Exploring The Dark World of Crime: 16 Film Recommendations Worth Seeing

1. Road to Perdition 2002，IMDB Rating: 7.7, IMDB Votes: 286490, ID: 0257044
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It is about Michael Sarna, a hired mob enforcer who accidentally kills the son of the man closest to him during the course of his mission. In order to protect himself and his son, he decides to escape the gangster world and seek redemption.
2. The Sopranos 1999，IMDB Rating: 9.2, IMDB Votes: 483288, ID: 0141842
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Tony is a gang leader in New Jersey who faces both personal and professional dilemmas. The film delves into Tony’s complex emotions as he deals with family conflicts and mental health issues while defending his family’s interests and dealing with gangster affairs.
3. Boardwalk Empire 2010，IMDB Rating: 8.6, IMDB Votes: 204870, ID: 0979432
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Presents the social and political context of the Prohibition era in the United States. Nucky, a corrupt politician and gang leader in Atlantic City, New Jersey, amassed enormous power and wealth by manipulating liquor smuggling and corrupt deals against the backdrop of the Prohibition laws.
4. Peaky Blinders 2013，IMDB Rating: 8.8, IMDB Votes: 664756, ID: 2442560
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is a clever blend of historical drama and gangster story set in Birmingham after the First World War. Silian Murphy gives a mesmerising portrayal of Thomas Shelby, the smart and determined leader of the Pikey mob. The series is unique in the gangster genre with its distinctive cinematography, tight plotting and deep characterisation.
5. The Long Good Friday 1980，IMDB Rating: 7.6, IMDB Votes: 26177, ID: 0081070
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The story of Harry, a London gangster facing the collapse of his empire. The film opens with Harry working to expand his power, but he soon finds himself beset by a series of carefully planned attacks and betrayals.
6. Miller’s Crossing 1990，IMDB Rating: 7.7, IMDB Votes: 142955, ID: 0100150
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It blends elements of the film noir genre with 1930s gangster films. Set during the Prohibition era, the story revolves around an agent named Tommy Wilkins, who navigates between two gangster forces as he tries to balance his place in a dangerous world.
7. Gangs of New York 2002，IMDB Rating: 7.5, IMDB Votes: 476698, ID: 0217505
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It tells the violent history of New York’s Five Points neighbourhood in the mid-19th century. The story revolves around the protagonist Ames, who returns to New York to seek revenge against Bill Butcher, the gang leader who killed his father. Shows the complex backdrop of immigration and power struggles during the founding of the United States.
8. 1931 THE PUBLIC ENEMY 2020，IMDB Rating: 0.0, IMDB Votes: 0, ID: 31536302
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About Tom Powers’ gradual rise from ghetto youth to eventually becoming a criminal gang leader. The film shows Bowers’ ambition, violence and disruption of the social order, while also revealing his eventual fall and destruction.
9. White Heat 1949，IMDB Rating: 8.1, IMDB Votes: 36159, ID: 0042041
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It is about Jarrett who, after escaping from prison, continues to embark on a violent crime spree and has a fierce confrontation with the police. As the plot develops, Jarrett’s psychological problems and instability emerge, and the audience is shocked by his violent behaviour and ruthlessness in the film.
10. Mean Streets 1973，IMDB Rating: 7.2, IMDB Votes: 120730, ID: 0070379
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A look at gang life in New York’s Little Italy, focusing on the intertwining of family relationships and gangster careers. Through Scorsese’s unique visual style and realistic rendering of the environment, it successfully captures the rawness, grittiness, and unease of gangster life, making it a classic of the genre.
11. The Town 2010，IMDB Rating: 7.5, IMDB Votes: 419210, ID: 0840361
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The story takes place in the ghetto of Boston. Affleck plays Doug, a seasoned robber who leads a tight-knit criminal gang, however, he gradually begins to question his life choices.
12. The Killing of a Chinese Bookie 1976，IMDB Rating: 7.3, IMDB Votes: 14968, ID: 0074749
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John Cassavetes’ The Killing of a Chinese Bookie is a raw, unfiltered look at the life of a nightclub owner who gets entangled with the mob. Ben Gazzara’s performance as Cosmo Vitelli is both compelling and tragic, capturing the essence of a man caught between his ambitions and his vices. The film’s unconventional narrative and gritty realism make it a unique entry in the gangster genre.
13. The French Connection 1971，IMDB Rating: 7.7, IMDB Votes: 137278, ID: 0067116
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William Friedkin’s ‘The French Connection’ is a gritty and intense crime thriller that follows New York detectives Popeye Doyle and Buddy Russo as they pursue a French heroin smuggler. The film’s realistic portrayal of police work and its iconic car chase scene make it a must-watch for fans of the genre.
14. Heat 1995，IMDB Rating: 8.3, IMDB Votes: 727146, ID: 0113277
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The film revolves around a seasoned LAPD detective and a ruthless professional robber, and the confrontation between the two is full of intelligence and psychological games. The film’s intricate plot shows the lives, sacrifices and obsessions of cops and criminals through subtle characterisation and elaborate action scenes.
15. The Big Heat 1953，IMDB Rating: 7.9, IMDB Votes: 29731, ID: 0045555
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A tenacious detective, Dave Bannion, pursues a crime. In the course of his investigation, Bannion not only uncovers the collusion between corrupt police and the mob, but also pays a heavy personal price. His determination to pursue justice lands him in a moral grey area and also leads to the tragic fate of his wife.
16. Eastern Promises 2007，IMDB Rating: 7.6, IMDB Votes: 263362, ID: 0765443
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Nikolai is an enigmatic and complex gangster who, while working for the Russian mob, gradually becomes embroiled in a maelstrom of loyalty, violence and betrayal. The film draws out a story of danger and moral dilemmas through the death of a young woman.