Gangster movies like Goodfellas are gems of entertainment that you cannot refuse to watch. They are fascinating and provide a vicarious experience of the lawless underworld. They are so captivating that it makes you curious to know more about the violent and carefree environment of the gangsters that work in plain sight yet are hidden from the normal world.
If you’ve watched Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas, you know how good gangster movies are. This film won several awards shortly after its release. In fact, it was compared to the gold standard of gangster movies – The Godfather, in terms of its storyline and screenplay.
And just Movies like Goodfellas, several movies are equally entertaining. If you are in a mood to binge-watch more gangster movies, we’ve got the best list for you.
Check out the list of 10 best movies like Goodfellas and enjoy the criminal drama.
The Godfather
Available at Amazon Prime
Of course, the first movie on the list of best criminal drama is The Godfather. It flawlessly amalgamates the gangster world with romantic curiosity, providing a heartfelt familial storyline. Even though this movie has a serious operatic tone, it still makes the story believable. The iconic performances of Marlon Brando as Godfather and Michael Corleone are the ones that can never be forgotten.
The movie plot is focused on an Italian American mafia family (The Corleone family) that has two central figures, namely Vito and Michael Corleone. The story revolves around the trials and tribulations that the family goes through until the end.
With some unforgettable sequences, this movie provides a powerful drama with superior character depth. The original movie received so much appreciation and recognition that the story was continued in the next two parts. Thus making it one of the unique and entertaining gangster trilogy that is wildly popular to date.
Scarface
Available at Amazon Prime
An iconic performance by Al Pacino in a rise and fall narrative makes Scarface one of the best movies in this genre. Not just that, Brian De Palma’s direction and Oliver Stone’s screenplay add more structure and depth to this movie, which makes it even more interesting to watch. Scarface follows the story of a Cuban refugee named Tony Montana (Al Pacino) who within the 1980s comes to Miami and becomes a Drug Lord.
Although the movie received a lot of backlash for its excessive graphic content, it is still one of the best remakes of all time. It has an effortless sense of comedy coupled with emotional drama and the brutality of the underworld. If you are looking for a refreshing movie in the gangster genre, then Scarface is the best choice for you.
Reservoir Dogs
Available at Amazon Prime | Netflix
Next up on the list is Quentin Tarantino’s debut masterpiece – Reservoir Dogs. It is a fantastic tale about the major fallout of a heist that goes completely wrong. Like his other works, Quentin beautifully captures the brutality of the gangsters and the tension created in the central situation. The incredible cast of Reservoir Dogs – Tim Roth, Harvey Keitel, and Michael Madsen have given outstanding performances that bring the scene to life.
With a stylish yet simple storyline, this movie incorporates the signature Tarantino hallmarks like crime, violence, and pop culture references. Grab the movie and play it now if you haven’t watched it yet!
Casino
Available at Amazon Prime
The casino is another epic crime movie directed by Martin Scorsese. Based on Nicholas Pileggi’s 1995 novel of the same name, it is a tale about the mafia’s involvement in Las Vegas gambling. Sam Rothstein (Robert De Niro) is a Jewish American expert handicapper in gambling who is tasked to oversee the Tangiers Casino and hotel operations in Las Vegas. But his job is not that easy to perform. With the mob’s involvement and a breakdown of his personal relationships, he struggles to do well in his life and his job.
The entire situation is so engaging that you feel sorry for his hopeless life. The dialogues are the main highlights of this movie. There may be times when you’ll feel that Casino is very Similar to movies like Goodfellas (almost identical). However, it still stands out and makes its mark with an incredible storyline and amazing performances.
The Departed
Available at Amazon Prime
Based on 2002 released Hong Kong crime movie Internal Affairs, The Departed provides a twisted yet engaging plot. Starring Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Mark Wahlberg, this movie is one of the greatest crime/gangster movies on the list. The movie is based on the crimes happening in the city of Boston.
Both the Irish mob and the Massachusetts State police department are infiltrated by moles and they are racing with each other to find the respective culprits. Among them is Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) who is a gangster posing to be a policeman and Billy Coatigan (Leonardo) police assigned undercover trooper that has infiltrated the Irish mob.
The central scenario of the movie shows some amazing character dynamics and tense scenes with lots of humor. The climax comes as a shock to all which makes the movie engaging and incredibly fun to watch.
Although the movie could not match the expectations of some gangster movie fans, it still managed to make its mark in this genre with a well-planned plot and flawless acting.
Once Upon a Time in America
Available at Amazon Prime | Netflix
Once Upon a Time in America is a time-jumping narrative that follows the life of Noodles Aaronson (played by Robert De Niro) and his ill-fated friendship with Maximilian Bercovicz (played by James Wood).
The two protagonists lead a group of the youthful Jewish ghetto and later on the rise to become the New York gangsters. The story explores their life over decades of growth showcasing love, lust, friendship, betrayal, greed, and the rise of the mafia in America.
It’s no doubt misogynistic in its treatment of women but the gripping story and excellent character development engage you right from the beginning of the movie till the end. From a timeless score, memorable moments, fast-moving relationships, and haunting insight into the underworld, this movie has everything that a blockbuster gangster movie should have. So, do give it a try.
Pulp Fiction
Available at Amazon Prime | Netflix
Another endless entertaining movie by Quentin Tarantino in Pulp Fiction. Centered right in the heart of the criminal world, this movie follows the story of Marcellus Wallace (Ving Rhames) and the people surrounding him.
It is a non-linear storyline that shows how the people around Marcellus try to fit into his gangster empire. Meanwhile, John Travolta and Samuel Jackson play the role of hitmen that are in search of a renegade boxer (Bruce Willis) who’ll connect them to Marcellus.
The superbly written movie draws inspiration from the 70s Hong Kong cinema. All credit goes to Tarantino for writing and directing a masterpiece that brings a bold movie with lots of drama and action that you’ll enjoy. It is surely a wild ride but with lots of fun and entertainment. So, get Pulp Fiction today and watch it with your friends and family.
Mean Streets
Available at Amazon Prime
Another Martin Scorsese directed masterpiece in the gangster genre is Mean Streets. It is a low-key drama that depicts the day-to-day life of a gangster. Charlie (played by Harvey Keitel) and Johnny (Robert De Niro) are two regular crooks who struggle to adapt to the lifestyle that comes with their profession. Their super tense relationship forms the groundwork of the movie with an unexpected climax.
Mean Street may not necessarily showcase the finest works of Martin Scorsese but it still keeps you engaged till the end. Even with a basic ordinary gangster storyline, Mean Street manages to intrigue the gangster movie lovers. Thus making it worth a count on this list. Don’t think twice before watching this movie.
American Gangster
Available at Amazon Prime
The penultimate movie on the list is American gangster, an epic biographical crime story based on the life of Frank Lucas, one of the biggest crime lords of Harlem.
For years Frank imported heroin illegally into the United States by hiding it in the coffins of the dead soldiers. The character Frank Lucas is portrayed by Denzel Washington, who does complete justice to it.
Frank move up the criminal rank, getting his family involved in the business and taking whatever he wants from others by force. Meanwhile, Russel Crowe the leader of the narcotics squad is preparing to bring Frank down at any cost.
There is a lot of suspense and anticipation that keeps you on the edge of the seat till the end. Besides this, the beautiful cinematography shows the streets of Vietnam, the colorful ghetto at Harlem, and the mysterious jungles in Cambodia. All of this along with excellent performances makes this movie one of the best gangster movies of all time.
The Untouchables
Available at Amazon Prime
A Brian De Palma direction based on the novel of the same name follows the life of Eliot Ness, a Federal Agent who sets on a mission to stop Al Capone, the mafia leader. Eliot puts together a team of hand-picked fighter men to fulfill his mission and get Al Capone behind the bars.
Starring A-list stars like Robert De Niro, Charles Martin Smith, Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, and others, this movie was a massive success in its time. It bagged four Academy Award nominations with Sean Connery winning the best supporting actor award. Besides this, Robert De Niro’s accent and Kevin Costner’s incredible performance are worth a watch.
Conclusion
There is a lot that goes into making the perfect gangster movie. The direction, screenplay, performances, and storyline, everything needs to be on point to keep the audience hooked till the end. While it is evident that gangster movies showcase brutal violence and crime, an excess of such scenes can turn the audience off. So, there needs to be a balance between the brutality and the sanity in the story.
One of the best examples of a perfect crime/gangster movie is Goodfellas. And there are very few movies that match the level of excellence that Goodfellas provides. That is why we have curated the above list of movies Like Goodfellas to help you find the perfect gangster film for your movie night. All the movies are one of a kind that will not disappoint you at all.