10 Great Heist Movies That Are Surprisingly Based On True Stories

Crime movies can take on a completely different tone when they are based on real life, and even heist movies often take inspiration from true stories. Movies based on real crimes are among the most popular in the crime genre. Goodfellas, The Untouchables and Zodiac all have added layers of jeopardy because the viewer knows that the criminals and the victims are all real. Heist movies don’t take inspiration from real life as often as other crime movies. Heist classics like Point Break and Ocean’s 11 are usually pure fiction.

The joy of heist movies is that the audience usually sides with the criminals. The victims of heists are often big banks or art galleries, faceless institutions which don’t immediately inspire pity. Because of the way audiences root for the protagonists, they want to see them get away with the crime. Real-life heists don’t offer themselves up to this experience. Either the perpetrators are caught, or they get away with it and nobody ever knows anything about them, and definitely not enough to write a movie about them. There are, however, a few great heist movies based on real cases.

10
Heat (1995)

Based on Detective Chuck Adamson’s pursuit of Neal McAuley

Michael Mann remade his own TV movie, L.A. Takedown, with Al Pacino and Robert De Niro back together for the first time since The Godfather Part II. Heat is an undeniable heist classic, but it has its roots in real life. Mann based the character of Vincent Hanna (Pacino) on Chicago detective Chuck Adamson, who pursued a criminal named Neal McAuley in the 1960s. Mann didn’t even change McAuley’s name in the movie. Michael Mann is working on Heat 2, which will act as both a prequel and a sequel to Heat.

9
30 Minutes Or Less (2011)

Based on the Brian Wells case

30 Minutes or Less is a heist movie with a great comedy cast that may not have gotten the attention it deserved when it was released. Jesse Eisenberg stars as a pizza delivery driver who is kidnapped and forced to rob a bank while wearing an explosive vest. Although it doesn’t claim to be based on real-life events, 30 Minutes or Less shares several similarities with a case from 2003, in which a man was forced to rob a bank while wearing an explosive collar. Brian Wells sadly lost his life, but the movie has a more positive ending.

8
American Animals (2018)

Based on the Transylvania University book heist

American Animals is a unique blend of true-crime documentary and fiction. It stars Barry Keoghan and Evan Peters as two college students who set their sights on Transylvania University’s library, which houses a valuable first-edition of John James Audubon’s Bird of America. The movie intercuts the fictional retelling of the heist with interviews from the culprits. American Animals takes unreliable narration to fascinating new places, as the men contradict each other and even themselves. It’s a heist movie unlike any other, but stealing a rare book isn’t exactly a regular heist.

7
Bonnie & Clyde (1967)

Based on Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow’s gang

Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker were a part of American folklore long before the 1967 movie, and there have been numerous attempts to make more Bonnie and Clyde films. However, the Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway film will forever be inextricably linked to the story of the Barrow Gang’s blood-soaked bank robbing spree during the Great Depression. Bonnie and Clyde was radically violent at the time it was released, and it signaled a shift in filmmaking tastes. It isn’t entirely faithful to the true story, but this only helped mythologize the lovers even more.

6
Rob The Mob (2014)

Based on Tommy and Rosemarie Uva’s series of robberies

Rob the Mob follows two small-time crooks who hatch a daring plan to steal directly from the New York City mafia. By listening to testimony at John Gotti’s trial, Tommy learns that guns aren’t allowed in mafia social clubs, so he figures he can walk in unopposed and take anything he wants from the defenseless gangsters. During one of their robberies, Tommy and Rosie receive a list of every mafia member in the city, and they keep it as insurance against retribution. Unbelievably, Rob the Mob is based on a true story, and the list led to several mob convictions.

5
Masterminds (2016)

Based on the Loomis Fargo robbery

Despite a brilliant comedy cast including Jason Sudeikis, Kristen Wiig, Owen Wilson and Zach Galifianakis, Masterminds received mixed reviews in 2016. The heist comedy is based on the aftermath of the infamous October 1997 Loomis Fargo robbery in Charlotte, North Carolina. Masterminds draws a lot of comedy from the perceived stupidity of the perpetrators, and it’s true that there are some utterly bizarre aspects of the case, but their portrayal isn’t a kind one. The robbery is one of the most famous in U.S. history, alongside the likes of the D.B. Cooper case and the Gardner Museum heist.

4
King Of Thieves (2018)

Based on the Hatton Garden Heist

The Hatton Garden heist in 2015 captured the imagination of the British public, and a big-screen retelling of the story was inevitable. Ultimately, there were several movies made about the heist, including The Hatton Garden Job and Hatton Garden: The Heist. King of Thieves is the most well-known, thanks largely to its prestigious cast. Michael Caine leads a gang of elderly criminals as they go after a big score to relive their glory days. The movie ends up being less than the sum of its parts, however, and heist movie fans might be better served by The Hatton Garden Job.

3
The Bling Ring (2013)

Based on the Hollywood Hills Burglars

Director Sofia Coppola brings her trademark quirks to the story of a series of high-profile robberies in California in 2008 and 2009. The real life “Bling Ring” were a group of teenagers and young adults who burglarized the homes of celebrities when they knew they were away. Their victims included Orlando Bloom, Megan Fox, and Paris Hilton, who makes a cameo appearance as herself in the movie. The Bling Ring is one of Emma Watson’s best movies, as she goes against type to play an image-obsessed valley girl with considerable panache.

2
The Bank Job (2008)

Based on the Baker Street robbery

Jason Statham has appeared in several British gangster movies, and The Bank Job sees him retread familiar ground. The Bank Job takes inspiration from the 1971 Baker Street robbery in London, which has been the source of persistent rumors owing to the fact that the full details of the case remain unknown to the public. Producers of The Bank Job claimed that they had inside information coming from one of the perpetrators, and that the film’s version of events is genuine. Until the records are unsealed by the British government in 2071, the mystery will continue.

1
Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

Based on John Wojtowicz and Salvatore Naturile’s attempted Brooklyn bank robbery

Al Pacino delivers one of his finest performances in Dog Day Afternoon. He plays Sonny Wortzik, a bank robber based on John Wojtowicz. Along with two of his associates, Wojtowicz attempted to rob a bank in Brooklyn in 1972, but he was forced to take hostages when the robbery went south. Dog Day Afternoon tells the story of the protracted hostage situation that ensued. Dog Day Afternoon is also notable for solidifying John Cazale’s incredible acting legacy. He only starred in five movies, but all five were nominated for Best Picture.