The heist genre has plenty of nail-biting thrillers, but it’s also fertile ground for hilarious crime capers. Not all heist movies have to be tense, violent thrillers likeHeatandThe Town.In fact, many of thebest heist moviesare the ones which use the genre as a vehicle for comedy.
Heist comedies are often rather dark, like many crime comedies, but this isn’t always the case. Some crime capers can be fast-paced and breezy, incorporating elements of romance or mystery to lighten the mood. The best heist comedies manage to strike the right balance between humor and exciting narratives.
Steven Soderbergh brought the heist genre back into fashion with hisOcean’strilogy in the 2000s, and he returned with another hilarious heist comedy 10 years later.Logan Luckyleaves the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas behind to focus on a working-class family robbing a speedway in Virginia.
Channing Tatum and Adam Driver strike up a great comedic dynamic.
Logan Luckyhas a great cast, with Channing Tatum and Adam Driver striking up a great comedic dynamic as two brothers with nothing to lose. Although there are a lot of laughs in the build-up and execution of the heist,Logan Luckyalso has the confidence to play out as a tense thriller when Soderbergh chooses.
Michael Caine appeared in heist moviesthroughout his career, starting with early hits likeGambit.Just likeThe Italian Job, Gambitmakes good use of Caine’s rough cockney charms, as he plays a suave criminal mastermind with an elaborate plan to steal a priceless statue.
Gambitdeconstructs the heist genre by showing how cunning and ingenious plans never play out in real life, since there’s always something or someone to get in the way. In this case, it’s Shirley MacLaine’s mouthy showgirl who doesn’t fit with the fantasy that’s projected onto her.Gambit’s big conceit is frequently hilarious, and it’s punctuated by plenty of witty banter.
The Stingwon seven Oscars, including Best Picture, and it still has the capacity to entertain audiences just as it did over 50 years ago. While it may not count as a heist movie in the strictest sense,The Stingfollows two con men who team up to get revenge against a dangerous Chicago mob boss by pulling an elaborate ruse.
Paul Newman and Robert Redford rekindle their wonderful chemistry fromButch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,giving their scenes together a vibrant energy, even without any action. They create two characters who are easy to root for, and this helps give the ending a boundless sense of euphoria, like many classic heist movies.
Officially,30 Minutes or Lessis an original story, but it’s clear to see how it might have been inspired by a real-life case in which a delivery driver was forced to rob a bank with a bomb locked to his neck.30 Minutes or Lessputs a darkly comedic spin on this grizzly tale, with Jesse Eisenberg and Danny McBride both on top form.
30 Minutes or Lessderives a lot of its humor from the huge chasm between the suave heist movie archetypes and its own bumbling, neurotic, unprepared robbers. This suits Eisenberg’s comedic persona perfectly, and his awkward physicality also lends itself to some uproarious slapstick.
The Dukeis anotherheist movie based on real life, with Jim Broadbent playing Kempton Bunton, a retiree who made headlines in the 1960s after stealing an expensive Goya from the National Portrait Gallery in London.The real-life context adds an extra layer to the absurdity ofThe Duke.
Broadbent is charismatic as Bunton, and it helps that his character is a peculiar, unique individual. WhileThe Dukegets a lot of laughs from Bunton’s chaotic home life, his appearance in court is another highlight, as his quaint moral philosophy comes up against the might of the British legal system.
How to Steal a Millionembodies the sumptuous style ofheist movies from the 1960s, as the genre left behind the violence of film noir in favor of intelligent, debonair thieves with righteous morals. William Wyler’s breezy rom-com is a sight to behold, with Audrey Hepburn and Peter O’Toole spending time together in Paris while hatching a brilliant heist.
By the 1960s, Hepburn was a true fashion icon, andher wardrobe forHow to Steal a Millionwas supplied by Givenchy. This complements the beauty of Paris and the orchestral score to create a feast for the senses. Luckily, the script is also up to scratch, giving Hepburn and O’Toole plenty of witty jokes.
From the electrifying car chase in its opening scene,Baby Driversets off at a rapid pace and doesn’t let up. Edgar Wright had already established himself as one of the funniest comedy movie directors around with the Cornetto trilogy andScott Pilgrim vs. the Worldby the time he madeBaby Driver,and he maintains his sense of humor even though his heist thriller also tells a gripping story.
Baby Driver’s stylish soundtrackhighlights the movie’s charming sense of confidence, and this spills over into the comedy. WhileWright always has plenty of great quips in his scripts, a lot of his funniest jokes come from visuals, whether he’s letting his cast have some fun or getting a laugh from his punchy, idiosyncratic command of the camera.
For some people, Alec Guinness is only known as Ben Kenobi in the originalStar Warstrilogy, but he was also one of Britain’s funniest comedic actors of his generation. He starred in many classic Ealing comedies, includingThe Lavender Hill Mob,which has influenced crime capers for decades.
The Lavender Hill Mob,like Guinness' other classic heist comedyThe Ladykillers,follows some inept robbers trying desperately to cover their tracks. In both films, this involves an elaborate ruse that’s even more complex and time-consuming than the actual robbery itself.
After theMonty Python movies, TV series and radio show, the members of the British comedy troop continued to collaborate with one another on various projects.A Fish Called Wandasees John Cleese and Michael Palin teaming up once again for an elaborate comedic farce set in the aftermath of a violent jewel heist.
A Fish Called Wandaalso benefits from Jamie Lee Curtis and Kevin Kline.
A Fish Called Wandaalso benefits from Jamie Lee Curtis and Kevin Kline, whose presence as two brash Americans brings an element of social satire to the crime caper.There are several hilarious subplots tangled together throughoutA Fish Called Wanda,and they all come together to create a timeless dark comedy.
