A Glean movie guide
The Art of the Steal
Nothing is as it seems.
Masterful heist movies where the final reveal changes everything.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
The Usual Suspects
A masterclass in unreliable narration that culminates in one of cinema's most legendary final reveals.
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
This foundational 'long con' classic keeps the audience in the dark until the ultimate satisfying payoff.
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 very last moment.
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
Ocean's Eleven
A slick, stylish ensemble piece that uses clever misdirection to hide the mechanics of the vault break.
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.
- 05
Inception
A high-concept heist that layers dreams within dreams, leading to a famously debated and mind-bending conclusion.
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.
- 06
Nine Queens
A sharp Argentinian thriller renowned for a massive final twist that completely redefines the entire story.
Two con artists try to swindle a stamp collector by selling him a sheet of counterfeit rare stamps, the "nine queens".
- 07
Widows
A gritty, high-stakes robbery featuring a mid-film narrative shock that shifts the emotional weight of the mission.
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.
- 08
Logan Lucky
A deceptively simple 'hillbilly heist' that reveals a meticulously planned execution hidden in plain sight.
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.
- 09
Matchstick Men
A character-driven con-artist drama where the final act subverts every assumption made about the plot.
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.
- 10
Now You See Me
A flashy spectacle where stage magic and bank robberies collide, ending with a major identity-based reveal.
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.