Stories of heists and cons have been entertaining people for centuries, and there's no better place to get absorbed in a mystery than your favorite TV show or film. From tales of great art heists to reports of thieves attempting the impossible, these are some of the best TV shows and movies featuring the glamorous and not-so-glamorous elements of life on the other side of the law.
Las Vegas casinos stacked with millions of dollars? Check. Ex-cons, an explosives expert and accomplished Chinese acrobat? Check. A squad of hot men led by Brad Pitt and George Clooney? Check. The remake of the 1960 Rat Pack film of the same name was a blockbuster success that spawned two more follow-ups, making it a classic trilogy in its own right. What would make this franchise even better? An all-female team. Thankfully, stars including Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett and Sarah Paulson heard our pleas. Jackpot.
If you're born with the name Raymond Reddington, you're either destined for greatness or a life of crime. The Blacklist falls under the latter. James Spader plays "Red", who starts off as one of the FBI's most-wanted criminals, but strikes a deal with the officers to help track and apprehend other high-profile global criminals in exchange for immunity. You've got to be pretty ballsy to try to con the most wanted people in the world.
Imposters is Bravo's newest scripted show and features a female con artist (Inbar Lavi) who makes a living out of making people fall in love with her only to rob them of all their money and swiftly leave them without a trace. That is until her husband, another husband AND a wife find out about her major scam and decide to team up to get revenge. You in danger, girl. Imposters premieres on Feb. 7 at 10pm/9c on Bravo.
There's nothing more intriguing than a real-life con scam, and such is the case with Catch Me If You Can, the biographical crime film based on the life of Frank Abagnale, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, who managed to swindle millions of dollars from unwilling victims all before he turned 19. From posing as an airplane pilot to a doctor and a prosecutor, Abagnale was the ultimate con. But Leo looked damn good doing it.
White Collar is definitely a more glamorous representation of the life of a con man. Set in NYC the classic plot lines and amazing city-scapes could make you nostalgic for another era. Matt Bomer plays Neil Caffrey, a world class art thief serving out his sentence as a consultant to the White Collar division of the FBI. Neil is the ultimate representation of the smooth and charming white collar criminal and frequently uses his charm, good looks, and, extensive knowledge of rare and valuable items in the pursuit (or obstruction?) of justice.
Straight outta Shondaland, The Catch follows Alice Vaughan (Mirelle Enos), who tracks down criminals and shifty people at her private investigation firm. But "the catch" is that the tables are turned when she finds out her own fiance, Christopher/Benjamin (Peter Krause) is a master con artist who steals all her money and is actually the mysterious Mr. X she and her team have been trying to track down. Not the best way to start a marriage.
If someone asks you if you went to Princeton because of the jacket you're wearing (which you stole), the answer should be no. If someone asks if you know his son that also went to Princeton, the answer should also be no. If someone asks you to track down said son in Italy and convince him to return home to the U.S. for $1,000, the answer should probably be no. But Tom Ripley (Matt Damon) is a yes man and agreed to lie about his entire identity just for the cash prize. Of course, drama ensues, and all against the backdrop of picturesque Italy with the very attractive Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow on the scene.
Like Catch Me If You Can, American Hustle is inspired by the FBI ABSCAM operation in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when two con artists played by Christian Bale and Amy Adams are forced by an FBI agent (Bradley Cooper) to lead a sting operation on nefarious politicians. On top of the scheming, American Hustle leaves us wanting more disco, more 70s costumes, and more Jennifer Lawrence going off on a science oven fire (read: microwave explosion).