25 Best Gangster Movies of the Last 5 Years, Ranked

Gangster movies are about as old as Hollywood itself, and quite a few of them are held up as award-winning, must-see classics. But there are plenty that have flown under the radar, particularly over the last few years, from action-packed movies about gangs and drug lords to character-driven dramas, even some biopics about famous criminals and thrillers full of plot twists.

Especially with the rise of options from various streaming services, more and more new and inventive gangster movies are becoming available for people to watch. Whether they stick to the tried and true conventions that made the genre so enthralling in the first place, or reinvent themselves by taking a new spin on a classic premise, there is no shortage of outstanding gangster movies constantly being released in the modern era.

25 'Fast Charlie' (2023)

Fast Charlie follows the story of Charlie Swift (Pierce Brosnan), a hired gun who finds himself on a new life mission when his close friend, an aging mob boss, is taken down by a rival crew. Now, with nothing but vengeance on his mind, Charlie will stop at nothing to avenge his close friend and destroy the crew that took him out, even if it means losing his own life in the process. The mission would have him going across the country and going well above his pay grade, going up the ranks, and taking down each member of the crew.

Fast Charlie combines gangster films with the classic action-revenge storyline most commonly seen from the likes of Liam Neeson, making for an effective blending of the two genres. Brosnan does an effective job in the leading role, commanding screen presence and providing a slew of notable kills and action sequences. The film is also notable for being the final on-screen performance of the late legendary James Caan.

24 'The King of Algiers' (2023)

The King of Algiers follows the story of the notorious old-fashioned bandit "Omar the Strawberry," as he is forced to flee to Algeria and makes a living out of numerous small and petty crimes. Accompanied by his partner in crime, Roger, they have been ruling the French criminal underworld for seemingly decades, but are now forced to come to terms with their new life in Algeria together. While their previous life had been filled with violence and degeneracy, they are beginning to take pivotal steps towards a genuinely respectable lifestyle.

Few gangster films can effectively lean into the inherent comedy present in the genre, something that The King of Algiers is able to succeed in through its signature style of comedy. The comedic duo of Omar and Roger is highly engaging to watch on screen, as they continue to get into various hijinks and awkward situations in their strange new lives. The film acts less like a standard gangster film, but instead, a hilarious comedy where gangster movie characters are forced into peaceful and uneventful lives, yet hate every second of it.

23 'Hell Dogs' (2022)

Japanese yakuza films have been a great subgenre of the gangster genre for generations now, acting as Japan's distinct approach to stories of syndicated crime groups and the struggles within them. As far as modern yakuza movies are concerned, no film manages to leave quite an impact as Hell Dogs, a highly entertaining action thriller where an ex-police officer goes undercover in a yakuza on his own journey of revenge.

Hell Dogs plays out like one of the all-time great revenge thrillers of the modern era, seeing a dedicated and seemingly unstoppable central force laying waste to a wide array of entertaining and wild personalities that make up this yakuza clan. The gangster/yakuza flavoring serves to only make Hell Dogs that much more memorable as far as revenge thrillers are concerned, easily making it among the most underrated films to come out of Japan in recent memory.

22 'Pamfir' (2022)

Pamfir is a Ukrainian film that follows reformed ex-smuggler Pamfir, who has returned to his home village on the Ukrainian border after having been working abroad for several years. He has a newfound determination to earn an honest living and set a good example for his teenage son, yet his plans go up in flames when his son sets fire to the local church in a ploy to keep him home forever. Now, Pamfir is forced to take on one last dangerous smuggling job for a powerful crime syndicate.

Pamfir is much more dramatic and self-contained when it comes to gangster films, focusing more on the inner turmoil and struggles of a man attempting to do better for the sake of those around him. Combined with its Ukrainian vision and setting, it makes for a one-of-a-kind gangster movie experience that only continues to create a powerful and ever-relevant story with its characters and themes.

21 'Beating Hearts' (2024)

A French romantic drama that combines the allure and difficulties of fostering a relationship while dealing with gangster culture and conflict, Beating Hearts has grown to be one of France's biggest original films in recent memory. The film follows the blossoming romance between rebellious teen Clotaire (François Civil) and his schoolmate, Jackie (Adèle Exarchopoulos). Yet, Clotaire's life of gang violence forces the duo to live separate lives. After having spent years apart from one another, the duo manages to find that every path they've taken since has led to their beautiful rekindling.

The relatively simple premise of Beating Hearts is massively amplified by a duo of committed performances, as well as an effective mix of tension and drama as the stakes of romance and gang violence intertwine. Many gangster romance films will find themselves simply focusing on one of the genres over the other and feeling mismatched and scattered in their approach, yet Beating Hearts finds the perfect balance to bring the most out of each respective genre.

20 'She Rides Shotgun' (2025)

A ruthless and cutthroat battle of survival against an onslaught of gangster resources and vengeance, She Rides Shotgun sees Taron Egerton in the type of brutal, unrelenting role that is unlike anything else in his career. The film sees Egerton as a man newly released from prison but on the run from a brutal gang out for revenge against him. He is now forced to reforge a bond with his estranged 9-year-old daughter (Ana Sophia Heger) and protect her at all costs, using his unconditional love as fuel to keep them safe from everyone around them.

She Rides Shotgun immediately hooks the audience with the heartfelt connection between its core duo before amplifying the strength and emotional pull of its story with genuine stakes, emphatic action, and a myriad of exceptional twists and turns. The deeply underrated thriller also delves into the all-encompassing and seemingly inescapable nature of high-end gangs as a whole, at times seeming like not a single person can be trusted when a gang has such vast control.

19 'Mafia Mamma' (2023)

Taking the concepts and world of underground gangster crime and creating an absurdist romantic comedy out of it, Mafia Mamma uses all of the classic brutality and chaos of the gangster premise to tell its wild, unrestrained comedy. The film follows suburban American Kristin (Toni Collette), who is unexpectedly named as the sole inheritor of her grandfather's Mafia empire, being treated as the new godmother for this crime family. Being guided by the family's trusted consigliere, Kristin defies everyone's expectations and becomes a powerful and effective head of the family business.

Mafia Mamma is an interesting comedic take on the tropes and conventions of gangster stories, using them creatively and effectively in a romantic comedy setting without removing the grit and rough edges of gangster crime. While its structure and character dynamics are relatively simple in concept, Collette uses the opportunity to make the most of her character and elevate the material with an exceptional lead comedic performance. The film will have you charmed one second while showing over-the-top violence and gangster bloodshed the next second, making for a hilarious, unrelenting combination of the genres.

18 'Broken Rage' (2024)

A wildly entertaining gangster comedy from one of the most prolific and acclaimed Japanese filmmakers of all time, Takeshi Kitano's Broken Rage is incredibly timely and effective with its satirical sense of humor and exceptional yakuza action. The film sees Kitano as an ordinary man known as "Mouse", who, after being caught by the police, decides to go undercover and infiltrate a drug ring in exchange for his freedom. Mouse soon finds himself well over his head in terms of stakes, as the fake deal that he arranges proves to take an unexpected turn.

Kitano has always been widely acclaimed as a comedian in the realm of Japanese filmmaking, yet Broken Rage shows that not only does he still have brilliantly effective comedic chops, but his action directing is also exceptionally well-crafted. The inherent humor and absurdity of the film wouldn't work nearly as well if the gangster action wasn't up to snuff, with the film fully delivering on all the manic chaos and high-tension hilarity that its premise entails.

17 'The Many Saints of Newark' (2021)

Acting as a prequel movie to the legendary gangster television series, The Sopranos, The Many Saints of Newark follows a young Anthony Soprano growing up during a highly tumultuous era in Newark, N.J. history. His becoming a man perfectly aligns with a variety of rival gangsters starting to rise up and challenge the DiMeo crime family. Thankfully, he has his uncle, Dickie Moltisanti, by his side, whom he greatly looks up to and shapes him during this time toward the path of becoming the iconic Tony Soprano.

While it would be difficult for an individual film to live up to the insurmountable legacy of The Sopranos, The Many Saints of Newark acts as a satisfying origin story and love letter for die-hard fans. It's especially enthralling to watch Michael Gandolfini portray a young version of the character that his late father brought to life so many years ago. While the film may not necessarily hold a lot of water for people who haven't seen The Sopranos, it's certainly a must-watch for fans of the series.

16 'Caught Stealing' (2025)

Caught Stealing shows that a great gangster movie story doesn't inherently have to follow the members of a crime syndicate, but instead finds great success showing a burned-out man having to navigate being at the center of a brewing conflict within the New York criminal underworld. The Darren Aronofsky film sees Austin Butler's story of survival intertwined with a vast supporting cast, from mysterious yet friendly figures like Matt Smith to dangerous gangster criminals played by the likes of Vincent D'Onofrio, Liev Schreiber, and Bad Bunny.

The film certainly has more charm and a comedic edge compared to your traditional gangster film, yet it effectively utilizes this tone to catch the audience off guard for its depressing themes of traumatic PTSD, as well as painful, shockingly brutal acts made against the characters. The film fully embraces the electrifying screen presence of Butler to make for one of his best modern roles, in the process creating a strikingly original gangster crime thriller experience.