Though sometimes hard to define,thecrimegenredoes have a rich background throughout the history of cinema, and few actors are as iconic within the genre asRobert De Niro. To give a more descriptive definition: these films typically revolve around gangsters, heists, and police procedures. Those are the most common sub-genres of crime.
And the films featured on this list were made by the biggest directors Hollywood had to offer, from Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino to Brian De Palma and Francis Ford Coppola. Other prominent actors to work deeply within the crime scene include guys like Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, Harvey Keitel, and Denzel Washington. A few of them show up several times here as costars of Robert De Niro. Several movies with those names involved likely come to mind off the bat. But, all that said, this is a ranking of every single crime film featuring Robert De Niro.
27The Bag Man (2014)
No kidding: this film didn’t even garner $1 million at the worldwide box office. That’s pretty rough, especially when considering the caliber of its cast. Sure, a lot of the actors are relatively unknown, but it does have De Niro in a supporting role, along with John Cusack appearing as the lead character named Jack.
He’s a professional hitman, hired by a gangster named Dragna (De Niro) to pick up an indiscriminate bag from an undisclosed (to the audience, at first) location. Hence, the title of the film.The Bag Man(2014). Pretty rough premise, right? Well, obviously, the execution wasn’t any better, as this forgettable neo-noir crime thriller falls in last place.
26Showtime (2002)
Despite co-starring a juggernaut of the comedy industry in Eddie Murphey, this buddy-cop comedy will make you cry of boredom before it induces any sort of laughter. It sounds harsh, but not everyone can always show up in the best films ever made. Not even De Niro.
This particular flick holds an approval rating of 25% on Rotten Tomatoes, and received two nominations at theGolden Raspberry Awards: Worst Actor for Murphey, and Worst Screen Duo for them both. For those that aren’t familiar with the Razzies, they honor the worst films of their respective year. It’s the Oscars equivalent for the worst movies the industry can offer, andShowtime(2002) undoubtedly fits that bill.
25Righteous Kill (2008)
After two films that will appear later on in the list, this was the third on-screen collaboration between Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. They star here inRighteous Kill(2008) as two detectives from the New York City Police Department that are hot on the trail of a serial killer.
That’s as classic a plot as crime thrillers come, but this piece in particular also blends heavy elements of action. And in the end, the genres failed to come together in any sort of meaningful fashion. Critics absolutely dogged the script, and with good reason — there really is little to write home about with regard toRighteous Kill.
24Heist (2015)
There are a few exceptions to this line of thinking, but for the most part, you can stay away from any Robert De Niro crime films that come from the last twenty or so years.The 21st century, for the most part. That’s the only time period covered so far, and it’s what the next several entries of the list will encompass. The trend continues here withHeist(2015), directed by Scott Mann.
Hardly anything came together here to a qualitative degree. But based off the script and general lack of true desire to make the film in the first place from the higher-ups of production, the overall caliber of this film shouldn’t come as any real surprise. You can definitely skip this one.
23The Comeback Trail (2020)
Obviously, De Niro needs to stay away from the crime-comedies, but even in the 2020s, he’s showing up in duds likeThe Comeback Trail(2020). And just based off that initial impression, it’s safe to say that you can skip this entry, as well. Its characters fail to make any headway in developing rapports with one another, and any evolution thereof feels contrived at best in the end.
It costars Tommy Lee Jones, Morgan Freeman, and Zach Braff, and despite thatimpressive amount of name value, their managers should be ashamed. None of them had any business showing up in this romp, but then again, if they didn’t make their respective appearances, it’s likely nobody would know this film even exists.
22The Family (2013)
Historically, French director Luc Besson knows how to make a crime joint.Leon: The Professional(1994) is his most famous work in the genre, though he’s also known forsci-fi flickssuch asThe Fifth Element(1997) andLucy(2013). All of those films are of much higher quality thanThe Family(2013), which features De Niro alongside an impressive roster of actors like Michelle Pfeiffer and Tommy Lee Jones.
The project shifts tones more than a John Carpenter flick, and while that sounds like a negative critique on the famous American director of horror and science fiction, make no mistake: Carpenter was a master of blending genres and styles, while Besson failed on that level here withThe Familyunlike ever before. Again: this one you’re able to skip.
2115 Minutes (2001)
Famous American painter Andy Warhol is credited with saying, “In the future, everybody will be world-famous for 15 minutes”. The antagonists of the film at hand took that quote to heart, as a pair of murderers from Eastern Europe aim to record their crimes in order to accrue life-changing funds while simultaneously reaching worldwide levels of fame.
Meanwhile, Robert De Niro shows up in15 Minutes(2001) as the lead character alongside Edward Burns as a police detective and a fire marshal, respectively. And, unfortunately for those talented individuals involved, thisbuddy-copaction flick failed to come together on its intriguing premise. You can definitely skip this one, if you hadn’t planned on it already.
20Killer Elite (2011)
An action thriller with Jason Statham, Robert De Niro, and Clive Owen sounds on paper like a recipe for success. But unfortunately for crime fans, this tale of assassinations does land in the bottom tier of the list for a multitude of reasons, frankly.
The talented cast and crew ofKiller Elite(2011) skipped out on target practice one too many times and ended up missed their marks in just about every imaginable respect of storytelling. Its results at the box office proved all of those assertions on paper in tandem with its mediocre reception from critics. And while those numbers can often be misleading, they definitely tell the entire tale ofKiller Elite.
19Stone (2010)
In thislesser-known crime stint, Robert De Niro plays a parole officer who is constantly outsmarted by a dastardly prisoner portrayed by Edward Norton. This entry marks a jump in caliber for the rest of the list, with another shift to come.
If everything listed beforeStone(2010) should be avoided like a prison sentence, then this next string of entries features titles that should be watched only if they pique your interest. And that’s definitely the case here. If the plot sounds up your criminal-infested alley, then definitely give it a go. The two famous leads sell their characters to a tee, and the plot will hold your attention through and through.
18The Good Shepherd (2006)
A spy filmcalledThe Good Shepherd(2006) marks the first instance on this list of the inclusion of a film that was actually directed by Robert De Niro himself. And for the most part, his efforts were admirable when it comes to critiquing the actual project. But just too many elements of filmmaking missed their mark for this to be considered among the elite of De Niro’s crime movies.
It follows a CIA officer named Edward Wilson (who’s portrayed by Matt Damon) as he traverses the brutalities of World War II and learns counterintelligence. Ultimately, the film had an impressive cast — with other names including (on top of Damon and De Niro) Angelina Jolie, Alec Baldwin, and Joe Pesci. But those impressive talents weren’t quite enough to saveThe Good Shepherdfrom a qualitative standpoint.
