While some gangster movies have become ever-present within mainstream pop culture, other great releases always seem to get left out of the conversation. In some instances, this is because the filmmakers already have movies that are considered masterpieces of the genre, meaning that their less-acclaimed or well-known work always seems to become an afterthought or footnote in lists and reviews. However, this is a real shame because it means that almost-perfect gangster movies get left behind in the public consciousness.

Although the best gangster movies ever made are consistently written about with great reverence, other gangster movies just haven’t been recognized in the same way. While the work of filmmaking greats like Martin Scorsese, David Cronenberg, or the Coen brothers will always have a big audience, even these directors have movies that viewers seem to forget about. Considering this, it’s important to highlight all of these films that have been criminally underrated, pun intended.

10

A History Of Violence (2005)

Directed by David Cronenberg

While Canadian director David Cronenberg first made a name for himself with grotesque body horror releases, he’s also had several underrated gangster movies. A History of Violence was one of Cronenberg’s best movies and starred Viggo Mortensen as a man with a mysterious past that comes back to haunt him. After bravely stepping in to kill two spree killers who attempted to rob his diner, Tom Stall was lauded on the news as a hero, although this only served to cause gangsters from his past to learn his whereabouts and seek him out.

As mobsters start to visit Tom’s diner, viewers learn that he is actually a former mob hitman named Joey Cusack attempting to live under a new idenтιтy. As the peace and quiet of Tom’s new life begins to fall apart, he’s forced to reveal his gangster origins and return to the crime-ridden underworld he left behind. A History of Violence tells an insightful gangster story about the impossibility of running away from the past and the dark consequences of murder and violence.

9

Black Mᴀss (2015)

Directed by Scott Cooper

Some of the greatest gangster movies ever made, like Goodfellas, were biographical crime films based on real figures. While these stories have the potential to leave a lasting impact on popular culture, one release that feels like it’s gotten left behind is Black Mᴀss, starring Johnny Depp as the American mobster and leader of the Winter Hill Gang, Whitey Bulger. Depp gave one of his very best late-career performances as Bulger in this violent story of a criminal who became an informant for the FBI.

Black Mᴀss felt like an exciting return to form for Depp, who previously excelled in gangster movies like Donnie Brasco and biographical crime stories such as Blow. As a fascinating true story that brings out themes of crime, loyalty, politics, and the nature of betrayal, Bulger’s contradictory idenтιтy as a notorious criminal and brother of a state senator made for engrossing viewing. While Black Mᴀss falls slightly short of capturing the masterful power of releases like Goodfellas, it certainly deserves more attention.

8

Snatch (2000)

Directed by Guy Ritchie

There are few directors more intrinsically linked with British gangster movies than Guy Ritchie. While Ritchie’s debut, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, and recent releases like The Gentleman have all received acclaim, one release that occasionally flies under the radar was Snatch. As a star-studded release featuring Jason Statham, Benicio del Toro, and Brad Pitt trying, and failing, to do his best impression of an Irish Traveller, this glimpse into London’s criminal underworld carried forward many of the themes and stylistic aesthetics of his debut film.

Snatch featured two intertwined plots about a stolen diamond and a small-time boxer under the thumb of a ruthless gangster. As an incredibly violent film, Snatch has garnered a cult following over the years as its twisted sense of humor, witty dialogue, and well-developed characters made it stand out as one of the most underappreciated British crime films around. With plenty of action and a unique sense of idenтιтy, fans of gangster movies should be sure to add Snatch to their watchlist.

7

Mean Streets (1973)

Directed by Martin Scorsese

As a director who will forever be ᴀssociated with gangster movies, it’s only natural that some Martin Scorsese films are better known than others. For this reason, Mean Streets can often get left out of the conversation of the director’s best films, as movies like Goodfellas, Gangs of New York, and The Departed have stolen much of the thunder of this earlier film. This was a real shame, as Mean Streets represented the director’s first film with Robert De Niro and the beginning of perhaps cinema’s greatest actor and filmmaker partnership.

Mean Streets dealt with classic Scorsese themes of crime, faith, and guilt, and although it was not his first movie, it was the release where the director truly discovered his style and unique voice. As a young Catholic mobster (Harvey Keitel) must reckon with his desire for power, a complex relationship with his girlfriend, and a reckless close friend, Mean Streets touched on issues that Scorsese returned to time and again. With a soundtrack featuring vintage pop and rock music, Mean Streets was a defining release in the New Hollywood filmmaking movement.

6

Eastern Promises (2007)

Directed by David Cronenberg

Director David Cronenberg followed up A History of Violence with yet another underrated gangster film, Eastern Promises. This intense and stylish glimpse into the inner workings of the Russian mafia in London dealt with themes of Sєx trafficking, career criminals, and the seedy underbelly of the British criminal underworld. What starts with a midwife trying to uncover the truth behind a Ukrainian teenager who died in childbirth soon unravels into a terrifying tale of gangsters and violence.

Viggo Mortensen gave his most menacing performance as the ruthless criminal Nikolai Luzhin, while Naomi Watts was utterly believable as the Russian-British midwife Anya Khitrova, who quickly found herself in over her head in the criminal world. As a blend of psychological drama and gritty violence, Cronenberg delivered a twist-filled story that kept viewers on the edge of their seats throughout. While Cronenberg is often lauded for his work in the horror genre, Eastern Promises showcased him as one of the most accomplished and original directors working today.

5

Casino (1995)

Directed by Martin Scorsese

When discussing Martin Scorsese’s output during the 1990s, Goodfellas totally dominates the conversation, which is a real shame because, in many ways, Casino was actually a much better film. As an epic crime story that highlighted the Mafia’s involvement in the gambling industry, Scorsese managed to tell a gangster story unlike anything else in his career. Featuring frequent collaborators like Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci and standout turns from actors like James Woods, Casino deserves just as much attention and reverence as Goodfellas received.

With a тιԍнтly plotted story and frantic camera movements, there’s an energy and excitement to Casino that makes it stand out among Scorsese’s filmography. Sharon Stone also gave one of her greatest performances as Ginger McKenna, which added a much-needed female energy that’s so often missing from the director’s work. While Casino is appropriately recognized by gangster movie lovers, the complex performances and thematic depth of the film should be further recognized by general viewers.

4

Once Upon A Time in America (1984)

Directed by Sergio Leone

While the Spaghetti Western genre may be the first thing that comes to viewers’ minds when they hear the name Sergio Leone, it’s important not to forget the masterpiece that is Once Upon a Time in America. This sprawling crime epic runs at 251 minutes in its extended director’s cut, and despite being recognized by modern film critics as a defining piece of cinema, its daunting runtime means it is often left out of the discussion around the greatest gangster movies ever made.

Featuring icons of gangster cinema like Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci, Once Upon a Time in America chronicled a group of Jewish gangsters’ rise in the world of organized crime in New York City. With themes of childhood friendships, betrayal, loss, and broken relationships, the film reflected the changing nature of American society and the ruthless ways once-optimistic friends turn into ruthless monsters. While Once Upon a Time in America was a flop upon release, it’s an essential part of Leone’s legacy that has been rightfully reappraised by critics and viewers alike.

3

City Of God (2002)

Directed by Fernando Meirelles & Kátia Lund

Although English-language releases seem to gain most of the attention when it comes to gangster movies, it’s important not to forget Brazilian classics like City of God. This story about a young group of impoverished thieves growing up in the Cidade de Deus suburb of Rio de Janeiro during the 1960s captured the truth of how disenfranchised youths fall into lives of crime as they’re forced to make tough decisions to ensure their livelihoods.

City of God told a shocking and disturbing story that was as much influenced by classic American gangster movies as it was by the social and political circumstances of crime in Rio de Janeiro. With Alexandre Rodrigues as Rocket, audiences see his difficult journey to achieve his dream of being a pH๏τographer as he watches those around him succumb to the gangster lifestyle. There is truth and pain in City of God, which ensured its place as a modern classic that those who normally avoid foreign-language movies should be sure to take a chance on.

2

Scarface (1932)

Directed by Howard Hawks

The legacy of Brian de Palma’s 1983 remake Scarface has become so ever-present in popular culture that many won’t even know that it was adapted from a 1932 release by Howard Hawks. While this pre-Code gangster movie may not be as iconic as the later release, its historical importance and thematic depth meant it was one of the best gangster movies of its time. As an unflinching depiction of crime and violence, Scarface took influence from the real-life gangster Al Capone as it depicted the dark underbelly of Prohibition-era Chicago.

Scarface may be missing Al Pacino’s iconic performance, but it made up for that through its boundary-breaking depiction of a cunning criminal’s rise to prominence. Unlike many crime films of earlier eras, Scarface did not hide its violence behind closed doors and put audiences right into the midst of gunfire and thrilling shootouts. As a notable influence on future gangster movies, the rawness of Scarface contributed to film noir aesthetics and later works by filmmakers like Martin Scorsese.

1

Miller’s Crossing (1990)

Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen

The directing duo Joel and Ethan Coen have been responsible for some of the greatest films ever made, as their unique style, sense of humor, and lighthearted nihilism reflect America back onto itself. While the pair have plenty of underrated movies, perhaps their most slept-on release was Miller’s Crossing, a gangster story set during the era of Prohibition. As a power struggle between two rival gangs, Gabriel Byrne starred as Tom Reagan, the man secretly pitting the two sides against each other.

By paying homage to gangster movies of the past while remaining incredibly modern, Miller’s Crossing felt like the perfect merging of crime cinema’s past and present. While later Coen brothers crime films like Fargo and No Country for Old Men are consistently recognized as must-watch movies, Miller’s Crossing feels like it gets left behind. The Coen brothers have such a vast filmography, which makes it hard to know where to even start, but those looking for an incredible gangster movie can’t go wrong with Miller’s Crossing.