A Glean movie guide
Masterminds & Misdirection
Don't trust the plan.
Heist movies where the biggest score is the shock ending.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
The Usual Suspects
A masterclass in narrative misdirection that redefined the crime thriller ending.
Held in an L.A. interrogation room, Verbal Kint attempts to convince the feds that a mythic crime lord, Keyser Soze, not only exists, but was also responsible for drawing him and his four partners into a multi-million dollar heist that ended with an explosion in San Pedro harbor – leaving few survivors. Verbal lures his interrogators with an incredible story of the crime lord's almost supernatural prowess.
- 02
The Sting
The ultimate long con that keeps the audience guessing alongside its mark.
A novice con man teams up with an acknowledged master to avenge the murder of a mutual friend by pulling off the ultimate big con and swindling a fortune from a big-time mobster.
- 03
Inside Man
A brilliant bank robbery where the true objective remains hidden until the final moments.
When an armed, masked gang enter a Manhattan bank, lock the doors and take hostages, the detective assigned to effect their release enters negotiations preoccupied with corruption charges he is facing.
- 04
Reservoir Dogs
A tense, non-linear standoff focused on unmasking a police informant after a botched job.
A botched robbery indicates a police informant, and the pressure mounts in the aftermath at a warehouse. Crime begets violence as the survivors -- veteran Mr. White, newcomer Mr. Orange, psychopathic parolee Mr. Blonde, bickering weasel Mr. Pink and Nice Guy Eddie -- unravel.
- 05
The Handmaiden
A lush, three-part puzzle of deception where the roles of predator and prey constantly shift.
1930s Korea, in the period of Japanese occupation, a new girl, Sookee, is hired as a handmaiden to a Japanese heiress, Hideko, who lives a secluded life on a large countryside estate with her domineering Uncle Kouzuki. But the maid has a secret. She is a pickpocket recruited by a swindler posing as a Japanese Count to help him seduce the Lady to steal her fortune.
- 06
Inception
A high-concept heist through the subconscious where reality itself is the final question.
Cobb, a skilled thief who commits corporate espionage by infiltrating the subconscious of his targets is offered a chance to regain his old life as payment for a task considered to be impossible: "inception", the implantation of another person's idea into a target's subconscious.
- 07
Ocean's Eleven
A slick, stylish robbery that uses visual sleight of hand to hide its most clever move.
Less than 24 hours into his parole, charismatic thief Danny Ocean is already rolling out his next plan: In one night, Danny's hand-picked crew of specialists will attempt to steal more than $150 million from three Las Vegas casinos. But to score the cash, Danny risks his chances of reconciling with ex-wife, Tess.
- 08
Matchstick Men
A character-driven con movie that pulls the rug out with a devastating third-act reversal.
A phobic con artist and his protege are on the verge of pulling off a lucrative swindle when the con artist's teenage daughter arrives unexpectedly.
- 09
Widows
A gritty, modern heist that pivots on a mid-film revelation that changes everything.
A police shootout leaves four thieves dead during an explosive armed robbery attempt in Chicago. Their widows have nothing in common except a debt left behind by their spouses' criminal activities. Hoping to forge a future on their own terms, they join forces to pull off a heist.
- 10
Nine Queens
An intricate Argentinian thriller that proves the 'long con' is an art form.
Two con artists try to swindle a stamp collector by selling him a sheet of counterfeit rare stamps, the "nine queens".
- 11
Logan Lucky
A 'hillbilly heist' that cleverly hides its tracks through a unique, delayed-reveal structure.
Trying to reverse a family curse, brothers Jimmy and Clyde Logan set out to execute an elaborate robbery during the legendary Coca-Cola 600 race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.
- 12
Now You See Me
A flashy spectacle where magic and crime collide to hide a secret orchestrator.
An FBI agent and an Interpol detective track a team of illusionists who pull off bank heists during their performances and reward their audiences with the money.