’90s gangster movies represent a specific moment in Hollywood when creators and audiences alike were fascinated with the more sinister, uncomfortable, and tragically human parts of the criminal underworld and, as a result, the best of these ’90s gangster movies are also considered some of the greatest movies of all time. Gangster movies have been wildly popular since the ’30s and ’40s and every decade brings a new take on the genre. It’s inherently compelling, with its family drama, violence, and escapist fantasies of wealth and power.
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As the years have gone by, different decades have come to represent different things about gangster movies. The ’90s is in an interesting period, not least because The Sopranos came out in 1999 to close the book on the decades. In the 1990s, the term “gangster” expanded to mean different elements of organized crime, leading to Black, Asian, and English directors taking their shots at the world of the Mafia through their unique lens. Of course, the classic Italian-American gangster films still fill out the ranks of the genre, but the ’90s is a very mixed bag of movies.
15 King Of New York (1990)
An Overlooked Christopher Walken Performance
King of New York RCrimeThriller
King of New York is a crime drama film directed by Abel Ferrara, featuring Christopher Walken as Frank White, a notorious drug lord who is released from prison and aims to reclaim his position in the New York underworld. The film showcases White’s efforts to redistribute power within the city’s crime syndicates while confronting both rival gangs and law enforcement.
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*Availability in US Director Abel Ferrara Release Date July 18, 1990 Cast Christopher Walken , David Caruso , Laurence Fishburne , Victor Argo , Wesley Snipes , Janet Julian Runtime 103 minutes
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An overlooked ’90s gangster movie that has been reappraised in recent years, King of New York stars Christopher Walken as Frank White, a drug lord in a war to control New York City’s criminal underground. After his release from prison, Frank sets about reclaiming his crown and rebuilding his empire into something legitimate. It’s a much more violent and grim film than the standard gangster movies that came before it. Thanks to Walken’s performance and the film’s visual style, King of New York is a gripping watch and a ’90s crime movie that could use a sequel.
14 New Jack City (1991)
A Drug Lord Comes Up Against An NYPD Detective
New Jack City RActionCrimeDrama
New Jack City is a crime thriller directed by Mario Van Peebles, which stars Wesley Snipes as Nino Brown, the head of a powerful New York City drug cartel. The film follows Detective Scotty Appleton, played by Ice-T, who is determined to bring down Nino Brown and his empire. Released in 1991, the movie examines the devastating effects of the drug trade on urban communities.
Director Mario Van Peebles Release Date March 8, 1991 Cast Wesley Snipes , Ice-T , Allen Payne , Chris Rock , Mario Van Peebles , Michael Michele , Bill Nunn , Russell Wong Runtime 97 Minutes
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In New Jack City, Nino Brown (Wesley Snipes) leads the Cash Money Brothers gang, who run the crack cocaine rings in their Harlem neighborhood when the drugs reach their streets. Undercover police officer, Scotty Appleton (Ice-T), eventually infiltrates Nino’s gang and works to take revenge on him for something Nino did to Appleton years ago. New Jack City is an alarming and engrossing crime filled with one of Snipes’ best performances. Its depiction of the crack epidemic is a frighteningly real illustration of the late-20th-century outrage.
13 Get Shorty (1995)
Comedy And Gangsters Meet In A Hollywood Mash-Up
Get Shorty RComedyCrimeThriller
Get Shorty is a 1995 crime comedy film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, based on Elmore Leonard’s novel. The story follows Chili Palmer, a loan shark played by John Travolta, as he navigates the Hollywood film industry to collect a debt. The film also features Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, and Danny DeVito, weaving a narrative that mixes the criminal underworld with the movie business.
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*Availability in US Director Barry Sonnenfeld Release Date October 20, 1995 Cast John Travolta , Gene Hackman , Rene Russo , Danny DeVito , Dennis Farina , Delroy Lindo Runtime 105 minutes Budget $30.25 million
Get Shorty follows a Miami mobster and loan shark, Chili Palmer (John Travolta), who travels to Hollywood after a series of bad deals and decisions lead him to pulling a job for Brooklyn mob boss, Ray “Bones” Barnoni (Dennis Farina). While in Hollywood, Chili gets the bright idea to pitch his life as a movie idea, leading to more headaches and gunfire. Featuring an impressive ensemble that includes Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, Danny DeVito, and James Gandolfini, Get Shorty holds a mirror up to some of the absurdities of mob life, creating a franchise in the process.
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12 Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
Guy Ritchie Explores The London Underground
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10/10 Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels RComedyCrime
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels is a British crime film directed by Guy Ritchie. Released in 1998, the film follows a group of friends who become embroiled in the London underworld after a high-stakes card game goes wrong. Their attempts to repay a substantial debt lead them into intersecting criminal activities involving a variety of eccentric characters. The ensemble cast includes Jason Flemyng, Dexter Fletcher, Nick Moran, and Jason Statham.
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*Availability in US Director Guy Ritchie Release Date August 28, 1998 Cast Jason Flemyng , Dexter Fletcher , Nick Moran , Jason Statham , Steven Mackintosh , Vinnie Jones , sting , Peter McNicholl Runtime 106 Minutes Budget $1.4 Million
Guy Ritchie movies often deal with criminal elements and his feature film debut, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, is no different. The film follows small-time London criminals, Eddie (Nick Moran), Tom (Jason Flemyng), Soap (Dexter Fletcher), and Bacon (Jason Statham), who are trying to gather enough money to pay for Eddie’s buy-in to a high-stakes card game. Faced with a vengeful crime boss, the gang has to rob another gang. Delightfully twisted and fun, this film has all the Ritchie hallmarks that have made him one of the most popular working directors.
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11 Donnie Brasco (1997)
A True Story About The Bonanno Crime Family
Donnie Brasco RBiographyCrimeDrama
Donnie Brasco is a crime drama film directed by Mike Newell, featuring Johnny Depp as an undercover FBI agent who infiltrates the mafia. Al Pacino co-stars as a seasoned mobster who mentors him. Based on true events, the movie explores the agent’s struggle to balance his professional duties and personal identity.
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*Availability in US Director Mike Newell Release Date February 28, 1997 Cast Al Pacino , Johnny Depp , Michael Madsen , Bruno Kirby , James Russo , Anne Heche Runtime 127 minutes
Donnie Brasco stars Johnny Depp as Joseph D. Piston, an undercover FBI agent who poses as a thief named Donnie Brasco. Donnie infiltrates the Bonanno crime family after befriending the aging mobster, Lefty Ruggiero (Al Pacino). Lefty shows Donnie the ins and outs of life in the Mafia and the pair grow a father-son-like friendship. Donnie Brasco forgoes most gangster movie clichés for an honest and heartbreaking look at loneliness in a criminal organization. With two fantastic performances at the center, Donnie Brasco is a grounded and clever thriller.
10 Sonatine (1993)
An Aging Yakuza Enforcer Looks Back On His Life
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Takeshi Kitano, known for hosting the beloved Takeshi’s Castle, wrote, edited, directed, and stars in Sonatine, a gangster film set in Tokyo. The film follows Murakawa (Kitano), an aging enforcer for the yakuza who has grown bored and tired of his life of crime. A mission gone awry introduces him to a young woman, Miyuki (Aya Kokumai), who he becomes determined to protect. Sonatine is a contemplative work that is frequently punctuated with moments of intense violence. Humor, bloodshed, and romance combine to form a singular version of the gangster movie.
9 Carlito’s Way (1993)
A Career Criminal Tries To Go The Straight And Narrow
Carlito’s Way RCrimeDramaRomanceThriller
Carlito’s Way follows a Puerto Rican ex-con, played by Al Pacino, who, after being released from prison, vows to avoid the pitfalls of drugs and violence. Set in 1970s New York City, the film explores his struggle to lead a law-abiding life amidst challenging circumstances.
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*Availability in US Director Brian De Palma Release Date November 10, 1993 Cast Al Pacino , Sean Penn , Penelope Ann Miller , John Leguizamo , Ingrid Rogers , Luis Guzmán , James Rebhorn , Joseph Siravo , Viggo Mortensen , Richard Foronjy , Jorge Porcel , Frank Minucci , Adrian Pasdar , John Ortiz , Ángel Salazar , Al Israel , Rick Aviles , Jaime Sánchez , Edmonte Salvato , Paul Mazursky , Tera Tabrizi , Víctor Sierra , Caesar Cordova , Jon Seda , Ruben Rivera Runtime 144 minutes Expand
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In Carlito’s Way, Al Pacino plays Carlito Brigante, a former criminal who is released from prison on a technicality. Considering this a chance at redemption, Carlito swears off crime, but slowly, he is dragged back into the same criminal elements that sent him to jail in the first place. One of Brian De Palma’s greatest works, Carlito’s Way is an epic and tragic tale of how crime finds a way of bringing down those who attempt to escape it. The film may retread familiar ground storywise, but Pacino’s fierce acting and De Palma’s eye make it something special.
8 Boyz N The Hood (1991)
South Central LA Is The Site Of Major Gang Feuds
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9/10 Boyz n the Hood RCrimeDocumentaryDrama
Boyz n the Hood, directed by John Singleton, is a 1991 film set in South Central Los Angeles. It follows the lives of three young African-American men—Tre (Cuba Gooding Jr.), Doughboy (Ice Cube), and Ricky (Morris Chestnut)—as they navigate the challenges and pressures of growing up in an environment plagued by violence, gang culture, and socio-economic hardships. The film explores themes of family, friendship, and survival.
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*Availability in US Director John Singleton Release Date July 12, 1991 Cast Hudhail Al-Amir , Lloyd Avery II , Angela Bassett , Mia Bell , Lexie Bigham , Kenneth A. Brown Runtime 102 minutes
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Boyz n the Hood combines gangster movie elements, coming-of-age drama, and a rarely seen at the time Black-specific viewpoint for something completely unique. Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Ice Cube star as Tre Styles III and Doughboy Baker, respectively, two childhood best friends who grew apart when Tre moved to another town with his mother. Taking place over several years, Boyz n the Hood examines the pipeline that transforms kids into hardened gangsters. It’s a damning portrait but one that is compassionate and incredibly well-handled in its storytelling.
7 Ghost Dog: The Way Of The Samurai (1999)
A Mafia Enforcer Lives By An Ancient Warrior Code
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai RActionCrimeDocumentaryDramaThriller
An African-American Mafia hit man who models himself after the samurai of ancient Japan finds himself targeted for death by the mob.
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*Availability in US Director Jim Jarmusch Release Date June 2, 1999 Cast Forest Whitaker , John Tormey , Cliff Gorman , Dennis Liu , Frank Minucci , Richard Portnow Runtime 116 minutes
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai is a completely unique gangster film that combines gangster, hood, and samurai movie storytelling styles. Starring Forest Whitaker as the eponymous Ghost Dog, The Way of the Samurai follows the Mafia hitman who lives by the ancient code of the samurai. Director Jim Jarmusch seamlessly blends two very different styles of film and reveals just how closely samurai and gangster movies are at their core. It’s a profoundly sad performance from Whitaker, whose character never seems sure why he continues to follow his violent codes.
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6 Bugsy (1991)
Warren Beatty Stars As The American Mobster
Bugsy RBiographyCrimeDramaHistory
Bugsy chronicles the tumultuous life of notorious gangster Bugsy Siegel and his role in the establishment of modern Las Vegas. Directed by Barry Levinson and featuring Warren Beatty in the titular role, the film explores Siegel’s ambition, turbulent relationships, and enduring impact on the American criminal underworld.
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*Availability in US Director Barry Levinson Release Date December 10, 1991 Cast Warren Beatty , Annette Bening , Harvey Keitel , Ben Kingsley , Elliott Gould , Joe Mantegna , Bebe Neuwirth , Bill Graham , Lewis van Bergen , Wendy Phillips , Richard C. Sarafian , Karen Russell , Robert Beltran , Stefanie Mason , Kimberly McCullough , Andy Romano , Bryan Smith , Eric Christmas Runtime 134 minutes Expand
Based on the life of real American mobster Bugsy Seigel, Bugsy stars Warren Beatty as the eponymous gangster, closely following his affair with Hollywood starlet, Virginia Hill (Annette Bening). Half crime film and half romance, Bugsy is a true American epic with some incredible performances at the center. The violence at setpieces is shocking and riveting, but it’s the chemistry between Bening and Beatty that makes the movie. While Bugsy may not be the most historically accurate gangster movie ever, its setting and the feelings it elicits are as real as anything.
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5 A Bronx Tale (1993)
A Young Boy Must Choose Between Two Worlds
A Bronx Tale RCrimeDrama
A Bronx Tale is a coming-of-age drama set in the 1960s Bronx and directed by Robert De Niro. The film explores the life of a young boy named Calogero who is torn between the values of his hardworking father and the allure of a charismatic mob boss. Starring Robert De Niro and Chazz Palminteri, it delves into themes of loyalty, family, and the complexities of moral choices.
Director Robert De Niro Release Date October 1, 1993 Cast Robert De Niro , Chazz Palminteri , Lillo Brancato , Francis Capra , Taral Hicks , Kathrine Narducci , Clem Caserta , Alfred Sauchelli Jr. Runtime 121 Minutes
Robert De Niro’s directorial debut, A Bronx Tale, was much better than it had any right to be from a novice filmmaker. Based on the one-man play of the same name, A Bronx Tale is a coming-of-age gangster story that stars Lillo Brancato Jr. as Calogero, the son of a straight-laced bus driver, Lorenzo (De Niro), who becomes enamored with the Mafia, specifically, the magnanimous capo, Sonny (Chazz Palminteri). Incredibly solidly written, acted, and edited, A Bronx Tale is a fantastically watchable gangster movie with a touching and unusually kind performance from De Niro.
4 Miller’s Crossing (1990)
The Coen Brothers Make The Irish Gangster Epic
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8/10 Miller’s Crossing RCrimeDramaThriller
Miller’s Crossing is a crime drama directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. The film follows Tom Reagan (Gabriel Byrne), an advisor to a Prohibition-era crime boss, as he navigates a volatile dispute between two rival gangs. Set against a backdrop of betrayal and shifting loyalties, the story delves into the complexities of Reagan’s moral and ethical choices. Albert Finney and John Turturro also star in this intricate narrative of power and deception.
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*Availability in US Director Joel Coen , Ethan Coen Release Date September 21, 1990 Cast Gabriel Byrne , Albert Finney , John Turturro , Marcia Gay Harden , Jon Polito , Steve Buscemi Runtime 115 Minutes
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Irish gangster movies are much less popular than their Italian-American cousins, but when they are done right, they can be just as engrossing and moving. Miller’s Crossing follows a power struggle between two rival Irish gangs during Prohibition. Tom Reagan (Gabriel Byrne) finds a way to play both sides off one another for his benefit. Distinctively Coen, with a tight and beautifully written script, Miller’s Crossing is one of the brother’s best films. Quirky, fast, and breathtaking, Miller’s Crossing feels like a breeze that suddenly turns into a whirlwind.
3 Casino (1995)
Las Vegas Becomes The Wild West
Casino RBiographyCrimeDrama
Casino is a 1995 crime drama starring Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, Joe Pesci, and James Woods. The film is based on the book Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas by Nicholas Pileggi and centers on Sam ‘Ace’ Rothstein (De Niro), who is asked to run the Tangiers Casino in Las Vegas.
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*Availability in US Director Martin Scorsese Release Date November 22, 1995 Cast Robert De Niro , Sharon Stone , Joe Pesci , James Woods , Frank Vincent , Pasquale Cajano Runtime 178 minutes Budget $52 million
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Had Casino not come out two years after Goodfellas, it would be consistently ranked among Martin Scorsese’s best films. However, too many people decided it was a ripoff of Goodfellas, hurting its legacy, but it is decidedly not that. Casino is a much grimmer, much more real tale about the beginnings of Las Vegas and how the Mafia got their hands into the burgeoning town to take as much out of it as possible. More like The Irishman than Goodfellas, Casino is a sad, harsh, and appropriately ambitious film about a rarely depicted part of American history.
2 Pulp Fiction (1994)
Tarantino Changes The Face Of Filmmaking With His Gangster Movie
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8.3/10 Pulp Fiction RDramaCrime
Quentin Tarantino’s classic tale of violence and redemption follows the intertwining tales of three protagonists: hitman Vincent Vega, prizefighter Butch Coolidge, and Vincent’s business partner Jules Winnfield.
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*Availability in US Director Quentin Tarantino Release Date October 14, 1994 Cast John Travolta , Bruce Willis , Ving Rhames , Samuel L. Jackson , Uma Thurman , Christopher Walken , Tim Roth , Harvey Keitel , Eric Stoltz , Rosanna Arquette Runtime 154 minutes Budget $8–8.5 million
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With so many interweaving storylines, it might be debatable to even call Pulp Fiction a gangster movie, but organized crime is a critical piece of Quentin Tarantino’s second feature film. No matter who they are: a hitman, a boxer, or a flock of seagulls, everyone is wrapped up in the machinations of criminals and gangsters. Hyper-stylized but without feeling like it’s straining to impress, and with dialogue that is some of the best Tarantino has ever written, Pulp Fiction is arguably his best movie and one of the best movies ever.
1 Goodfellas (1990)
The Culmination Of Decades Of Gangster Movies
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10/10 Goodfellas RBiographyCrimeDrama
Goodfellas is a 1990 crime film starring Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Ray Liotta. The film was directed by Martin Scorsese and outlines the life and times of mobster Henry Hill. It’s based on the book Wiseguy, written by Nicholas Pileggi.
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*Availability in US Director Martin Scorsese Release Date September 21, 1990 Cast Robert De Niro , Ray Liotta , Joe Pesci , Lorraine Bracco , Paul Sorvino , Frank Sivero Runtime 145 Minutes Budget $25 million
Before Goodfellas, gangster movies often saw the Mafia as something alluring. They positioned gangsters as dangerous, but cool; villainous, but with more complexity to humanize them. Martin Scorsese disabused audiences of that notion with Goodfellas. This masterpiece ’90s gangster movie epic shows what being in the mafia is truly like: bloody, dishonorable, phony, and never worth it. An absolute joy to watch many times over, the picture that Goodfellas paints is hilarious, shocking, and crudely realistic in a way that few movies or shows have replicated.
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