Since the early days of Hollywood, the mob movie has been a staple in North American cinema. The 1930s and beyond saw screen stars like James Cagney and Edward G. Robinson make a name for themselves playing suited-up shooters with a knack for trash talk.
The gangster movie has undergone a plethora of changes since the likes of Little Caesar caught the attention of the masses. The '70s saw the genre evolve into one of the most popular styles of cinema, but the wise guy wonders didn't stop there. It seems that every few years a new bold take on the mob movie comes along. Unfortunately, some gangster films still stick with the formula and haven't given fans more than the same old story.
10 Reinvented: Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels Reignited The British Gangster Genre
Taking his cues from the likes of Quentin Tarantino and Sergio Leone, and adding some devilish British humor, Guy Ritchie created a crime comedy monster in 1998 with Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels. The ultra-violent and stylish Lock, Stock was a huge success and launched the career of Jason Statham.
Many of the British gangster movies that came after either followed in Lock, Stock's footsteps or failed in the shadow of this classic. Ritchie would follow up Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels with another gangster great in 2000, the Brad Pitt-starring Snatch.
9 Didn't: We Own The Night Paid Homage To The Gangster Greats That Came Before
2007's We Own The Night works well as an atmospheric throwback to the mob movies of past years. We Own The Night is made even more enjoyable thanks to the presence of The Godfather's Robert Duvall.
James Gray's gangster flick pits Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Wahlberg against each other as brothers on either side of the law. The gangster genre is famous for its unforgettable deaths, and We Own The Night features one harrowing character demise that sticks with the viewer long after the credits roll.
8 Reinvented: Boyz N The Hood Made The Hood Movie Popular
John Singleton's 1991 crime drama Boyz N The Hood managed to both reinvent the gangster movie and kickstart an entirely new genre of its own. Though the hood movie had existed before Boyz N The Hood, this picture put the subgenre at the forefront of pop culture.
Boyz N The Hood also launched the careers of Cuba Gooding Jr., Morris Chestnut, Regina King, and helped Ice Cube cement himself as a Hollywood actor. Boyz N The Hood received Oscar nominations for its screenplay and directing, making John Singleton the youngest person and first African American to be nominated for the latter.
7 Didn't: The Irishman Used The Tried And Tested Gangster Formula To Create A Masterpiece
There's nothing wrong with sticking with what works, and that's exactly what Martin Scorsese did with 2019's The Irishman. The Irishman was essentially Scorsese getting the gangster boys back together, reuniting himself with genre greats Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, and Harvey Keitel.
The Irishman does little new when it comes to the gangster movie, but it does arguably perfect the things that fans know and love about the genre. In terms of love letters to the wise guy wonders of yesteryear, there's no better gangster flick than The Irishman.
6 Reinvented: The Godfather Is The Mob Movie That All Others Are Measured Up Against
By the late '60s, the mob movie had somewhat faded from mainstream cinema. The '70s would see an incredible revival for gangster films, kicked off by what is held as the greatest gangster movie ever made, Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather.
Coppola's crime classic remains the gold standard when it comes to the guns and gabagool genre. One of the most influential motion pictures ever created, The Godfather not only reinvented the gangster movie, but it revived the career of the legendary Marlon Brando and made Al Pacino a major star.
5 Didn't: New Jack City Only Stands Out Thanks To A Sensational Showing From Wesley Snipes
Despite Nino Brown's standing as an iconic antihero, New Jack City didn't exactly reinvent the wheel when it came to the gangster genre. All the usual mob movie ingredients are found in New Jack City, including unfortunate informants, betrayals from gang members, and mountains of illegal narcotics.
Mario Van Peebles directs and stars in New Jack City alongside Wesley Snipes, Ice-T, and Chris Rock. The 1991 crime film New Jack City doesn't do much to stand out from the rest. Although, thanks to Snipes' unforgettable showing as Brown, New Jack City is a must-see for gangster movie fans.
4 Reinvented: Scarface Offered Up An Alternative To The American Dream
Just as Al Pacino had played his part in reinventing the genre in the 1970s, the gangster great did it again in 1983 with Scarface. Though it was poorly received at the time, Brian De Palma's Scarface went on to be considered one of the best gangster films ever made.
The extremely violent, endlessly quotable, and adrenaline-fueled Scarface would inspire countless gangster movies. Pacino's Tony Montana became a bonafide cultural icon, and Giorgio Moroder's goosebumps-inducing score remains one of the finest of the era.
3 Didn't: Casino Is Yet Another Gangster Gem From The King Of The Genre
The '90s were a decade of dominance for Martin Scorsese mafia movies. Scorsese's Goodfellas is perhaps the one true contender to The Godfather when it comes to the finest gangster flick. Scorsese followed Goodfellas up a few years later with another crime classic, Casino.
Much like The Irishman would years later, Casino utilized the known elements and stars that audiences expected from gangster movies at the time. This is by no means a bad thing, as Casino stands proudly as one of the best movies from the gangster genre's greatest director.
2 Reinvented: City Of God Is A Gangster Tale That Grips Like No Other
A film frequently cited as one of the greatest of all time, it's no surprise that 2002's City Of God stands out with ease when it comes to gangster movies. City Of God is a far cry from the tales of suit-wearing wise guys. City Of God is gripping, set in the slums of Rio, and is all about drugs, gang warfare, and the heartbreaking effects on those who have become consumed by a life of crime.
City Of God sparked tourism in the area it was filmed, helped changed policies around public security, and even led to more movie productions in Brazil.
1 Didn't: Gotti Is Arguably The Worst Mob Movie Ever Made
Following the crime film formula doesn't always guarantee success. A prime example of this is 2018's Gotti. To say that the biographical picture was poorly received is an understatement, as Gotti holds the dreaded 0% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
John Travolta received a Razzie nomination for Worst Actor to go along with Gotti's five other nods. Mob movie mishaps simply don't get much more awful. Gotti is far from a fitting or interesting telling of the life and crimes of Gambino Family boss and infamous mobster John Gotti.