10 Gangster Movies You Must See Before You Die

One of the finest British films in recent memory, Sexy Beast explores the aftermath of the criminal life. Ray Winstone plays Gal, a retired gangster now soaking up the sun in Spain. He is visited by an old associate, Don, played by Ben Kingsley as the world’s most terrifying man. Gal rejects Don’s offer of heist work, but Don isn’t about to take no for an answer. Violence, as it so often does in these films, ensures.

Directed by Jonathan Glazer, a master stylist with a penchant for the unconventional, this is a film that never goes quite where you expect it to. The opening half is pure tension as Winstone and Kingsley, both career best, butt heads in the baking Spanish sun, and from there Sexy Beast evolves. It twists its narrative around a simple, almost archetypal “one last job” story, and ends up with something unique, and almost heartwarming.

There are superb supporting parts for Amanda Redman, Ian McShane, and James Fox, but this is all about Ray Winstone and, especially, Ben Kingsley (Oscar nominated for his masterpiece of profanity). A world away from the typical British gangster flick of the era, and a must-see.