There is something about con artists that audiences can’t seem to get enough of; perhaps it’s the similar fascination viewers have with antiheroes who live in an ethically ambiguous place, but engender audience support nonetheless. Tales depicting suave and slick con artists who manage to execute calculating and thrilling schemes. Moviegoers get to live vicariously through these fearless and devious characters, with some of the most memorable pictures in cinema centering on this electrifying trope.
Since the Golden Age of Hollywood, con artists and heist pictures have become a silver screen staple, with 1932’s Trouble in Paradise introducing it and 1950’s The Asphalt Jungle arguably popularizing the genre for mainstream cinema. Its success led to a plethora of lustrous and big budget films, notably the Rat Pack’s 1960 caper Ocean’s Eleven and 1964’s Marlon Brando led con-artist comedy Bedtime Story. Such projects proved to be highly profitable and extremely popular with both critics and viewers, and continued to find a faithful following in subsequent years, especially with the excellent con-artist films of David Mamet.
Con-artist flicks are fun and engaging, keeping audiences on the edge of their seats as they root for the sneaky and sly leads. Critic Daniel Eagan wrote in his book America’s Film Legacy, “One key to plots about con-men is that film-goers want to feel like they’re in on the trick. They don’t have to know how a scheme works, and they don’t mind a twist or two, but it’s important for the story to feature clearly recognizable ‘good’ and ‘bad’ characters.” Some of the best and most impressive pictures have been able to achieve this feat, becoming beloved cinematic staples in the process. Here are some of the best movies about con artists.
Updated, July 2022: To keep the article fresh and relevant by adding more information and entries, this article has been updated by Kassie King.
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12 Now You See Me (2013)
Lionsgate
Louis Leterrier’s 2013 heist movie Now You See Me boasts a star-studded ensemble cast that includes Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, Mélanie Laurent, Michael Caine, and Morgan Freeman. The plot follows an FBI agent tasked with taking down a group of professional magicians who pull off miraculous large-scale robberies during their performances. The film is chock-full of amazing illusions and trickery and is a delightfully fun watch.
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Now You See Me was a box office hit but received mixed reviews from critics who disagreed on the effectiveness of the film’s ending. Regardless, the movie was successful enough to spawn two sequels: Now You See Me 2, released in 2016, and Now You See Me 3, which has been in pre-production limbo for a few years, but has recently picked up steam.
11 I Care a Lot (2020)
Netflix
At the very start of 2020, Netflix released a dark comedy thriller called I Care a Lot, starring talented actress Rosamund Pike. The plot centers on a con-woman who works as a court-appointed guardian for the elderly and uses her position to steal from her clients. Eventually she takes advantage of the mother of a dangerous criminal and an exciting game of cat and mouse ensues. The film also stars Peter Dinklage, Eiza González, Dianne Wiest, and Chris Messina.
I Care a Lot was received well by most critics. Variety compared director J Blakeman to “The Master of Suspense” Alfred Hitchcock, stating “when [Blakeman] finally gets around to staging an action sequence, it’s a doozy… because he takes his time and has you hanging on every moment.” Pike was also praised for her performance, which was often compared to her villainous role in the 2014 thriller Gone Girl. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival before being acquired by Netflix and becoming the most watched film on the streaming service during its first weekend.
10 Nightmare Alley (2021)
Searchlight Pictures
Nightmare Alley is a neo-noir psychological thriller from acclaimed director Guillermo del Toro, based on the 1946 William Lindsay Gresham novel of the same name. The film is set in 1936 and follows a carnival worker and drifter, played by Bradley Cooper, who uses his mentalism and manipulation skills to con wealthy audiences with fake psychic readings, and soon finds himself embroiled in a dangerous scheme. The film also stars other big names, including Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette, Willem Dafoe, Richard Jenkins, Rooney Mara, Ron Perlman, Mary Steenburgen, and David Strathairn.
The movie floundered at the box office, but has been widely lauded by critics who praised del Toro’s mastery of the genre and the actors performances. Renowned director Martin Scorsese wrote an essay for the Los Angeles Times in which he urged audiences to see Nightmare Alley, calling it “lovingly and passionately crafted,” and “truer to the animating spirit of film noir than the many ‘homages’ that have been made over the years.” The project received a plethora of award nominations, including four Oscar nods for Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, and Best Production Design.
9 Focus (2015)
Warner Bros. Pictures
The charming Will Smith and Margot Robbie teamed up for the 2015 crime dramedy Focus, which centers on seasoned con-man Nicky Spurgeon as he takes grifter and aspiring femme fatale Jess Barrett under his wing and sparks inevitably fly. After Nicky ends their relationship due to his romantic feelings, the devious duo cross paths three years later while plotting a dangerous and lucrative scheme. The film was originally supposed to star frequent collaborators Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, but the actors were forced to drop out and Smith and Robbie were brought in as the con-artist pair.
Famed sleight-of-hand and self-described gentleman thief Apollo Robbins served as a consultant for the picture, conceiving and choreographing original sleight-of-hand maneuvers; directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa stated, “Apollo is the foremost expert in his field and is an inspiration to us.” Despite mixed reviews from critics, Focus was a box office success and grossed over $150 million.
8 Paper Moon (1973)
Paramount Pictures
Tatum O’Neal became the youngest competitive winner in the history of the Academy Awards when she won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her powerhouse performance alongside her real-life father Ryan O’Neal in 1973’s Paper Moon. The road comedy-drama is shot in black-and-white and takes place during the Great Depression, telling the story of a con man who finds himself tasked with getting a 9-year-old girl to her relatives in Missouri, who he may or may not be the father of.
Director Peter Bogdanovich approached newcomer Tatum O’Neal to audition for the picture after Paul Newman and his daughter left the project, and due to the actress’ inexperience her father Ryan was also cast as a lead. The dramedy garnered widespread acclaim from critics, with Roger Ebert proclaiming that “a genre movie about a con man and a little girl is teamed up with the real poverty and desperation of Kansas and Missouri, circa 1936. You wouldn’t think the two approaches would fit together, somehow, but they do, and the movie comes off as more honest and affecting than if Bogdanovich had simply paid tribute to older styles.”
7 Catch Me If You Can (2002)
DreamWorks Pictures
Acting chameleon Leonardo DiCaprio and America’s sweetheart Tom Hanks headline the 2002 biographical crime film Catch Me If You Can, which is based on the life of author and notorious convicted felon Frank Abagnale. The con artist infamously performed countless dupes and frauds worth millions of dollars by the time he was nineteen, having posed as a doctor, parish prosecutor and Pan American World Airways pilot.
The highly-renowned Steven Spielberg directed the epic picture, and brought the real-life Abagnale on as a consultant for the biopic; he even had a cameo as the French officer who arrests Frank on Christmas Eve, 1967. Spielberg was initially reluctant to approach Hanks for the part of FBI agent Carl Hanratty, assuming he wouldn’t be interested in playing a supporting role. Hanks quickly set him straight by saying that a good part was a good part no matter the size. Catch Me If You Can opened to both critical and commercial success, earning both Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations.
6 A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
MGM
Charles Crichton’s classic 1988 heist comedy A Fish Called Wanda focuses on a gang of diamond thieves who double-cross one another in order to find stolen jewels hidden by their gang leader. The film was co-written by and stars John Cleese, as well as Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline and Michael Palin; Crichton and Cleese attempted to get the comedy made way back in 1962, but it wasn’t until nearly twenty years later that they joined forces to write the script for Wanda.
The hilarious actor told People Magazine in 1988 that he called his character Archie Leach, Hollywood royalty Cary Grant’s real name, because “I feel this film is as near as I’ll ever get to being Cary Grant.” A Fish Called Wanda earned praise by reviewers and moviegoers, earning three Academy Award nominations and winning Best Supporting Actor for Kline. The British Film Institute ranked the picture as the 39th-greatest British film of the 20th century.
5 Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
For Steven Soderbergh’s star-studded 2001 remake of the Rat Pack heist comedy, he enlisted the talent of major A-list performers including George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Julia Roberts. Ocean’s Eleven follows friends Danny Ocean (Clooney) and Rusty Ryan (Pitt) as they concoct the ultimate plan to rob three Las Vegas casinos simultaneously, and recruit a group of con artist misfits to help execute the dangerous heist. Each member of Ocean’s crew had a unique set of skills that proved pivotal to the success of the robbery.
Soderbergh encouraged the actors to hang out together while on set to ensure they had natural chemistry, and in between shooting, the cast would gather around TV and cinema great Carl Reiner and listen to his stories. The film was a smash hit, earning more than $450 million worldwide, andRolling Stonecredited the movie with “spawning a new era of heist films.”
4 Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)
Orion Pictures
Cinema legends Steve Martin and Michael Caine appear in the 1988 comedy flick Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, which focuses on two con men who decide to settle their rivalry once and for all by betting on who can swindle an heiress out of $50,000 first. Caine is the suave and sophisticated Lawrence Jamieson, while Martin is his foil as the less refined, small-time American hustler.
The comedy is a remake of the 1964 Marlon Brando/David Niven film Bedtime Story. Music icons David Bowie and Mick Jagger were initially tied to the picture after the success of their 1985 song “Dancing in the Street,” before Martin and Caine nabbed the lead roles. The duo frequently ad-libbed their scenes throughout the movie, and also did so with the ending. The actors have off-the-charts comedic chemistry as they continuously jab and joke, with Martin shining with his hilarious shtick and Caine keeping pace and utilizing his own charming wit.
3 American Hustle (2013)
Sony Pictures Releasing
David O. Russell’s Oscar-nominated 2013 dark comedy crime film American Hustle features Amy Adams and Christian Bale as two con artists who are forced by an FBI agent to set up a sting operation targeting corrupt politicians. The ensemble picture also stars Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, and Jeremy Renner and was inspired by the FBI Abscam operation of the late 1970s and early ‘80s.
Bale, the king of physical transformation himself, gained 43 pounds, shaved part of his head and developed a slouched posture, and was unrecognizable by Robert de Niro, who appeared in an uncredited role. American Hustle was lauded by critics upon its release, earning a whopping ten Academy Award nominations. Timemagazine wrote: “American Hustle is an urban eruption of flat-out fun–-the sharpest, most exhilarating comedy in years. Anyone who says otherwise must be conning you.”
2 The Sting (1973)
Universal Pictures
The esteemed Robert Redford and Paul Newman headline the 1973 caper film The Sting, which follows con men Johnny Hooker and Henry Gondorff as they set off to exact revenge on the ruthless crime boss who murdered their friend. The story was inspired by real-life cons perpetrated by brothers Fred and Charley Gondorff that was documented in the David Maurer novel, and utilizes old-fashioned title cards to break up the distinct sections of the film. Screenwriter David S. Ward was inspired to write the script for The Sting while doing research on pickpockets. He is quoted in the book America’s Film Legacy having said, “Since I had never seen a film about a confidence man before, I gotta do this.”
Newman was eager to take on the role of Henry Gondorff because he wanted to prove that he could handle comedy just as well as drama. Director George Roy Hill wanted the caper to be reminiscent of pictures from the 1930s and to prepare for the project, he watched films from that decade for inspiration. The Sting was a lucrative box-office smash and won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.
1 Matchstick Men (2003)
Creative genius Ridley Scott’s 2003 dark comedy Matchstick Men is based on the Eric Garcia novel, and depicts a depressed and phobic con artist and his protégé on the cusp of pulling off their most elaborate swindle yet when his young teenage daughter’s arrival unexpectedly complicates things. The movie features the talent of Nicholas Cage, Sam Rockwell and Alison Lohman, and follows the character Roy (Cage) as he finds new meaning in life with the appearance of his newfound child.
The cast’s strong performances, unique script and epic plot twist ending truly makes Matchstick Men an entertaining and clever picture that hooks audiences from the very beginning. Matchstick Men garnered rave reviews, with EmpireMagazinewriting, “Scott tucks away his visual athletics in favor of something leisurely and quietly devastating. It’s ultimately far more cunning a script than we can reveal here.”
