The Best Mafia Films for Fans of Crime Thrillers

The Mafia has long fascinated creatives. Throughout the 20^th century, writers, filmmakers, and showrunners have created some of the best content relating to the crime families that rose to power in the United States of America. “Mob flicks” became so popular, that it is now a recognized genre in and of itself. 

With so many mafia movies around though, it is hard to determine which is the best. That is why, in this article, we’d like to go over a few excellent mob flicks that had quite the impact on the genre. Any fan of crime thrillers who hasn’t checked these films out, ought to do themselves a huge favor, and watch them as soon as possible.

Casino by Martin Scorsese 

Martin Scorsese is one of the most iconic names in the mob flick genre. He has produced some of the finest mafia films in the history of cinema, a lot of which could be considered classics. One such film is Casino, starring Robert DeNiro as a connected casino owner in Las Vegas.

Las Vegas is known around the world for two things; gambling and the mafia. Travel to the city has not declined even with legal online casinos for Canadian players gaining popularity. After all, online casinos have made gambling a lot more accessible, and therefore, there are many people who are now interested in the hobby.

With a history such as Vegas’ it seems the perfect city to set a mafia film in. Certainly, there have been plenty of films that have done so, but none have done it as well as Casino. Robert DeNiro plays the role perfectly, imbuing the character with just enough charisma and sympathy, so the audience would feel bad when he eventually is toppled. 

The audience never once feels like he didn’t have it all coming. The character is not a good man. His cruelty is subtle. But it is felt throughout the film. The film deserves a shot though it may have been vastly overshadowed by Scorsese’s other crime films.

Goodfellas by Martin Scorsese 

Speaking of Martin Scorsese’s greatest hit, no mob movie list is complete without the inclusion of Goodfellas. The film is a trope maker for many of the popular mob flick tropes we see today, and an almost certain inspiration for the hit TV show, The Sopranos. Once again, Robert De Niro takes center stage in the role of James Conway, but the stars of the show are Ray Liotta and Joe Pesci. 

The movie follows the life of Henry Hill, through the eyes of James Conway. It tackles his role as the crime boss of his city, but also looks at his interpersonal relationships with his wife and kids. Like Casino, the actors here do an excellent job of making us sympathize, but never empathize with the criminals that take center stage. 

We don’t need to say much else about Goodfellas. It is one of the most widely-recognized films in the world. It has won 44 awards, including an Academy Award, and websites like the Internet Movie Database have it at number 18, on the top rated movies of all time list. At this point in history, Goodfellas is a cinematic classic.

Scarface by Brian De Palma

De Palma’s mafia epic may be one of the most iconic movies of all time. Scarface has become a pop culture staple through the sheer brilliance of its script. It is quoted endlessly by fans and even people who’ve never seen it. Who among us has not heard the phrase “Say hello to my lil’ friend!” or “Say goodnight to the bad guy.” 

There is much more to Scarface than iconic quotes. The story follows a Cuban immigrant plunged into the world of crime and drugs. The life of crime quickly consumes him. Greed takes over and Tony Montana truly lives up to the role of the bad guy. But was he always evil or did he simply get corrupted? That is a question for the ages.  

Of course, there is only one way a life like that can end, and we see it all in the film’s iconic, brutal, final shootout, when Al Pacino delivers the performance of a lifetime. But, Scarface is not the only mob film in which Al Pacino delivers a masterful performance. 

The Godfather I, II, & III by Francis Ford Coppola 

Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo worked some kind of magic in the 60s. The first Godfather film continues to thrill an audience to this day. Al Pacino is once again the star of the show. He plays the role a war vet who wants nothing to do with his family’s crime business. When a rival group shoos down the Don (Marlon Brando) Michael becomes obsessed with the thought of revenge. By the end of the film he is the Don of the Corleone, and one of the most powerful criminals in New York. 

In the second film Michael’s rise to power is juxtaposed to Vito’s. The writers bring the similarities between the two men to the forefront. We learn that Michael’s persona from the first film may have only been a façade after all. Despite their deplorable actions we almost forget that the film’s protagonists are not the good guys. 

In the third film, we come to the final act of Michael Corleone’s rule. We watch as the mafia life has sucked him dry of any goodness he once had. He has become a ruthless criminal, with the power going to his head. Consumed by greed, Michael makes a series of decisions with the goal of freeing his family from the life of crime. However, whether he can manage that is a whole other story. 

There is no denying that The Godfather franchise is one of the most iconic crime films of all time. In fact, it may just be one of the most iconic film series of all time. There aren’t many people who don’t recognize the brilliance of these films, and even today, many consider the second installment to be one of the greatest in the franchise.