When you have a few hours of spare time and feel like unwinding, turning your phone off and relaxing with a great film can be the perfect choice. With Amazon Prime, Netflix, movie channels and a collection of DVDs to choose from picking the right film can sometimes take as long as the movie would have lasted.
If you’re in the mood for a great gangster film we have compiled our top 5 of all time. This was no easy task, we really love a good gangster film and there are a lot of great ones out there, here’s our top picks:
Scarface
If you haven’t seen this film stop what you’re doing right now and watch it immediately. Al Pacino starring in arguably his finest and most memorable role as Tony Montana, the Cuban refugee who comes to America wanting the world and everything in it.
Made in 1983 the director Brian De Palma faced a great deal of criticism when it was first released due to the violence throughout; the ‘the chainsaw scene’ is certainly one that you won’t forget in a hurry.
Throughout the movie Tony Montana’s rise is coupled with drug addiction and detachment from his closest friends and family that seals his fall from grace. Whatever mood you’re in, setting aside some time to watch a Cuban refugee climb the ranks from dishwasher to a mansion owning drug lord is a great ride.
Casino
No trip to Las Vegas will ever be the same after watching Casino, it would make anyone think twice about being rude to someone standing at a bar.
In a similar theme to Scarface, Casino tracks the rise and fall of professional gambler Sam ‘Ace’ Rothstein who was the ‘face’ of the mafia in Las Vegas. Rothstein goes from being a respected professional gambler in his home town of Chicago to running one of the largest casinos on the Las Vegas strip for the mob.
Unlike Tony Montana, Rothstein’s fall is not due to his own actions, rather those around him. The seemingly perfect trophy wife who can’t escape from her ex-boyfriend/pimp and drug habit coupled with his bloodthirsty right hand man Nicky Santoro. Rothstein tries in vain to keep all the plates spinning but even the sharpest gambler can’t leave Las Vegas and the mafias grip without a few scratches.
The Godfather Trilogy
A bit of a cheat putting three films together but they really do come as a package. Pacino and De Niro combined, what isn’t there to like?
The first film was originally released in 1972, although it’s a movie classic and one of the most highly rated gangster movies of all time (IMDB & Rotten Tomatoes) it’s likely that a lot of people will have given these films a miss due to them being so old so we want to bring them to your attention if this is the case.
The Godfather movies shows the mafia from the inside. With the full trilogy lasting over 9 hours you’ll need to get yourself comfortable but they are more than worth investing your time. Part 1 & 2 are significantly better films than the 3rd but all three instalments are amazing movies.
There are simply too many memorable scenes to mention and the trilogy has it all. If you haven’t seen it yet, put it on your to do list.
Goodfellas
“All my life I always wanted to be a gangster”.
Goodfellas follows the life of Henry Hill, played by Ray Liotta, moving from a young petty thief to a respected ‘wiseguy’.
Goodfellas takes you on a ride showing the high life of a feared gangster who has money, respect, girls and anything else he wanted. Through drugs and betrayal the seemingly glamorous gangster life quickly becomes very unappealing.
Easily makes it into our top 5 gangster films with a cast including; Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Samuel L. Jackson and Paul Sorvino it’s truly a stand up cast.
The film is based on true events, there is a real Henry Hill who went into witness protection, effectively disappearing.
American Gangster
The only film from the 21st century to make the cut. Denzel Washington plays Frank Lucas, a trusted chauffeur to one of Harlem’s leading mobsters who makes the step up to becoming one of the city’s biggest crime bosses.
The film shows Frank Lucas’s business ingenuity, with a different upbringing he would no doubt have been a multi millionaire from a legal enterprise. Lucas is a sharp character who is being sought after by veteran cop Richie Roberts, played by Russell Crowe.
Frank Lucas looks to take on everyone from the Italian mob through to corrupt police officers in this absolute must watch.
Let us know what you think about our choices and if you would have done it differently.
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