Some movie genres are difficult to avoid becoming compulsive. movies about the mafia, the triads, or other forms of organized crime. It’s fortunate that I enjoy gangster films because Netflix has some of the best of them. Gangster movies have a certain appeal that draws in audiences.
It can be a rebellious curiosity, the opulent lifestyles the characters lead, or their dominance and ability to get away with anything that draws people in. The success and popularity of the mob genre among audiences have skyrocketed since the debut of The Godfather.
There is a wide selection of gangster movies on Netflix, whether they are grim, brutal, or even silly. Watch the must-see gangster movies on Netflix while you unwind as you traverse the world of gangsters through surprising plots and deceitful turns.
The Top 10 Gangster Films on Netflix
The Top 10 Netflix Gangster Movies are listed here. Add these Gangster movies that come highly recommended to your viewing list. If done properly, the combination of drama and action makes this genre a sure-fire box office success. In light of this, we thought you might enjoy reading about the top gangster movies available on Netflix.
1. The Godfather (1972)
The Godfather is still a smashing blockbuster in the genre after 50 years. The Godfather is a 1969 best-selling novel by Mario Puzo that many consider to be the precursor to later gangster films. The Corleone family, led by patriarch Vito Corleone (Brando), is the subject of the 1945–1955, period drama.
Watch as the narrative reveals how the family’s terrible experiences caused the youngest son, Michael (Pacino), to change from a hesitant family outsider to a vicious mafia boss. The Godfather is recognized as one of the greatest films ever made and is a milestone in the gangster genre.
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2. American Gangster (2007)
Frank Lucas, a real-life mobster from North Carolina, is the subject of the movie American Mobster. American Gangster, a fictionalized account of the criminal career of North Carolina gangster Frank Lucas who smuggled heroin into the US on American military aircraft departing for the Vietnam War, stars reputable performers such as Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, and Josh Brolin.
Most reviews of the movie gave it high marks. Set in 1968, Frank Lucas (Washington), the Harlem mafia boss Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson’s right-hand man, started dealing heroin by purchasing it in Thailand and smuggling it into the US through Vietnam War veterans.
However, Frank is the focus of a special task force headed by Newark cop and aspiring attorney Richie Roberts (Crowe). American Gangster received 21 nominations despite abusing too much creative license with the plot, including two Oscar nods for Best Art Direction and Best Supporting Actress.
3. The Irishman (2019)
Despite its length, The Irishman is able to draw you in. Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci star in Martin Scorsese’s 2004 documentary film The Irishman, which is based on Charles Brandt’s nonfiction book “I Heard You Paint Houses.” The movie is the longest and most expensive of Scorsese’s career, clocking in at about three hours.
The movie opens with Frank Sheeran (De Niro), an old Irish American who served in World War II, telling his story of working as a hitman for the Italian-American Mafia. He recalls how he got his start as a hitman, working for the crime family of gangster Russell Bufalino (Pesci), who started off as a truck driver.
4. The Gentlemen (2020)
An American who establishes his drug empire in the UK is followed by The Gentlemen. The Gentlemen, a British criminal drama directed by Guy Ritchie, centers on an American cannabis salesman operating in England. Hugh Grant, Colin Farrell, Henry Golding, and Matthew McConaughey are among the cast members.
As a result of the film’s commercial success, Netflix is now developing a spin-off television series. At Oxford University, where he received a Rhodes Scholarship, Pearson (McConaughey) started peddling marijuana to his fellow students.
He made the decision to leave school and used force to establish his criminal empire. After that, he plans to retire and sell his company. Unfortunately, this led to anarchy, which in turn sparked a series of extortion attempts and plots to bring him down.
5. Road to Perdition (2002)
You will be on the edge of your seat the entire time you watch Road to Perdition, a criminal thriller. The year 1931 is the setting for Max Allan Collins’s graphic novel of the same name, Road to Perdition. The story, which features A-list actors like Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Jude Law, and Daniel Craig, takes place during the Great Depression and examines the bond between a father and son when seeking retribution.
Irish mob leader John Rooney (Newman) reared Michael Sullivan (Hanks), who is now an adult. He quickly develops into Rooney’s ruthless enforcer. Even more than his son Connor (Craig), Rooney adores Sullivan like his real son. Both Sullivan and his eldest son, Michael, are betrayed by Connor, who kills his wife and younger son, and they leave only to form plans to avenge his family.
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6. Goodfellas (1990)
Various reviewers’ organizations picked Goodfellas as the year’s top movie. The 1985 factual book Wiseguy by Pileggi served as the basis for the film Goodfellas. Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco, and Paul Sorvino are among the cast members of the Scorsese-directed movie.
One of the greatest gangster movies ever filmed was Goodfellas. The story follows Henry Hill (Liotta) and his friends and family from 1955 to 1980 as they experience success and failure. When he was younger, Henry was fascinated by the crime and Mafia presence in his Brooklyn neighborhood.
He progressed from a small-time offender to a powerful mobster. Henry quickly develops a cocaine addiction, which ultimately causes him to fail. Even though nothing else is important to Henry, the plot keeps you interested from beginning to end.
7. The Departed (2006)
The Departed has received numerous honors on a global scale. The Departed, which was directed by Martin Scorsese like many other movies on this list, is a remake of the 2002 Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs and is also largely based on the Boston Winter Hill Gang.
Instead of the typical gangster movie’s Irish mob boss Frank Costello (Nicholson), Colin Sullivan (Damon) is used as a spy by the State Police to join Costello’s group along with undercover state trooper Billy Costigan (DiCaprio). When both parties are aware of the issue, things start to get hot.
8. Donnie Brasco (1997)
In Donnie Brasco, the hazy limits for undercover agents are explored. Donnie Brasco, starring Al Pacino and Johnny Depp, is based on the 1988 nonfiction book of the same name by Joseph D. Pistone and Richard Woodley. The film is based on the true story of FBI undercover agent Pistone (Depp), who infiltrated the Bonanno crime family in the 1970s.
Under the guise of Donnie Brasco, a Florida jewel thief, Pacino’s aging Mafia hitman Lefty Ruggiero allowed Brasco to rise through the ranks and enter his inner circle. The boundaries between Brasco and his friendship with Ruggiero blur as his cover increases. The movie Donnie Brasco was a box office hit and earned favorable reviews.
9. Gun City (2018)
A buried historical gangster movie gem is Gun City. Spanish-French thriller Gun City, also known as La Sombra de la ley, is set in 1921 Barcelona. The story examines anarchist conflict and police violence and features Luis Tosar, Michelle Jenner, Vicente Romero, and Jaime Lorente as the main characters. Detectives are pursuing anarchists who stole a military train as the plot develops.
The lines blur when the investigators’ techniques for gathering information are called into question. They use increasingly cruel tactics of violence, including murder. Gun City might not look as impressive as the other games on this list. However, fans of historical mafia movies would enjoy this Spanish production.
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10. Triple Frontier (2019)
Five former Delta Force operators’ camaraderie is explored in Triple Frontier. Triple Frontier, which stars Ben Affleck, Oscar Isaac, and Charlie Hunnam, is more of an action-adventure movie based on a narrative by Boal. Triple Frontier, a Netflix original series about a gang of former US Army Delta Force operatives who regroup to plot a crime lord heist, received largely positive reviews from critics upon premiere.
Santiago “Pope” Garcia (Isaac), a private military advisor, enlisted his fellow ex-Delta Force operators to take a load of reward under the guise of working for the government. The crew was then persuaded by Pope to steal the money for themselves. Affleck’s (the Red Fly’s) insatiable need for cash had negative effects.