A Glean movie guide
The Art of the Steal: Heists with a Twist
Don't trust the plan.
Masterful robberies where the plan you see is never the full story.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
The Usual Suspects
A masterclass in unreliable narration that culminates in one of cinema's most famous identity 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
Inside Man
A brilliant bank robbery where the true objective remains hidden from the police until the very last second.
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
The Sting
This legendary caper defines the 'long con' with a double-layered finale that keeps the audience guessing.
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.
- 04
Nine Queens
An Argentine gem that constantly pulls the rug out from under you with escalating layers of deception.
Two con artists try to swindle a stamp collector by selling him a sheet of counterfeit rare stamps, the "nine queens".
- 05
Ocean's Eleven
A slick ensemble piece that uses clever misdirection to hide the team's actual location during the heist.
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
Inception
Christopher Nolan blends sci-fi with the heist genre, featuring a mind-bending plan and a famously ambiguous ending.
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
The Handmaiden
A lush, three-part narrative where shifting perspectives completely recontextualize every character's motive.
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
Logan Lucky
This 'hillbilly heist' subverts high-tech tropes with a brilliantly simple plan 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
Bad Genius
A high-stakes academic thriller that proves stealing exam answers can be just as tense as a bank vault break-in.
Lynn, a brilliant student, after helping her friends to get the grades they need, develops the idea of starting a much bigger exam-cheating business.
- 10
Widows
A gritty, character-driven heist that features a shocking mid-movie reversal regarding the original crew.
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.
- 11
Reservoir Dogs
Quentin Tarantino’s debut focuses on the bloody aftermath of a failed job and the hunt for a hidden 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.
- 12
Matchstick Men
A psychological con-artist drama that delivers a massive emotional blow through its final narrative pivot.
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.