time and we guarantee you’ll want to watch this movie again – and very soon, if we may add.