Summary
While there have been countless fantasticgangster moviesover the years, very few can claim the title of pure perfection and were often held back by one critical flaw. It may be a casting decision, an unnecessary subplot, or a bloated runtime, but there have been so many examples of movies that had perfection within their reach, only for it to be snatched away by one key issue. This does not mean these movies were not great; it’s just that certain issues could be improved upon for them to earn the title of genuinely perfect.
Some ofthe best gangster moviesever made feel entirely untouchable, as films like the first twoGodfatherfilms have consistently been part of the conversation around the best movie ever, regardless of genre. Other releases had everything going for them, but it must be admitted that one aspect held them back from being the perfect version of their story. While some viewers believe it’s blasphemy to criticize some of these classic films,these beloved gangster movies were so close to being perfect, if not for one key flaw that held them back.
Eastern Promises
Cast
Eastern Promises (2007) is a crime thriller directed by David Cronenberg and starring Viggo Mortensen. The film follows a London midwife, played by Naomi Watts, who stumbles upon the underbelly of the Russian mafia while investigating a young girl’s death. Mortensen portrays a mysterious driver with ties to a powerful crime family, unraveling a web of secrecy and corruption. The film explores themes of loyalty, identity, and the immigrant experience.
Director David Cronenberg added his unique voice to the gangster genre with his excellent story of the Russian mobEastern Promises. Through brutal realism and one of Viggo Mortensen’s greatest performances, this was a powerful exploration of human trafficking and excessive violence that packed a serious emotional punch. However,Eastern Promisesalso had a rather abrupt ending, with much of the climatic action taking place offscreen. Unfortunately, this resulted in an almost perfect movie feeling somewhat incomplete, as viewers were left wanting more and with several unanswered questions.
Boyz n the Hood
Boyz n the Hood is a drama set in South Central Los Angeles, focusing on Tre Styles as he navigates societal challenges under his father’s guidance. Amid a backdrop of crime and violence, the film explores the struggles and choices faced by Tre and his friends, illuminating their impact on the community.
AsJohn Singleton’s directional debut, this first-time filmmaker knocked it out of the park with the powerful social messaging seen inBoyz n the Hood. The urban crime drama shone a light on the violence of street life in disenfranchised African American communities, pioneering the hood film genre and influencing later classics likeTraining Day.Boyz n the Hoodwas an incredible drama with amazing casting, including Laurence Fishburne, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Ice Cube, although its social commentary sometimes came at the expense of characterization and narrative depth, which held the film back from being perfect in all respects.
Snatch
Snatch is a comedic crime film by director Guy Ritchie that centers on several different groups of characters' paths that begin to cross after a missing diamond becomes central to their stories. From a fight promoter trying to make pay his bookie to a group of inept bank robbers that fumble a bookkeeping heist, a stolen diamond ends up in the stomach of a dog, setting off a hectic chain of violent but darkly comedic events.
Nobody can make a British gangster film better than Guy Ritchie, whose unique sense of style and powerful aesthetics resulted in crowd-pleasing crime movies with their own brand of humor.Snatchwas the perfect example of Ritchie’s talents as a small-time boxer, played by Jason Statham, found himself under the thumb of a ruthless gangster. But it wasBrad Pitt as the Irish Traveler Mickey O’Neilwho heldSnatchback from perfection because, despite giving a solid performance, his Irish accent was genuinely terrible, and he came across more like a parody character than a truly realized person.
The Godfather Part III
The Godfather Part III: Released on August 02, 2025, this third installment in Francis Ford Coppola’s trilogy follows Michael Corleone’s efforts to legitimize his crime family’s interests in 1979 while dealing with his past sins and mentoring a young protege in both New York and Italy.
With two perfect movies already making theGodfatherseries the most famous gangster franchise of all time, the release ofThe Godfather Part IIIhad a lot to live up to and unfortunately crumbled amid these incredible expectations. Looking back, all the pieces of a great movie were there, but a rushed script, misguided casting, and a lack of essential characters like Tom Hagen meantThe Godfather Part IIIcouldn’t live up to the previous two movies.The Godfather Part III’sone fatal flaw was that it was made for financial reasonsrather than the artistry that propagated the previous films.
Jackie Brown
Jackie Brown is a 1997 crime thriller directed by Quentin Tarantino. Pam Grier stars as a flight attendant who outsmarts the authorities, her boss, and a ruthless killer after smuggling cash for a gunrunner. The movie counts with an all-star cast that includes Samuel L. Jackson, Robert De Niro, Robert Forster, Michael Keaton, and Bridget Fonda.
Quentin Tarantino paid homage to 1970s blaxploitation cinema with his excellent crime movieJackie Brown. As Pam Grier’s greatest performance, she played the titular flight attendant-turned-money-smuggler to perfection asTarantino expanded upon his rich and highly stylized cinematic world. With sharp dialogue, a fantastic cast, and a cool, laid-back style,Jackie Brownhad a slower pace than the rest of Tarantino’s work, and although this contributed to its unique feeling, it also meant it never felt quite as urgent as the verybest Tarantino movies.
American Gangster
American Gangster is a 2007 crime film directed by Ridley Scott, featuring Denzel Washington as Frank Lucas, a heroin kingpin in Harlem, and Russell Crowe as Richie Roberts, the detective determined to bring him down. The film explores the rise of Lucas in the drug trade and the eventual intersection of their lives amidst the backdrop of a corrupt and morally complex society.
American Gangsterstood as one ofRidley Scott’s best movies, as the intense game of cat and mouse between acting legends Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington made for thrilling viewing. However, the attempt to balance Frank Lucas' (Washington) crime story with Richie Roberts’ (Russell Crowe) made the film feel uneven as it tried to pack too much into an epic true crime narrative. As an engrossing and powerful story that proved Scott could stand toe-to-toe with the best gangster filmmakers out there,American Gangstercould have been perfect if it was slightly more streamlined.
Touch of Evil
After a car bomb detonates at the U.S./Mexico border, Mexican agent Miguel Vargas and American captain Hank Quinlan investigate. As Vargas uncovers corruption within Quinlan’s team, his pursuit of justice jeopardizes his safety and his wife’s, in this tense thriller.
As one of the all-time great directors, Orson Welles proved his talents in the gangster genre with the classic film noirTouch of Evil. This technical masterpiece was badly received when it was first released in 1958, asWelles’ singular vision was tampered with, and Universal executives forced Welles out during post-production (viaGuardian.) While Welles’ vision was later restored, andTouch of Evilwas re-released in 1998, the damage had been done to its reputation, and for decades, the innovative and emotionally gripping nature of the underrated classic was ignored by general viewers.
Gangs of New York
Gangs of New York, directed by Martin Scorsese, is a historical drama that explores the violent rivalries between immigrant groups in 19th-century New York City. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Amsterdam Vallon, who returns to the Five Points area seeking revenge against Bill the Butcher, played by Daniel Day-Lewis. The film dramatizes the socio-political unrest in America during that era, highlighting issues like gang warfare and ethnic tension.
As the firstcollaboration between Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprioand featuring Daniel Day-Lewis as the iconic villain Bill the Butcher,Gangs of New Yorkhad all the makings of modern gangster movie classics. Packed with style and impressive action sequences of rivaling gangster factions,Gangs of New Yorkalso suffered from a disjointed narrative and underdeveloped characters. As a highly ambitious project,Gangs of New Yorktackled too many themesand never provided the space to delve into any of them with the level of depth they required.
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
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.
Guy Ritchie proved himself an exciting new voice in British cinema with his gangster classicLock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. With compelling performances fromJason Statham in his acting debutand Vinnie Jones in an intimidating and influential role,Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrelsfelt almost like the British equivalent of a Tarantino movie. While all the pieces of a great film were in place,Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrelsalso featured too many overlapping plotlines and was an unfortunate example of style over substance in terms of narrative heft.
The Untouchables
The Untouchables, directed by Brian De Palma, is a crime drama set during Prohibition-era Chicago. The film stars Kevin Costner as Eliot Ness, a federal agent determined to bring down the notorious gangster Al Capone, portrayed by Robert De Niro. Alongside Sean Connery as seasoned officer Jim Malone, Ness forms an elite team to combat organized crime, focusing on the legal strategy to dismantle Capone’s empire.
The Untouchableswas a stylized Prohibition-era gangster movie by Brian De Palma that featured an incredible cast, including Kevin Cosner, Robert De Niro, and Sean Connery. With fantastic action sequences and era-appropriate locations,The Untouchableswas a wonderfully entertaining filmwhose melodramatic dialogue and simplistic good-versus-evil narrative failed to capture the morally conflicted urgency of the best gangster movies.The Untouchableswas a very good movie, and if it had leaned more into the gritty realism of its time period, it could have been truly perfect.
