Heist movies are a popular genre with their own rules. It usually features a group of criminals with a mutual goal who have to come up with a new plan after their original one fails. And in some cases, it's the heroes who are unable to reach their goal, at first, which makes it even more satisfying once they finally do.
The 2000s saw the release of many different heist movies, which is why some of them flew under the radar despite the fact that they have a lot to offer - from excellent actors and unusual settings to simply stories that make the audience both laugh and think.
Ordinary Decent Criminal (2000)
This British and Irish movie about a criminal who focuses more on becoming (in)famous and doing more and more crazy stunts mostly flew under the radar.
It takes place in Dublin, a city many American viewers might find exotic enough to be captivated by. Even more importantly, the film doesn't lack funny scenes and solid performances from actors like Colin Farrell or Christoph Waltz before his Inglourious Basterds fame.
Chain Of Fools (2000)
Some of the best, most underrated heist movies successfully combine action, crime, and comedy. Chain of Fools tells the story of a clueless barber (Steve Zahn) who meets a thief who stole precious Chinese coins from a museum. From there on, his life quickly changes, so much so he doesn't know what to do first.
Even though the film more focuses on what happened after the heist than the heist itself, its unique, somewhat bizarre characters and excellent performances from actors that include Salma Hayek and Jeff Goldblum make this forgotten jewel worth watching.
Sugar & Spice (2001)
What makes this film different from others is that not so many heist movies focus on teenagers, let alone high school cheerleaders. Popular cheerleader Diane (Marley Shelton) discovers she's pregnant with her boyfriend Jack (James Marsden). To make enough money and secure their future, Diane and four of her friends from the cheerleader squad decide to rob a bank.
The film is mostly a comedy and its fresh view of the heist trope can make the audience laugh. Plus, for fans of James Marsden, who became famous thanks to his role as Cyclops in the X-Men franchise, this film is a unique opportunity to see him in a very different type of role.
Panic Room (2002)
Sometimes even movies from legendary directors can fly under the radar if they're overshadowed by the rest of their work. This is what happened to Panic Room by David Fincher. Jodie Foster excels as a mother who has to protect herself and her daughter from three gangsters who broke into her home, determined to break into her safe.
Luckily, the main heroine, Meg (Foster), and her daughter, Sarah (Kristen Stewart), manage to hide in the titular panic room. The film is full of tension and intense scenes and never bores the audience, even though it mostly takes place in Meg's home and doesn't stray away far from it. What makes it even better is the excellent acting, and other than Foster, the film also stars Forest Whitaker and Jared Leto.
Welcome To Collinwood (2002)
Long before they started directing MCU movies, the brotherly duo Anthony Russo and Joe Russo worked on smaller, independent, but intriguing films. Welcome to Collinwood is a more traditional heist movie than some on this list but it still has a lot to offer.
It tells the story of a prisoner who starts working with his fellow inmates in order to break into a safe. The only problem is that neither of the conspirators is very good at planning or committing heists. The dark humor of this crime comedy probably won't sit well with everyone, but those who enjoy it will get a fast-paced film full of excellent actors (William H. Macy, Sam Rockwell, and George Clooney, to name just three).
Johnny English (2003)
Rowan Atkinson is best known for playing the silent but funny Mr. Bean. However, his other long-existing character is the ambitious, but ultimately very clumsy MI5 agent, Johnny English. In his first movie, English has to find out who stole Britain's crown jewels, but he often does more harm than good.
Even though Johnny English is more talkative than Mr. Bean, he remains just as funny. The film makes fun of James Bond movies and does it with the type of light-hearted elegance that's typical for British parodies (such as the later Kingsman). Plus, fans of Natalia Imbruglia have the chance to see the singer in one of her rare acting roles.
The Ladykillers (2004)
It sometimes happens that altogether a decent film doesn't get much attention because its director(s) created many more iconic movies. Joel Coen and Ethan Coen are no strangers to directing dark crime comedies, which is why this story is a good fit for them.
Inspired by a British movie of the same name from 1955, The Ladykillers tells the story of a group of criminals who pose as a band to make a tunnel from the main heroine's house to a casino they want to rob. The film has a captivating story, even for those who saw the original British version, and it's full of funny moments as well as excellent actors, especially Tom Hanks in the leading role.
Bandidas (2006)
Bandidas isn't a movie that is either highly rated or critically acclaimed. However, it gets extra points for originality since not so many Wild West movies focus on female bank robbers.
Salma Hayek and Penelope Cruz are excellent actresses and their endless energy in this film makes it an enjoyable watch despite the fact that the audience will guess some of the plot twists in advance. Once again, even though the film is about bank robbers, it's mostly a comedy and the story moves forward at a fast pace.
The Lookout (2007)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt has plenty of intriguing movies under his belt, but once again, this crime thriller went unnoticed by many people. What makes this film unique is the specific situation the hero faces. Because of a head injury, he needs to write everything down to remember things. His new job in a bank brings him to work with a group of criminals.
Gordon-Levitt excels in the main role and the film has more talented actors, such as Isla Fisher and Matthew Goode. It has a slower pace, at first, but is still captivating, thanks to its topic and the psychological portrayal of the main hero.
Flawless (2007)
Even though it's called Flawless, no heist ever truly is. The heroes of this film - portrayed by Michael Caine and Demi Moore - learn this when they decide to steal precious diamonds.
The film takes place in 1960 and offers a unique atmosphere of times now gone. Combined with an intelligent, swift story and brilliant acting performances, Flawless is one of the films that are even better in practice than they sound on paper.