The stories in Mafia movies often involve betrayal and power struggles, which further enriches the story. Here are some recommendations for the best mafia movies of all time that you can watch.
Mafia movies are often a popular genre in the Hollywood film industry. This is because movies that tell the story of the mafia often offer intrigue that is interesting to watch.
Here are some of the best mafia movies ever. What are these movies? Let’s take a look!
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Best Mafia Movie Recommendations
15. Ferry – 2021
Ferry Bouman (Frank Lammers) is a ruthless gangster. He is sent back to his hometown in Brabant by his boss, Brink. They want revenge for the attack on their gang.
However, Ferry is not just a cold killer; the movie also delves into the intriguing love story of a gangster. For those of you who are fans of the Undercover series, you will definitely enjoy seeing how Ferry gets involved in the ecstasy trade.
Ferry offers solid entertainment with a mix of humor, love, violence, and suspense, and stars talented actors. This crime thriller has something to appeal to all audiences.
14. American Gangster – 2007
The next best mafia movie recommendation is American Gangster. Ridley Scott entered the world of organized crime with American Gangster, starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, Scott’s longtime partners. The story focuses on the career of Frank Lucas, a drug dealer from Harlem.
In this movie, Lucas (Washington) takes advantage of the Vietnam War situation to smuggle heroin into America, while Newark Detective Richie Roberts (Crowe) leads a special team to catch him.
With outstanding performances from both lead actors, American Gangster is a smart and memorable watch. The movie also features Josh Brolin, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Ruby Dee, Ted Levine, and Cuba Gooding Jr.
13. A Most Violent Year – 2014
The movie “A Most Violent Year” tells the story of Abel Morales (Oscar Isaac), an immigrant who has big ambitions to succeed in the fuel industry in New York City.
He has managed to build his company very rapidly, but now faces various pressures from various parties, including attacks from his business competitors, investigations from the authorities, and threats of violence from criminal groups.
While trying to maintain his integrity and run an honest business, Abel comes under increasing pressure and must make difficult decisions to protect his family and the future of his company. In the midst of a situation filled with violence and corruption, Abel struggles to maintain his views on honor and success.
The film’s title emphasizes extreme violence, but the real focus is on the main character’s internal and external conflicts.
Moral dilemmas are also a major theme in this movie. A Most Violent Year accurately depicts the atmosphere of New York City in 1981 which was full of crime and high violence.
12. Casino – 1995
The next best Mafia movie recommendation is the movie “Casino”. This movie is the second collaboration between Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, and Joe Pesci after the movie “Goodfellas”. The director of this movie is Martin Scorsese with the main cast of Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, and Joe Pesci.
The movie’s story adapts the non-fiction book “Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas” by Nicholas Pileggi, who also co-wrote the script with Scorsese.
“Casino” is a story about life in and around the gambling world in Las Vegas in the 1970s – 1980s. Sam “Ace” Rothstein (Robert De Niro) is a gambling expert who is assigned by Mafia boss Remo Gaggi (Pasquale Cajano) to manage the Tangiers Casino.
With the help of his best friend, Nicky Santoro (Joe Pesci), who is a violent and ruthless gangster, Sam tries to keep his business stable and profitable.
However, when personal ambitions and disputes test Sam and Nicky’s friendship, as well as the increasing interference of the legal authorities, things begin to destabilize in Tangiers. In addition, Sam’s involvement with Ginger McKenna, a former prostitute (Sharon Stone), also causes complexity and conflict in the story.
11. City of God – 2002
A little step outside of America, City of God is a compelling crime drama film from Brazil that chronicles the development of organized crime in the suburb of Cidade De Deus, Rio de Janeiro, from 1960 to 1980.
Inspired by true events, City of God is a shocking portrayal of the violence that took place during that time, with a more authentic touch as the majority of the cast are not professional actors, but residents from the poor areas around Rio.
The film was directed by Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund, and also spawned a spin-off TV series, City Of Men (and a six-season film adaptation of the series).
10. Donnie Brasco – 1997
The next best Mafia movie recommendation is Donnie Brasco. This movie tells the story of an FBI agent named Joseph D. Pistone who disguises himself as a criminal named Donnie Brasco to infiltrate the criminal world of the Mafia.
He is assisted by a trustworthy old Mafia member, Lefty Ruggiero, to gain access into the Mafia’s inner circle.
As Donnie gets more deeply involved in criminal activities, he also gets more attached to Lefty and has complex relationships with other Mafia members. However, as he gets closer to his target, he begins to face a moral dilemma between his loyalty to the FBI and his loyalty to his friends in crime.
When his covert operation is exposed, Donnie must take great risks, including his own life, to protect himself and his family from imminent danger.
The movie “Donnie Brasco” is a 1997 production by director Mike Newell and features Johnny Depp and Al Pacino. The story in this movie is inspired by the true experiences of FBI agent Joseph D. Pistone who infiltrated the Mafia group in the 1970s using the alias Donnie Brasco.
9. The Departed – 2006
The Departed, an adaptation of the 2002 Hong Kong thriller Infernal Affairs, was created by director Martin Scorsese with the aim of depicting the real life of Whitey Bulger, a crime boss in Boston, and two cops from two different sides of the city.
One is Bulger’s up-and-coming police spy (Matt Damon), while the other is an undercover agent in Bulger’s group (Leonardo DiCaprio).
Each of them is tasked with discovering who the other really is, but Bulger (Jack Nicholson) is always suspiciously one step ahead of the others. This is a complicated movie with many characters, suspense, and comedy.
The movie also features Vera Farmiga, Mark Wahlberg (who received an Oscar nomination), Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin, and Ray Winstone.
8. Miller’s Crossing – 1990
The next best Mafia movie recommendation is Miller’s Crossing. This movie is a 1990 production by directors Joel Coen and Ethan Coen. Miller’s Crossing is famous for having a brilliant script, with elegant dialog and a very complicated plot.
The story follows the journey of Tom Reagan (Gabriel Byrne), a top advisor in the underworld working for Irish mob boss Leo O’Bannon (Albert Finney), in a fictional town called Miller’s Crossing.
Tom finds himself caught up in a complicated situation when there is a showdown between two criminal groups. In addition, he is also involved in a romantic relationship with Verna Bernbaum, Leo’s lover who also has connections with rival mob boss, Johnny Caspar.
In the battle between Leo and Johnny, Tom must decide whether he will remain loyal to his boss or follow his own desires. Gabriel Byrne gives a great performance as Tom Reagan, showing his intelligence and decisiveness in the face of difficult conflicts.
7. Road to Perdition – 2002
The next best Mafia movie recommendation is Road to Perdition. This movie features several famous actors such as Daniel Craig, Tyler Hoechlin, and none other than Tom Hanks. Overall, the movie managed to achieve success by grossing 181 million dollars.
Road to Perdition is a drama thriller movie that tells the story of Michael Sullivan (Tom Hanks), a mob maid who works for a mob boss named John Rooney (played by Paul Newman).
The conflict begins when Michael’s first son, Michael Sullivan Jr (Tyler Hoechlin) tries to find out about his father’s secret job that he didn’t know about. However, Sullivan Jr. accidentally witnesses a murder committed by his own father and Connor Rooney (Daniel Craig).
Connor, who was John Rooney’s biological son, felt threatened and took impulsive action by killing all members of the Sullivan family, including Michael Sullivan’s wife and second child.
However, Michael Sullivan and Sullivan Jr. managed to escape the attack. They then fled the city and headed to a town called Perdition. On the way, they still have to face the threat of hitmen.
6. Goodfellas – 1990
The movie “Goodfellas” is a 1990 production directed by Martin Scorsese and has Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, and Joe Pesci in the lead roles.
The story in this movie is based on a book titled “Wiseguy” by Nicholas Pileggi that tells the real life story of the mafia. “Goodfellas” follows the life of Henry Hill (played by Ray Liotta), a young man who dreams of becoming a gangster.
He is fascinated by the glamor and power that comes with a life of crime. Together with his two loyal friends, Jimmy Conway (Robert De Niro) and Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci), Henry becomes a member of an increasingly powerful group of criminals.
However, as Henry begins to realize that this world of crime is full of betrayal and danger, he begins to doubt his life choices.
Problems arise when their loyalties are tested, and Henry must make the difficult decision between staying loyal to his friends or keeping himself safe.
“Goodfellas” received a lot of praise and won several awards, including several Academy Awards nominations. Joe Pesci even won the Academy Award as Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Tommy DeVito.
5. Eastern Promises – 2007
Next up is the movie Eastern Promises, which tells the story of Anna Ivanovna Khitrova (Naomi Watts), a nurse in a London hospital. When she finds the journal of a Russian teenager who died in childbirth, Anna attempts to translate the journal in order to uncover the teenager’s identity and family.
Through the journal, Anna is connected to the Russian underworld in London led by Kirill (Vincent Cassel) and Nikolai Luzhin (Viggo Mortensen).
Nikolai works as a driver for a Russian criminal group and tries to improve his position within the organization, while Anna gets more deeply involved in the dangerous dark world.
As Anna investigates further, she realizes that the journal reveals secrets that could threaten crime leaders. Meanwhile, Nikolai also faces a test in his quest to gain the trust of his superiors, while hiding a dark personal secret.
The movie’s screenwriter is Steven Knight, who is best known for creating popular drama series such as Peaky Blinders. Eastern Promises was released in 2007, with David Cronenberg as the director and featuring Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, and Vincent Cassel. The movie’s story is set in London’s Russian underworld.
4. The Untouchables – 1987
The Untouchables, released in 1987, is the work of director Brian De Palma and screenwriter David Mamet. The story tells the story of Eliot Ness, an FBI agent who tries to capture and uncover crimes committed by Mafia boss Al Capone in the city of Chicago during the prohibition period.
Ness organized a group called “The Untouchables”, consisting of federal agents whom Capone could not bribe. Together with his teammates, including George Stone (Andy Garcia), Jim Malone (Sean Connery), and Oscar Wallace (Charles Martin Smith), Ness began a series of actions to stop Capone’s revenue stream from the illegal liquor business.
However, Ness and his team soon realize that they are facing a serious threat, as Capone is prepared to do anything to protect his wealth and power. The conflict between good and evil reaches its peak when Ness and Capone engage in a final showdown that will determine the future of Chicago.
The movie “The Untouchables” is famous for its spectacular action scenes, including the scene at the legendary train station.
3. Scarface – 1983
The movie “Scarface” tells the journey of Tony Montana (Al Pacino), a Cuban immigrant who wants to become a crime leader in the United States.
After arriving in Miami, Tony and his brother Manny (Steven Bauer) start working as small-time drug dealers for a Mafia boss. However, Tony has bigger ambitions and quickly rises through the ranks of the criminal underworld.
With boundless determination, Tony Montana built a powerful and dominant criminal empire, but was also caught in a cycle of violence, betrayal, and drug addiction.
He tries to maintain his power while dealing with his enemies, including the police and his competitors in the drug business. “Scarface” is a new version of the movie “Scarface” released in 1932 and directed by Howard Hawks.
However, there are differences in this 1983 version, where the story is set in Miami and focuses on the drug trade. In addition, the film was directed by Brian De Palma and Oliver Stone. The film is also very famous in popular culture, with its famous dialogues and Al Pacino’s Tony Montana image that many people still recognize.
2. The Irishman – 2019
The next best Mafia movie recommendation is The Irishman which was released in 2019. This movie adapts the book “I Heard You Paint Houses” by Charles Brandt.
One of the highlights of the movie is the use of CGI technology that allows the lead actors, such as Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci, to portray their characters in various time periods.
“The Irishman” has a long running time of almost three and a half hours. It is one of the longest movies Martin Scorsese has ever directed. It marks the third collaboration between Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, and Joe Pesci after “Mean Streets” (1973) and “Goodfellas” (1990).
“The Irishman” follows the journey of Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro), a hitman working for a Mafia family in Philadelphia.
At an advanced age when he had reached the pinnacle of his career, Frank recounts the events of his life. Frank was involved in various criminal acts, including murder, fraud, and money laundering, which made him one of the most respected members of the crime ring.
1. The Godfather – 1972
Starting from the well-structured plot, the storyline that is always interesting, and the acting performance of the cast that is very mesmerizing, making this best mafia movie very worthy of being in the top position.
In addition, details such as props and music in the movie also help to enhance the theme of the movie.
The Godfather is set in 1945 in New York City. Vito Corleone is throwing a grand wedding for his daughter.
In addition to his daughter, Vito has an adopted son named Tom Hagen who works as a lawyer and acts as a family counselor. His two sons, Sonny and Michael, were also present along with their families and partners.
Also present at the party is Johnny Fontane, Vito’s godson who is a famous singer and is trying to break into the movie industry with the help of the Mafia family.
Tom was sent to meet with the movie producers and discuss the possibility of Johnny acting in the movie. Of course, any problems the Corleone family faced usually used violence to solve them.
The same thing happened to the producer of the movie, where he woke up with the head of his prized horse next to him in spilled blood.
Trouble arises when Solozzo, a drug dealer, offers to cooperate in protecting his drug business and share the profits.
Vito refused the offer because he considered this new business dangerous, in contrast to the gambling and labor organization business they had been in before. Vito was suspicious of Solozzo and sent his men to investigate.
