When it comes to Gangster Movies, there are plenty of good choices. It’s hard to pick the best ones because there’s just so many out there. It is, after all, one of the most popular modern genres. So what are the best gangster movies?

To me, there is nothing more entertaining than seeing some of the most iconic mobsters in history come to life on screen.

This guide compiles some of our favorite gangster movies and includes information about each movie so that you can decide if it’s worth your time.

One thing is for sure: Gangster movies never get old!

The best gangster movies are often violent and gritty, but they can also be funny, exciting and even poignant.

The following list includes the most well-known gangster films ever made, as well as some lesser known gems.

Best Gangster Movies

Without further ado, let’s jump into our list of the best gangster movies.

The Godfather Part II (1974)

Francis Ford Coppola’s sequel to his own masterpiece, The Godfather (1972), follows the continuing story of Michael Corleone and his family.

The Godfather Part II is the second part of Francis Ford Coppola’s epic film trilogy. It was released in 1974, and continues the story of Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), who struggles to consolidate his power over organized crime in New York City.

The sequel also features Michael’s sister Connie Corleone (Talia Shire) and provides more insight into Vito Corleone’s rise as a Don in 1920s New York.

The Godfather Part II is a sequel to the Academy Award-winning film, The Godfather. It was released in 1974 and directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

This movie continues the Corleone family’s struggles while Michael (played by Al Pacino) tries to expand his business into Las Vegas.

Goodfellas (1990)

In the 1990s, a new era of gangster movies emerged with Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas. Based on the life of real-life mobster and partner in crime with Jimmy Hoffa, Henry Hill, Goodfellas was one of the first films to be nominated for six Academy Awards.

A film that is often cited as being one of the best ever made about organized crime and its connection to show business (particularly Las Vegas), it follows Hill’s rise through his involvement in various crimes from small-time robberies to large-scale drug deals.

Starring Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Lorraine Bracco, it was directed by Martin Scorcese. The movie takes place in New York City during the time period from 1955 to 1980.

We get to see how these men become involved with the mafia through their family connections as well as how they are able to climb up the ranks of criminal society until they finally reach their final downfall.

The movie Goodfellas is a semi-autobiographical crime drama directed by Martin Scorsese. The film follows the life of Henry Hill, starting from his childhood and progressing through his adult years.

It also shows how he became involved with the mafia as an associate in order to provide for his family and eventually became a criminal himself.

The Goodfellas (1990) is a film directed by Martin Scorsese, which tells the story of Henry Hill and his friends who move up through the ranks of organized crime.

The movie follows them as they get involved in various crimes such as robberies, drug dealing, and murder. It’s based on real-life mobster from the 60s-70s.

Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Reservoir Dogs is a neo-noir crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. A heist movie, the story follows a group of professional thieves who plan to steal jewelry worth $20 million dollars from an antique store in Los Angeles.

In 1992, Quentin Tarantino directed a low-budget indie film that would go on to become an international phenomenon. Reservoir Dogs tells the story of six criminals who are brought together for a diamond heist and end up getting involved in a bloody shootout with police.

The film starred Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Steve Buscemi, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn as well as Tarantino himself. It was nominated for two awards at the Cannes Film Festival including Best Screenplay.

Reservoir Dogs is considered one of Tarantino’s best films because it features his trademark style – violence mixed with humor and pop culture references.

The Killing (1956)

The Killing is a 1956 black and white film noir made by Stanley Kubrick. The story follows the events of one day in the life of Johnny Clay, a gambler who sets out to find his friend’s killer.

His search leads him into the seedy underworld where he encounters corruption and violence from everyone he meets, including police officers and other gamblers.

The film is a noir that tells the story of a group of racetrack employees who plan to rob their employer. The robbery goes smoothly, but an unforeseen car blocks their exit at the last minute and they are forced to kill one of their own in self-defense.

The film is dark, gritty and at times even hard to watch. But it’s also compelling for those who like their films to be a little bit rough around the edges.

The Godfather (1972)

The Godfather is a 1972 American crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola and produced by Albert S. Ruddy from a screenplay co-written with Mario Puzo, based on the 1969 novel of the same name.

The film stars Marlon Brando as Don Vito Corleone, James Caan as Santino “Sonny” Corleone, Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen, Richard Castellano as Clemenza, Sterling Hayden as Johnny Fontane, Al Martino as Luca Brasi and Diane Keaton in her screen debut in the role of Kay Adams-Corleone.

The Godfather is one of the most iconic classic films that has ever been made. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, this film tells a story about an Italian-American mobster and his family’s crime syndicate in New York City.

This movie was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and won 3 including Best Picture, Best Actor (Marlon Brando), and Best Adapted Screenplay (Francis Ford Coppola).

In Bruges (2008)

In Bruges is a film that centers around two hitmen, Ken and Ray. They are sent to the Belgian city of Bruges by their boss Harry after killing his daughter’s rapist in London.

The film follows the two men as they explore the city, get into trouble with some locals, and eventually come face-to-face with each other over who killed Harry’s daughter.

The movie, which is quite dark at times, has a great sense of humor about it with its over-the-top violence and constant use of Flemish curse words.

The dialogue, though not always easy to understand for non-native speakers, is an interesting balance between comedy and drama that really makes the viewer feel like they’re in the story themselves.

Brighton Rock (1947)

The movie Brighton Rock is a 1947 British film directed by John Boulting. The screenplay was written by Graham Greene based on his 1938 novel of the same name.

It tells of a young man, Pinkie Brown, who becomes involved in gang violence and develops an obsession with revenge when he witnesses the murder of a fellow member of his gang at the hands of a rival group led by Billyboy Thurtle.

The story is set in 1930s England during the height of prohibition. Alcohol was outlawed and smuggling it across borders became profitable for criminal organizations such as the National Union (NU).

This gave rise to a new breed of gangster: ruthless individuals with few scruples when it came to violence or murder.

These criminals would often work together but were also very willing to turn on each other if it meant achieving success within their organization.

Mean Streets (1973)

The film Mean Streets is a 1973 American crime drama film directed by Martin Scorsese. The story follows the life of Italian-American youth, Charlie (Harvey Keitel), who falls in with the wrong crowd after being rejected by his family and society.

He becomes involved in petty crimes such as stealing cars, robbing stores, and assaulting bookmakers before finally becoming an accomplice to murder.

The film is a true classic and should be required viewing for anyone interested in the history of cinema.

This gritty crime drama follows an Italian-American youth named Charlie (Harvey Keitel) as he navigates his way through life on New York’s mean streets.

Point Break (1991)

In 1991, the director Kathryn Bigelow made a movie called Point Break. The film is about two FBI agents who are investigating a gang of surfers known as “The Ex-Presidents.”

During their investigation they meet up with Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves) and work to infiltrate the group.

One of the things that make this movie so entertaining is how well it’s directed. It’s clear that Bigelow had complete control over every aspect of the film from start to finish, which led to an amazing final product in my opinion.

She also utilized some really cool camera angles throughout, which gave us new perspectives on scenes we’ve seen many times before. I think this was done intentionally because she wanted people to see what other

Point Break has been deemed one of the most important action films of all time due to its portrayal of extreme sports as well as how it was filmed in locations such as Puerto Rico, San Diego, and Hawaii.

The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933)

The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933) is a classic German crime film directed by Fritz Lang and co-written by Lang and Thea von Harbou.

It tells the story of the criminal mastermind Dr. Mabuse, played by Rudolf Klein-Rogge, who uses his evil mind to pull off elaborate crimes in Berlin while being hunted down by Inspector Lohmann (played by Otto Wernicke).

The film is often thought as one of the first modern films that deals with how criminals can cripple society through manipulation and deception, making it an important precursor to film noir.

A silent film that tells the story of a criminal mastermind and his efforts to rule the world, The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933) is an important movie in cinema history.

However, it has since been lauded by critics such as Roger Ebert who said “It’s more like a nightmare than entertainment,” because it offers an alternative vision of society that is worthy of consideration even if you disagree

The Irishman (2019)

The Irishman (2019) is a biographical drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Steve Zaillian. The Irishman stars Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, Harvey Keitel, Bobby Cannavale, and Ray Romano.

It is based on a true story about Frank Sheeran, who was involved in organized crime and union-related violence for over 40 years.

One of the most intriguing aspects of this film is that it features an actor digitally de-aged to portray younger versions of his character – setting up the possibility for more movies in which they are played one actor whose various ages can be manipulated digitally.

The League of Gentlemen (1960)

The League of Gentlemen (1960) is a British comedy film directed and written by Basil Dearden.

It stars Michael Redgrave, Harry Andrews, Margaret Rutherford, Wilfred Hyde-White, and John Le Mesurier as the titular “League”.

The film follows four elderly gentlemen who are members of an exclusive gentlemen’s club in London called ‘The Roving Club’ or ‘The League’.

These old men spend their time bickering with each other about trivial matters such as where to find good fish for one’s lunch.

Get Carter (1971)

The original 1971 cult classic Get Carter is a gritty, dark film that has an eerie feeling and sense of suspense throughout. It stars Michael Caine as Jack Carter, a London gangster who returns home to Newcastle for his brother’s funeral.

When he arrives in town he finds out that his brother was killed by the mob boss Mr. Big (played by Ian Hendry) but when he tries to get justice nobody will help him except one man – Bob Roper played by Bryan Mosley.

The film follows an English gangster, played by Michael Caine, who comes to Newcastle upon Tyne in search of his brother’s killer.

What starts as a revenge mission escalates into a twisted game where nothing is what it seems and the hunter becomes the hunted.

A gangster who has been living overseas for five years returns to England to find out his brother has died under mysterious circumstances.

Carter’s search for answers leads him into conflict with a group of criminals led by the ruthless local businessman Harry Mirrell (played by John Osborne) and brings him face-to-face with London’s criminal underworld.

A Better Tomorrow (1986)

A Better Tomorrow is a 1986 Hong Kong action film directed by John Woo and starring Chow Yun-fat, Ti Lung, Leslie Cheung, and Sally Yeh.

The story follows the criminal exploits of General Yang (Ti Lung) who tries to get out from under the thumb of the Japanese yakuza in 1930s Shanghai.

It features amazing action scenes which are choreographed brilliantly, making it one of the most famous films in this genre.

It also has many great themes such as loyalty to family, friendship, and honor so there is plenty to discuss when watching it or discussing it with others.

Léon: The Professional (1994)

Léon: The Professional is a 1994 American action film directed by Luc Besson and starring Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman, Danny Aiello, and Peter Appel.

In a world where hitmen are not only common but necessary for the economy to function, Léon is one of the most successful.

The camera follows him throughout the city and we see just how good he is at what he does as well as how many people know about him.

Léon: The Professional (1994) is a French action thriller film that was directed by Luc Besson.

It stars Jean Reno as Léon, an aging but experienced hitman and Gary Oldman as corrupt DEA agent Norman Stansfield.

Kids Return (1996)

Kids Return is a 1996 Japanese crime film written, edited, and directed by Takeshi Kitano.

The film was made directly after Kitano recovered from a motorcycle wreck that left one side of his body paralyzed.

After undergoing extensive surgery and physical therapy, he quickly went about making Kids Return amidst speculation that he might never be able to work again.

The movie is about two high school dropouts, Masaru (Ken Kaneko) and Shinji (Masanobu Andō), who try to find a direction and meaning in their lives—one by becoming a yakuza lieutenant, the other by becoming a boxer.

Le Cercle Rouge (1970)

Le Cercle Rouge is a French crime film written and directed by Jean-Pierre Melville. The movie, which was released in 1970, tells the story of an intricate jewel heist.

The film is a crime drama that follows an ex-criminal turned police informant (Alain Delon) who must work with his former criminal associates in order to help catch a gang of counterfeiters.

This movie is known for its expert cinematography, suspenseful plot, and poetic style.

The movie has been praised for its cinematography and style, which includes long takes with mi