Netflix can bring entertainment to your life, and there are multiple forms of entertainment. The list of must-watch movies on Netflix includes comedy, horror, romance, and violence!
Have you recently been on the lookout for movie titles with big guns, lots of profanity, and larger-than-life crimes? Then, you’ve landed in the right place with our compilation of the best mafia movies on Netflix.
What makes a good gangster movie notable? Well, these movies do a pretty good job of glamorizing the underworld with a healthy dose of money, booze, beautiful women, expensive cars while also depicting the dark and sinister side to the exodus pleasures of life.
If you are someone who loves crime and magnanimous mobsters, lots of violence, and bloodshed, the following list of movies are right up your alley. These bonafide classics will keep you entertained throughout.
Are you ready? Let’s check them out!
1. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Writer: Quentin Tarantino, Roger Avary
Cast: Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Micheal Madsen
IMDB Rating: 8.3/10
Quentin Tarantino’s first movie, Reservoir Dogs, is up first on our list. The plot explores a diamond heist gone wrong. Six criminals with pseudonyms are hired together to carry out a robbery.
Unfortunately, the heist falls apart as the police storm their way through. The gang has to abort the heist and barely make it out alive.
The survivors convene at a set warehouse and realize that they have a mole amongst themselves. The film has Tarantino hallmarks, crisp dialogues, violet action, and compelling storytelling.
2. Snatch (2000)
Director: Guy Ritchie
Writer: Guy Ritchie
Cast: Jason Statham, Brad Pitt, Stephen Graham
IMDB Rating: 8.2/10
Hands down one of Brad Pitt’s best performances to date, the plot explores the London underworld juxtaposed with the boxing.
Jason Statham stars as an illegal boxing promoter who convinces a gangster Brick Top (Alan Ford), to offer bets on bare-knuckle boxer Mickey (Brad Pitt) at his bookie business.
Pandemonium and mayhem ensue with apt action sequences, making it a watchable mafia movie.
3. Uncut Gems (2019)
Director: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie
Writer: Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie, Benny Safdie
Cast: Adam Sandler, Julia Fox, Idina Menzel
IMDB Rating: 7.4/10
The story follows Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler), a smart-talking gems peddler who has fallen into deep trouble with the mob. But Howard has a ‘plan’ in the form of a $1 million black opal that he sourced from the mines of Ethiopia.
The only problem is, he can’t find it. This 135-minute movie by the Safdie brothers is riddled with anxiety-inducing moments and makes for a thrilling watch.
4. Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Writer: George Clayton Johnson, Jack Golden Russell, Harry Brown
Cast: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts
IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
The 2001 release Ocean’s Eleven starred Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac, and Casey Affleck.
The film follows Danny Ocean as he and his ten accomplices devise a plan to rob three Las Vegas casinos simultaneously.
5. True Romance (1993)
Director: Tony Scott
Writer: Quentin Tarantino, Roger Avary
Cast: Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Dennis Hopper
IMDB Rating: 7.9/10
The film follows the tumultuous journey of new lovers, a prostitute named Alabama (Patrica Arquette), and a comic-book nerd called Clarence (Christian Slater). Clarence reveals the secret affair to the pimp, and the interaction results in him killing him.
Panic ensues, and the star-crossed lovers try to escape quickly, with Clarence picking up Alabama’s suitcase, thinking that it’s filled with clothes. Once they hit the road, they realize that the suitcase has cocaine and intend to sell the cocaine once they reach California.
But the mob is after them, and they soon find themselves in a race against time with nowhere to hide.
6. The Irishman (2019)
Director: Martin Scorsese
Writer: Steven Zaillian, Charles Brandt
Cast: Robert De Niro , Al Pacino, Joe Pesci
IMDB Rating: 7.8/10
The film is set in the 1950s and follows a truck driver Frank Sheeran who gets involved with Russell Bufalino and his Pennsylvania crime family.
Sheeran soon climbs ranks and is on the way to becoming a top hitman when the opportunity to work for Jimmy Hoffa arises- a powerful Teamster linked to organized crime.
This rich movie features love, legacy, death, family, and friendship all in one.
7. Mean Streets (1973)
Director: Martin Scorsese
Writer: Martin Scorsese, Mardik Martin
Cast: Robert De Niro, Harvey Keitel, David Proval
IMDB Rating: 7.2/10
The plot explores the story of Charlie, a young Italian-American who finds himself in a predicament of his Catholic faith and the lawless work he does for his mafioso uncle.
An encounter with a loan shark lands the young lad in hot water, and he seeks the help of a friend to wrangle himself free from debt and possible death. The film is gritty and compelling, an absolute classic mafia film.
8. Imperial Dreams (2014)
Director: Malik Vitthal
Writer: Ismet Prcic, Malik Vitthal
Cast: John Boyega, Rotimi, Glenn Plummer
IMDB Rating: 6.7/10
The film follows the journey to redemption for a gangster named Bambi, who has just been released from prison. However, his devotion to his family is tested when he returns to his old neighborhood in Los Angeles.
The path to rehabilitation is riddled with obstacles, and the Netflix original film features recurrent themes of mass incarceration, police racism, education, and gang life.
9. The Town (2010)
Director: Ben Affleck
Writer: Peter Craig, Ben Affleck, Aaron Stockard
Cast: Ben Affleck, Rebecca Hall, Jon Hamm
IMDB Rating: 7.5/10
This crime drama features Ben Affleck, who has also co-written and directed the movie. The plot focuses on four bank robbers in Boston city, with the FBI hot in pursuit.
Ben Affleck stars as Doug MacRay, who leads a band of bank robbers into a heist. Everything changes when James (Jeremy Renner) takes a bank employee (Claire Keesey) hostage.
What follows is lots of melodrama as the two fall in love coupled with solid heist action.
10. Kungfu Hustle (2004)
Director: Stephen Chow
Writer: Stephen Chow, Kan-Cheung Tsang, Xin Huo
Cast: Stephen Chow, Wah Yuen, Qiu Yuen
IMDB Rating: 7.8/10
The film follows the antics of two friends, Sing and Bone, who disguise themselves as gang members in the hopes of joining the real gang one day.
However, their seemingly innocent act sparks an actual gang war that almost destroys the slums of the city. The film has some laugh-out-loud moments, interspersed with action sequences that bring it all together.
11. Lawless (2012)
Director: John Hillcoat
Writer: Nick Cave, Matt Bondurant
Cast: Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeouf, Guy Pearce
IMDB Rating: 7.3/10
The film features Tom Hardy, Jessica Chastain, and Shia LeBeouf as a family of moonshiners pitted against a deranged lawman.
The film was set in 1931, and the Bondurant brothers of Franklin County operate an illegal liquor delivery service. Hardy plays Forrest, the eldest Bondurant, with his brothers Jack (LaBeouf) and Howard (Jason Clarke) monitoring the business’s operations.
However, their seemingly flourishing business hits the roof when a sadistic lawman (Guy Pearce) from Chicago arrives and tries to bring the entire operations down, making it one of the best mafia movies on Netflix.
12. Killing Them Softly (2012)
Director: Andrew Dominik
Writer: Andrew Dominik, George V.Higgins
Cast: Brad Pritt, Ray Liotta, Richard Jenkins
IMDB Rating: 6.2/10
The film stars Brad Pitt as a mob hitman hired to kill two men in New Orleans who have robbed a famous mobster’s card game. Joining him on this mob hunt is the late and great James Gandolfini, who lends a hand as a fellow hitman.
The plot has many twists and surprises while the actors give a compelling performance, making it one of the best mafia movies on Netflix.
13. Beats (2019)
Director: Chris Robinson
Writer: Miles Orion Feldsott
Cast: Khalil Everage, Evan J.Simpson, Ashley Jackson
IMDB Rating: 6.4/10
This hip-hop drama is set in Chicago and features the story of a teenage boy traumatized by gang violence who finds respite in music and creativity.
Khalil Everage stars as August Monroe, a young child who witnesses the brutal murder of his sister, who is shot point-blank by a gangster in the film’s opening sequence.
A year later, the youngster has debilitating PTSD, which prevents him from attending school or even leaving the house. Nevertheless, he creates music on his keyboard under his mother’s (Uzo Aduba) watchful eyes.
A chance encounter with a gentleman, Anthony, leads to friendship as they spend more time discussing hip-hop and their unfortunate rough childhood.
14. Legend (2015)
Director: Brain Helgeland
Writer: Brian Helgeland, John Pearson
Cast: Tomy Hardy, Emily Browning, Taron Egerton
IMDB Rating: 6.9/10
The film features Tom Hardy as Reggie Kray, a sophisticated and charming mobster in the London underworld during the 60s. His right hand is his equally volatile twin brother Ronnie, who teams up with his brother to carry out a string of robberies and murders while running nightclubs and protection rackets.
The brothers soon have a police detective hot on their heels as they evade capture and land on the front page of tabloids. The events in the film are actual as the much-feared mobsters ruled over London in the 60s, with their eventual arrest and sentence to life in prison in 1969.
15. Goodfellas (1990)
Director: Martin Scorsese
Writer: Nicholas Pileggi, Martin Scorsese
Cast: Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci
IMDB Rating: 8.7/10
The film follows the journey of a young man who spends most of his young adult years in a mob, slowly advancing through the ranks. But unfortunately, the lad is blinded by the luxuries of money and oblivious to the horror that he leaves in his wake. that he causes.
The film is based on the book by Nicholas Pileggi called “Wiseguy” and features a highly stylish ode to mob life the highs and lows associated with it.
16. Shot Caller (2017)
Director: Ric Roman Waugh
Writer: Ric Roman Waugh
Cast: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Omari Hardwick, Lake Bell
IMDB Rating: 7.3/10
Have you ever wondered what Jamie Lannister would look like as a prisoner and a member of a gang within it? This film stars the acclaimed actor in a surprising character.
The plot focuses on him as he serves a prison term for DUI. While in prison, he falls in with a violent gang and makes his way up through the ranks. Once released, he’s forced to orchestrate a weapons deal or put his family’s lives in jeopardy.
17. Backfire (2017)
Director: Dave Patten
Writer: Black Deniro, Dave Patten, John Vinson
Cast: Back Deniro, Jowharah Jones, Byron Squally Vinson
IMDB Rating: 3.6/10
The film follows the events after a botched robbery turns into a homicide, with a north Philly gun runner running as he tries to outsmart the south Philly Italian mob. The mob is vengeful and ready to kill, making it one of the best mafia movies on Netflix.
18. Den Of Thieves (2018)
Director: Christian Gudegast
Writer: Christian Gudegast, Paul T.Scheuring
Cast: Gerard Butler, Pablo Schreiber, O’Shea Jackson Jr.
IMDB Rating: 7.0/10
The film follows an elite unit of the LA County Sheriff Dept and their quest to capture the elusive outlaws responsible for the biggest bank robbery in the state.
The miscreants now have their eyes on the Federal Reserve Bank, a seemingly impossible heist. However, the criminals have an elaborate plan to carry out the robbery and will go to any length to evade capture, making it one of the best mafia movies on Netflix.
19. Leon: The Professional (1994)
Director: Luc Besson
Writer: Luc Besson
Cast: Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman
IMDB Rating: 8.5/10
A professional assassin takes in an orphaned 12-year old girl named Mathilda. The due form a strange bond of tutor and pupil, as she becomes his protegee and learns tricks of the trade.
20. Deuces (2017)
Director: Jamal Hill
Writer: Curtis Bryant, Jamal Hill
Cast: Larenz Tate, Meagan Good, Rotimi
IMDB Rating: 5.9/10
The film follows Detective Jason Foster as he goes undercover to cloy at a crime ring that has been impenetrable by the police for years.
Things take a surprising turn as Foster finds himself enthralled by the intriguing persona of the ringleader Stephen “Deuces” Brookes and the dual discreet life that he leads.
21. The Drug King (2018)
Director: Min-ho Woo
Writer: Min-ho Woo
Cast: Kang0ho Song, Jo Jung-Suk, Bae Doona
IMDB Rating: 6.2/10
A Korean entry in our list, this film is set in the 70s. An underworld drug smuggler called Lee Doo-sam has a flourishing empire in Busan while a public prosecutor is hot on his heels to bring him down.
22. The Highway Men (2019)
Director: John Lee Hancock
Writer: John Fusco
Cast: Kevin Costner, Woody Harrelson, Kathy Bates
IMDB Rating: 6.9/10
An American period crime drama film, The Highwaymen, follows the story of former Texas Rangers Frank Hamer and Maney Gault as they venture out of their retirement and team up to try and capture well-known outlaws Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow.
The film stars Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson as Frank Hamer and Maney Gault. Kathy Bates, John Carroll Lynch, Kim Dickens, Thomas Mann, and William Sadler costar in the movie.
23. The Night Comes For Us (2018)
Director: Timo Tjahjanto
Writer: Timo Tjahjanto
Cast: Iko Uwais, Joe Taslim, Julie Estelle
IMDB Rating: 7.0/10
An Indonesian action thriller film, The Night Comes For Us released in 2018 amidst good reviews at the box office and viewers.
The plot features the story of Ito, a gangland enforcer who is caught in the middle of violent insurrection within his Triad crime family. Iko Uwais, Joe Taslim, Julie Estelle, Sunny Pang, Zack Lee, and Shareefa Daanish also stars the plot with their performance making it one of the best mafia movies on Netflix.
24. Middle Men (2009)
Director: George Gallo
Writer: George Gallo, Andy Weiss
Cast: Luke Wilson, Giovanni Ribisi, Gabriel Macht
IMDB Rating: 6.8/10
The film explores the murky world of Internet porn, as Luke Wilson stars Jack Harris, a Texas Businessman who sways from the straight path when he meets Wayne Beering (Giovanni Ribisi) and Buck Dolby (Gabriel Macht).
The pair are Internet porn profiteers and introduce the innocent businessman to many other lowlifes, making it one of the best mafia movies on Netflix.
25. The Outsider (2018)
Director: Martin Zandvliet
Writer: Andrew Baldwin
Cast: Jared Leto, Tadanobu Asano, Kippei Shina
IMDB Rating: 6.3/10
The Outsider is a crime-action thriller movie set soon after World War II. An American POR decides to stay back in Japan and become a disciple of the ‘Yakuza’ to become a member of the notorious criminal organization eventually.
The film stars Jared Leto, Tadanobu Asano, Kippei Shiina, Shiori Kutsuna, and Emile Hirsch, making it one of the best mafia movies on Netflix.
26. Gun City (2018)
Director: Dani De La Torre
Writer: Patxi Amezcua
Cast: Luis Tosar, Michelle Jenner, Vicente Romero
IMDB Rating: 6.3/10
Gun City is a Spanish thriller film set in the year 1921. The film follows the journey of a cop who is sent to Barcelona to arrest the people responsible for stealing military weapons.
27. The Family (2013)
Director: Luc Besson
Writer: Luc Besson, Michael Caleo, Tonino Benacquista
Cast: Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Dianna Agron
IMDB Rating: 6.3/10
The 2013 release has a seemingly innocuous name as the storyline is steeped in gangland. Giovanni Manzoni (Robert De Niro) is a backstabbing ex mafia man who rats out his Mafia counterparts. He and his family become a part of the Witness Protection Program and move to a French town.
Despite the efforts of their caretaker (Tommy Lee Jones), the family can’t help but resort back to their way, upholding the honor and tradition of ‘Family’ always. Unfortunately, old habits die hard, and the vengeful mobsters are in hot pursuit of the family.
28. Casino Tycoon (1992)
Director: Jing Wong
Writer: Jing Wong
Cast: Andy Lau, Chingmy Yau, Alex Man
IMDB Rating: 6.0/10
The film follows the events that follow when Japanese troops invade Hong Kong. Benny Ho flees to Macau, an intelligent university student who finds fame and wealth in thriving casinos.
29. Xtreme (2021)
Director: Daniel Benmayor
Writer: Teo Garcia, Ivan Ledesma, Genaro Rodriguez
Cast: Teo Garcia, Oscar Jaenada, Oscar Casas
IMDB Rating: 5.8/10
A Spanish Cinema entry on our list explores the story of a Spanish hitman who’s about to retire from gang life and finally exit this dangerous life. However, things turn ugly as the ruthless gang members murder his son, setting a motion of events with the hitman ready to draw blood.
The film is directed by Daniel Benmayor, while the screenplay is by Teo Garcia, Ivan Ledesma, and Genaro Rodriguez. The film features Oscar Jaeneda, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, and Oscar Casas.
30. The Shadow Of Violence (2020)
Director: Nick Rowland
Writer: Joe Murtagh, Colin Barrett
Cast: Cosmo Jarvis, Barry Keoghan, Liam Carney
IMDB Rating: 6.9/10
The film is set in rural Ireland and features ex-boxer Douglas “Arm” Armstrong (Cosmo Jarvis Hunter Killer), a feared enforcer for the drug-dealing Devers family.
His heartless employers order him to carry out his first kill, and Douglas is led into testing waters as his loyalty is placed at stake.
Wrapping Up!
Whatever you like, be it a movie, show, action, documentary, comedy, horror, holiday, classic movies, reality, thriller, or romance – Netflix offers various options to choose from. All you need is a fast internet connection, couch, snacks, and drinks!
The film industry has churned out some great titles over the years with gripping storylines and iconic power dialogues. So please sit back and delve into the world of criminals with our list of best mafia movies on Netflix.