Regardless of what you think of The Alto Knights, here are 10 great gangster movies you should watch next. Directed by Barry Levinson with a script penned by Nicholas Pileggi, the new gangster movie stars Robert De Niro in a dual role as 1950s Mafia bosses Vito Genovese and Frank Costello and chronicles the conflict that erupts after the former orders a failed hit on the latter. The Alto Knights cast also includes Debra Messing, Cosmo Jarvis, Kathrine Narducci, and Michael Rispoli in supporting roles.
The Alto Knights seemed to have a lot going for it. It stars De Niro, is from an Oscar-winning director in Levinson, and features a script penned by Pileggi, who co-wrote Goodfellas. However, the film was a mᴀssive critical and commercial failure, with The Alto Knights reviews calling it a tired retread of mob movie tropes. It bombed at the box office, making just $9 million against its estimated $45–50 million budget. Since The Alto Knights may have been disappointing, here are 10 great gangster movies to watch next, many of which also star De Niro.
10
Mean Streets (1973)
De Niro & Scorsese’s First Collaboration
Mean Streets marks the first collaboration between De Niro and Martin Scorsese, and is considered one of the earliest and rawest examples of the modern gangster genre. Set in New York’s Little Italy, the film follows Harvey Keitel as a young Italian-American man and De Niro as his irresponsible friend who is heavily indebted to various loan sharks.
Mean Streets is a gripping story of inner-city crime and moral conflict that announced Scorsese as a major talent and features intense performances from De Niro and Keitel. What makes Mean Streets great is its gritty authenticity, which set a precedent for future gangster films, as well as Scorsese and De Niro’s future collaborations in the genre.
9
Bugsy (1991)
Barry Levinson’s First Gangster Film
Bugsy was the first gangster film directed by Barry Levinson, and features an earlier portrayal of Frank Costello by Carmine Caridi. The film follows the mobster Bugsy Siegel (Warren Beatty) and his affair with starlet Virginia Hill (Annette Bening), while also charting his rise within the mob and how he helped put Las Vegas on the map.
Bugsy blends romance and crime into an elegant period piece, featuring a charismatic performance from Beatty and stylish direction from Levinson. It earned ten Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Beatty, and Best Director for Levinson. Though it may not be the genre’s biggest name, there’s no denying that Bugsy is a great gangster movie.
8
Casino (1995)
Another De Niro & Scorsese Collab
Directed by Scorsese, with a script co-written by Pileggi based on his nonfiction book Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas, the 1995 film follows De Niro as a Jewish-American gambling expert and handicapper who is recruited by the Chicago Outfit to manage the daily operations of the Tangiers Casino and H๏τel in Las Vegas.
In a sea of stars, it’s Sharon Stone’s performance that stands out…
Casino stands out as a great gangster movie because of its operatic excess and brutal depiction of organized crime, even though its familiar storyline might seem like a predictable choice for Scorsese. In a sea of stars, it’s Sharon Stone’s performance that stands out and earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.
7
The Untouchables (1987)
Brian De Palma’s Gangster Classic
Directed by Brian De Palma, The Untouchables pits De Niro’s Al Capone against Kevin Costner’s Eliot Ness in 1930s Prohibition-era Chicago. With a sharp script by David Mamet and an unforgettable score by Ennio Morricone, the film dramatizes the federal effort to bring down Capone’s criminal empire.
What makes The Untouchables a great gangster movie is De Palma’s stylized approach and thrilling set pieces, including the iconic train station shootout. It features several stellar performances, including De Niro’s intimidating Capone and Sean Connery’s Oscar-winning turn as Jim Malone. It’s a grand, classic gangster saga.
6
A Bronx Tale (1993)
De Niro’s Directorial Debut
De Niro’s directorial debut, The Bronx Tale is a coming-of-age story of an Italian-American boy torn between the honest life his father wants for him and the flashy criminal world of a local mob boss. De Niro breaks out of his typical typecast and doesn’t play a mobster, but an upright and hardworking father.
It’s less about mob violence and more about the choices that define a man’s character…
A Bronx Tale distinguishes itself as a great gangster movie through its strong screenplay, outstanding performances, and De Niro’s thoughtful direction. It’s less about mob violence and more about the choices that define a man’s character, offering a heartfelt and grounded take on gangster life.
5
Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
Sergio Leone’s Gangster Epic
Directed by Sergio Leone, Once Upon a Time in America is epic in every sense of the word, clocking in at three hours and 49 minutes. It’s a tale of friendship, betrayal, and lost innocence spanning several decades in the lives of two Jewish gangsters played by De Niro and James Woods, who both turn in powerful performances.
Leone’s sweeping crime epic captivates with its nonlinear storytelling, striking visuals, and haunting tone, all elevated by Ennio Morricone’s elegiac score. It’s a deeply melancholic exploration of how time distorts memory and legacy. While long and deliberately paced, it rewards patient viewers with profound emotional resonance and visual grandeur.
4
The Irishman (2019)
De Niro & Scorsese’s Farewell To The Gangster Genre
While Mean Streets was Scorsese and De Niro’s first gangster movie, The Irishman feels like their farewell to the genre. Spanning several decades, it’s a sprawling mob drama based on the life of hitman Frank Sheeran, chronicling political corruption, mob hits, and regret through the eyes of an aging man reflecting on his past.
Rather than glorifying violence, it focuses on themes involving aging, mortality, and isolation.
What sets The Irishman apart is its introspective and elegiac tone. Rather than glorifying violence, it focuses on themes involving aging, mortality, and isolation. With haunting performances and cutting-edge de-aging technology, this film is both a summation of Scorsese’s gangster canon and a sobering meditation on the consequences of a life in crime.
3
The Godfather Part II (1974)
De Niro’s Oscar-Winning Performance
Widely considered one of the best sequels of all time, Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather Part II expands the Corleone saga by juxtaposing Michael’s descent into darkness with a young Vito’s rise to power, portrayed by De Niro in an Oscar-winning performance.
Part II is a profound and tragic examination of power, legacy, and family.
The film excels in showing how the American Dream curdles into corruption. De Niro’s quietly powerful performance perfectly contrasts with Pacino’s increasingly cold-hearted Michael. Part II is a profound and tragic examination of power, legacy, and family. It’s one of the best movies of all time, let alone the greatest gangster movies.
2
Goodfellas (1990)
De Niro & Scorsese’s Best
Directed by Scorsese, with a script co-written by Pileggi based on his nonfiction book Wiseguy, Goodfellas follows the story of Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) from small-time crook to Mafia ᴀssociate, starring De Niro as an Irish-American truck hijacker and gangster, Jimmy Conway. Goodfellas is another great gangster movie that revolutionized the genre, and for many, is the definitive gangster film.
Goodfellas is a masterclass in storytelling and style – a great gangster movie through and through.
Scorsese’s kinetic direction, fast-paced editing, and iconic soundtrack make Goodfellas a great, endlessly rewatchable gangster movie. It’s both thrilling and terrifying, showing the allure and danger of the mob lifestyle. From its legendary one-take Copacabana sH๏τ to Joe Pesci’s unhinged charisma as Tommy DeVito, Goodfellas is a masterclass in storytelling and style – a great gangster movie through and through.
1
The Godfather (1972)
The Definitive Gangster Film
Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather provided the blueprint for all gangster films that followed. Centered on the Corleone family’s criminal empire, it explores themes of power, tradition, and loyalty, anchored by Marlon Brando’s unforgettable turn as Don Vito Corleone and Pacino’s chilling transformation as Michael.
It’s a family tragedy, a meditation on America, and an unmatched cinematic achievement.
What makes The Godfather great is its operatic scope, flawless script, and timeless moral complexity. It’s not just a great gangster movie – it’s a family tragedy, a meditation on America, and an unmatched cinematic achievement. Every line, frame, and performance resonates with weight, making it the definitive gangster epic of all time.
The Alto Knights is streaming on Max.
