A Glean movie guide
Masterminds & Misdirection
Don't trust the plan.
The most ingenious heist films where nothing is quite what it seems.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
The Usual Suspects
A masterclass in the unreliable narrator that redefined the modern movie twist.
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
Inside Man
A brilliant bank robbery where the real genius lies in the exit strategy and hidden motives.
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.
- 03
Inception
A high-concept 'dream heist' that layers reality upon reality toward an unforgettable, ambiguous finale.
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.
- 04
The Sting
The definitive con-artist classic featuring a final reveal that perfectly recontextualizes the entire plot.
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.
- 05
Ocean's Eleven
The gold standard for ensemble heists, blending effortless cool with a clever technical sleight of hand.
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.
- 06
Reservoir Dogs
A tense, post-heist pressure cooker that keeps you guessing about the identity of the police informant.
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.
- 07
The Handmaiden
A lush, multi-layered deception filled with shocking perspective shifts and psychological reversals.
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.
- 08
Widows
A gritty, character-driven robbery that anchors its high stakes in a massive mid-film revelation.
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.
- 09
Nine Queens
A sharp Argentinian thriller that proves the smallest cons can lead to the biggest surprises.
Two con artists try to swindle a stamp collector by selling him a sheet of counterfeit rare stamps, the "nine queens".
- 10
Logan Lucky
A clever 'blue-collar' heist that hides its most brilliant details in plain sight until the very end.
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.
- 11
Snatch
A fast-paced, chaotic diamond hunt where accidental timing and hidden plans collide.
Unscrupulous boxing promoters, violent bookies, a Russian gangster, incompetent amateur robbers, and supposedly Jewish jewellers fight to track down a priceless stolen diamond.
- 12
The Killing
Stanley Kubrick’s noir masterpiece features a meticulous plan with a devastatingly ironic final turn.
Career criminal Johnny Clay recruits a sharpshooter, a crooked police officer, a bartender and a betting teller named George, among others, for one last job before he goes straight and gets married. But when George tells his restless wife about the scheme to steal millions from the racetrack where he works, she hatches a plot of her own.