A Glean movie guide
Masterminds & Vaults
Every second counts.
From tactical police standoffs to high-stakes cracks, these are the ultimate bank robbery
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
Heat
The gold standard of heist cinema, featuring a legendary daylight shootout and meticulous tactical planning.
Obsessive master thief Neil McCauley leads a top-notch crew on various daring heists throughout Los Angeles while determined detective Vincent Hanna pursues him without rest. Each man recognizes and respects the ability and the dedication of the other even though they are aware their cat-and-mouse game may end in violence.
- 02
Inside Man
A brilliant, non-linear puzzle where the real mystery is what the robbers are actually looking for.
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
Dog Day Afternoon
A tense, character-driven classic based on a true story of a Brooklyn robbery gone wrong.
Based on the true story of would-be Brooklyn bank robbers John Wojtowicz and Salvatore Naturile. Sonny and Sal attempt a bank heist which quickly turns sour and escalates into a hostage situation and stand-off with the police. As Sonny's motives for the robbery are slowly revealed and things become more complicated, the heist turns into a media circus.
- 04
The Town
A gritty look at a professional Boston crew balancing high-stakes jobs with personal loyalty.
Doug MacRay is a longtime thief, who, smarter than the rest of his crew, is looking for his chance to exit the game. When a bank job leads to the group kidnapping an attractive branch manager, he takes on the role of monitoring her – but their burgeoning relationship threatens to unveil the identities of Doug and his crew to the FBI Agent who is on their case.
- 05
Hell or High Water
A modern Western following two brothers on a desperate, calculated spree across West Texas.
A divorced dad and his ex-con brother resort to a desperate scheme in order to save their family's farm in West Texas.
- 06
Baby Driver
A high-octane, music-driven spectacle that turns the getaway drive into a choreographed art form.
After being coerced into working for a crime boss, a young getaway driver finds himself taking part in a heist doomed to fail.
- 07
The Bank Job
A fascinating, grounded dramatization of a real-life 1970s London vault robbery.
Terry is a small-time car dealer trying to leave his shady past behind and start a family. Martine is a beautiful model from Terry's old neighbourhood who knows that Terry is no angel. When Martine proposes a foolproof plan to rob a bank, Terry recognises the danger but realises this may be the opportunity of a lifetime.
- 08
Point Break
An iconic action thriller where undercover FBI work meets a gang of surfing bank robbers.
In Los Angeles, a gang of bank robbers who call themselves The Ex-Presidents commit their crimes while wearing masks of Reagan, Carter, Nixon and Johnson. Believing that the members of the gang could be surfers, the F.B.I. sends young agent Johnny Utah to the beach undercover to mix with the surfers and gather information.
- 09
Den of Thieves
A heavy-hitting, tactical thriller focused on the complex logistics of robbing the Federal Reserve.
A gritty crime saga which follows the lives of an elite unit of the LA County Sheriff's Dept. and the state's most successful bank robbery crew as the outlaws plan a seemingly impossible heist on the Federal Reserve Bank.
- 10
Set It Off
A powerful, high-stakes drama about four women driven to robbery by systemic injustice.
Four inner-city Black women, determined to end their constant struggle, decide to live by one rule — get what you want or die trying. So the four women take back their lives and take out some banks in the process.
- 11
Quick Change
A clever comedy proving that robbing the bank is easy, but escaping New York City is impossible.
With the aid of his girlfriend, Phyllis Potter, and best friend, Loomis, Grimm enters a Manhattan bank dressed as a clown, creates a hostage situation and executes a flawless robbery. The only thing left for the trio to do is make their getaway out of the city and to the airport. It sounds simple enough, but it seems that fate deserts them immediately after the bank heist. One mishap after another conspires to keep these robbers from reaching freedom.
- 12
The Old Man & the Gun
A charming, low-conflict look at a career robber who simply loves the craft of the heist.
The true story of Forrest Tucker, from his audacious escape from San Quentin at the age of 70 to an unprecedented string of heists that confounded authorities and enchanted the public. Wrapped up in the pursuit are a detective, who becomes captivated with Forrest’s commitment to his craft, and a woman, who loves him in spite of his chosen profession.