Every Robert De Niro Gangster Role Ranked Worst To Best

Robert De Niro’s status among the greatest actors who have ever lived was in no small part due to his unmatched talent in the gangster genre. While De Niro’s career will forever be defined by his acclaimed collaborations with Martin Scorsese, he’s also portrayed gangsters for the likes of all-time great directors such as Michael Mann, Sergio Leone, and Quentin Tarantino. Although it must be admitted that some roles were far more acclaimed than others, it’s always exciting to see De Niro’s name on the cast list for a gangster or crime movie.

Many of the best De Niro films were in the gangster genre, as his tough guy persona was able to seamlessly capture the menace and fear needed to portray cunning crooks and murderous mobsters. While De Niro’s greatest gangster roles include some of the greatest movies of all time, he’s also had a few unfortunate duds across his more than 60 years in the film industry. However, even in his failures, De Niro was always endlessly watchable as his presence elevated even the most lackluster gangster release.

15

Robert Dragna

The Bag Man (2014)

Robert De Niro in The Bag Man (2014)

Nobody can deny there are a few clunkers in Robert De Niro’s late-career filmography, with The Bag Man being a disappointing addition to the actor’s long list of gangster roles. As Robert Dragna, De Niro played an elderly gangster who hires John Cusack to pick up a mysterious bag for him and not look at what’s inside, only for Cusack’s character to end up facing off against a litany of deranged characters all with a special interest in the bag. As a tedious Tarantino rip-off made a few decades too late, even De Niro superfans may want to skip The Bag Man.

The Bag Man

R

Crime

Drama

Thriller

Release Date

February 28, 2014

Runtime

108 minutes

Cast

See All

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    John Cusack

    Jack

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Rebecca Da Costa

    Rivka

  • Headshot Of Robert De Niro In The 35th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Night

    Robert De Niro

    Dragna

  • Headshot Of Crispin Glover

    Crispin Glover

    Ned

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

14

Fred Blake/Giovanni Manzoni

The Family (2013)

Robert De Niro as Fred Blake / Giovanni Manzoni in The Family (2013)

While Martin Scorsese may have served as an executive producer on The Family, this crime story had none of the appeal of the director’s acclaimed collaborations with De Niro. Telling the story of the mafia boss Giovanni Manzoni being forced to take up a new identity as Fred Blake when he and his family go into witness protection, this overly familiar setup did not work well as either a crime movie or a comedy. Despite a great cast including De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Tommy Lee Jones, The Family was a derivative and forgettable release that was panned by critics.

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Like

Follow

Followed

The Family

R

Crime

Comedy

Thriller

ScreenRant logo

7/10

Release Date

September 13, 2013

Runtime

111 Minutes

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Robert De Niro In The 35th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Night

    Robert De Niro

  • Headshot Of Michelle Pfeiffer In The 33rd Annual EMA Awards Gala

    Michelle Pfeiffer

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

13

Mario Trantino

The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight (1971)

Robert De Niro shrugging in The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight.

Robert De Niro starred in a few gangster films before rising to fame through his work with Martin Scorsese, and movies like The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight make it clear just how much he improved after teaming up with the legendary director. While it’s fascinating to see a fresh-faced De Niro play the budding thief Mario Trantino, this forgettable James Goldstone film had little to offer and was a total mess of a crime comedy. Seeing De Niro act alongside Leigh Taylor-Young was a highlight, but everything else was a bust.

01393014_poster_w780.jpg

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Like

Follow

Followed

The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight

PG-13

Comedy

Crime

9.5/10

Release Date

December 22, 1971

Runtime

96 minutes

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Jerry Orbach

    Jerry Orbach

    Kid Sally

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Leigh Taylor-Young

    Angela

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

12

Lloyd Barker

Bloody Mama (1970)

Robert De Niro in Bloody Mama

Inspired by the real-life story of Ma Barker, Bloody Mama starred Shelley Winters as a mentally disturbed mother who encouraged the criminality of her four adult sons in rural Arkansas during the Depression. With Robert De Niro as the loyal, drug-addicted son Lloyd, Bloody Mama was one of the actor’s first major roles, and although it does not quite reach the heights of his later greatness, it was an interesting performance in a deeply fascinating crime movie. At just 26 years old at the time, Bloody Mama was the first hint toward De Niro’s future as a gangster movie legend.

0155438_poster_w780.jpg

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Bloody Mama

R

Crime

Drama

Release Date

March 24, 1970

Runtime

90 minutes

Cast

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Pat Hingle

    Sam Adams Pendlebury

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Shelley Winters

    ‘Ma’ Kate Barker

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Don Stroud

    Herman Barker

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Diane Varsi

    Mona Gibson

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

11

Paul Vitti

Analyze This/Analyze That (1999/2002)

Billy Crystal and Robert De Niro sitting on a dining table in Analyze This

The year 1999 saw two gangsters unpacking their mental health troubles with a therapist, as it saw the release of the film Analyze This and the acclaimed TV series The Sopranos. While Tony Soprano’s therapy sessions added depth to his characterization, the portrayal of De Niro’s Paul Vitti was played for laughs in a broad comedy whose main joke was that tough guys don’t talk about their feelings. While Analyze This was successful enough to gain a sequel, and De Niro had great chemistry with Billy Crystal, Vitti was essentially a collection of clichés played for laughs.

Analyze This (1999) - Poster

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Like

Follow

Followed

Analyze This

R

Comedy

Crime

Release Date

March 5, 1999

Director

Harold Ramis

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Robert De Niro In The 35th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Night

    Robert De Niro

    Paul Vitti

  • Headshot Of Billy Crystal

    Billy Crystal

    Dr. Ben Sobel

  • Headshot Of Lisa Kudrow In The NBC's 'Carol Burnett: 90 Years Of Laughter + Love' Birthday Special

    Lisa Kudrow

    Laura MacNamara Sobel

  • Headshot Of Chazz Palminteri

    Chazz Palminteri

    Primo Sidone

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

10

Louis Gara

Jackie Brown (1997)

Robert De Niro and Samuel L Jackson sitting on a couch in Jackie Brown.

To see Robert De Niro working with Quentin Tarantino was a truly exciting prospect back in 1997, and the small-time crook Louis Gara in Jackie Brown was a great character. With an unkempt appearance and funny dialogue, Gara was an excellent addition to this homage to Blaxploitation cinema, whose repressed rage throughout made for hilarious viewing. While Gara was amusing to watch, he was also quite frightening when he finally snapped, and this performance makes us wish De Niro had been in more Tarantino movies in later years.

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Like

Follow

Followed

Jackie Brown

R

Thriller

Drama

Crime

ScreenRant logo

9/10

10/10

Release Date

December 25, 1997

Runtime

154 minutes

Cast

See All

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Bridget Fonda

  • Headshot Of Michael Keaton In The Los Angeles Special Screening Of 'Knox Goes Away'

    Michael Keaton

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

9

Vito Genovese/Frank Costello

The Alto Knights (2025)

Robert De Niro as two different characters in The Alto Knights

Custom image by Simone Ashmoore

Robert De Niro stepped out of his comfort zone to play not one, but two gangsters in Barry Levinson’s biographical crime drama The Alto Knights. In a dual role as the 1950s mob bosses Vito Genovese and Frank Costello, De Niro tapped into the appeal of some of his best roles, and the use of prosthetics and makeup made the two characters feel wholly distinct from one another. With a Scorsese-like style, The Alto Knights tells a familiar story effectively, and the most enjoyable parts are the scenes in which De Niro convincingly acts opposite himself.

The Alto Knights Official Poster

Like

Follow

Followed

The Alto Knights

R

Crime

Drama

ScreenRant logo

5/10

Release Date

April 21, 2025

Runtime

120 Minutes

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Robert De Niro In The 35th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Night

    Robert De Niro

    Vito Genovese / Frank Costello

  • Headshot Of Debra Messing

    Debra Messing

    Bobbie Costello

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

8

Al Capone

The Untouchables (1987)

Robert De Niro as Al Capone chats with a reporter while getting a shave in The Untouchables

While Robert De Niro has played several real-life crooks and infamous gangsters, none were more iconic than Al Capone, the prohibition gangland kingpin seen in The Untouchables. As the story of the cops who finally brought Capone down for tax evasion of all things, De Niro’s villainous role captured the excesses of this real gangster’s lifestyle and the power he wielded over everyone around him. With the shaving scene being a particularly memorable moment, De Niro tapped into his most menacing side for his role in The Untouchables.

The Untouchables

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Like

Follow

Followed

The Untouchables

R

Crime

History

Thriller

9.3/10

Release Date

June 3, 1987

Runtime

1h 59m

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Kevin Costner In The Premiere Of Horizon: An American Saga

    Kevin Costner

  • Headshot Of Sean Connery In The 35th Annual AFI Life Achievement

    Sean Connery

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

7

David “Noodles” Aaronson

Once Upon A Time In America (1984)

Robert De Niro wearing a hat in Once Upon a Time in America.

David “Noodles” Aaronson was among the most interesting gangsters in Robert De Niro’s filmography, as Sergio Leone’s masterful epic crime story Once Upon a Time in America captured the essence of the American dream in all its horrifying beauty. While Noodles was the film’s protagonist, he was also a tragic villain who stole, robbed, and murdered for a livelihood, although he carried great guilt for his life of misdeeds. As a self-reflective whose wayward ways left a litany of dead bodies in his wake, De Niro’s authentic performance tapped into a deep regret at the heart of Noodles’ character.

once upon a time in america poster

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Like

Follow

Followed

Once Upon a Time in America

r

Crime

Drama

9.5/10

Release Date

June 1, 1984

Runtime

229 Minutes

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Robert De Niro In The 35th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Night

    Robert De Niro

  • Headshot Of James Woods

    James Woods

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

6

Neil McCauley

Heat (1995)

Robert De Niro on the phone as Neil McCauley in Heat

The intense game of cat and mouse at the heart of Michael Mann’s Heat would not have been nearly as effective without great characters at the center of its story. With Robert De Niro as the professional thief Neil McCauley and Al Pacino as the LAPD Lieutenant determined to bring him down, this engaging pair of legendary actors represented two sides of the same coin as a career criminal comes face-to-face with the law. With the iconic diner confrontation scene telling you everything you need to know about this character, Heat was among De Niro’s most fascinating gangster roles.

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Like

Follow

Followed

Heat

R

Action

Crime

Documentary

Drama

Thriller

ScreenRant logo

10/10

11

9.1/10

Release Date

December 15, 1995

Runtime

170 minutes

Cast

See All

  • Headshot of Al Pacino

    Al Pacino

  • Headshot Of Robert De Niro In The 35th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Night

    Robert De Niro

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

5

Frank Sheeran

The Irishman (2019)

Robert-De-Niro-The-Irishman

Custom Image by Debanjana Chowdhury

Few movies boast more gangster movie icons than The Irishman, a sprawling epic directed by Martin Scorsese starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci. De Niro played the Italian-American mafia hitman Frank Sheeran in a story that traversed decades and utilized CGI de-aging technology to allow the actors to portray their characters at different life stages. While many bemoaned the extended three-and-a-half hour runtime of The Irishman, De Niro delivered yet another all-time great performance in this long-awaited reunion with Scorsese, their first film together since Casino in 1995.

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Like

Follow

Followed

The Irishman

R

Biography

Drama

Crime

ScreenRant logo

9/10

7.9/10

Release Date

November 27, 2019

Runtime

210 minutes

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Bobby Cannavale In The 'An Evening with EZRA:' A Storytelling and Screening Event

    Bobby Cannavale

  • Headshot Of Jack Huston

    Jack Huston

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

4

Johnny Boy

Mean Streets (1973)

Robert De Niro grins in a bar in Mean Streets

Robert De Niro’s performance in Mean Streets was a defining moment in the history of cinema. As the reckless young man with ties to the mob who can’t help but get everyone around him into trouble due to his mental instability, Mean Streets laid the groundwork for De Niro’s tough guy persona, which was always deepened by layered and complex performances. This was a performance that only opened the door to playing many more acclaimed gangsters for Martin Scorsese, but De Niro’s work here was the first hint of his status as one of the best actors of all time.

Mean Streets - Poster

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Like

Follow

Followed

Mean Streets

R

Crime

Drama

Thriller

7.7/10

Release Date

October 14, 1973

Runtime

112 Minutes

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Robert De Niro In The 35th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Night

    Robert De Niro

  • Headshot Of Harvey Keitel

    Harvey Keitel

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

3

Sam “Ace” Rothstein

Casino (1995)

Robert De Niro as Sam 'Ace' Rothstein lighting a cigarette in a casino in Casino

While the real-life casino executive Sam “Ace” Rothstein presented himself as a Las Vegas businessman, his associations with the mob were explored in Martin Scorsese’s Casino. As a man obsessed with maintaining order in the chaotic world of gambling, Ace was seen consistently fixing games and using his gangster connections to ensure things ran the way that he wanted in his casino. While Sharon Stone’s astounding performance as the streetwise hustler Ginger McKenna may have upstaged De Niro here, Casino still stood as one of his most memorable gangster roles.

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Like

Follow

Followed

Casino

R

Biography

Crime

Drama

8/10

Release Date

November 22, 1995

Runtime

178 minutes

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Robert De Niro In The 35th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Night

    Robert De Niro

  • Headshot Of Sharon Stone

    Sharon Stone

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

2

Jimmy Conway

Goodfellas (1990)

James Conway (Robert De Niro) smoking a cigarette in a bar in Goodfellas

While many will remember Ray Liotta’s frantic performance as Henry Hill or the intimidation of Joe Pesci in Goodfellas, the power of Robert De Niro’s role as Jimmy Conway should not be understated. As a menacing and subtly manipulative mobster, Jimmy’s relaxed confidence was in sharp contrast to the way Pesci’s Tommy DeVito would fly off the handle at a moment’s notice. While this wasn’t a flashy or over-the-top performance, Jimmy highlighted the cool calculation of an experienced mobster in this 1990s Martin Scorsese masterpiece.

01151581_poster_w780.jpg

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Like

Follow

Followed

Goodfellas

R

Drama

Crime

ScreenRant logo

10/10

27

9/10

Release Date

September 19, 1990

Runtime

145 minutes

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Ray Liotta

    Ray Liotta

    Henry Hill

  • Headshot Of Robert De Niro In The 35th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Night

    Robert De Niro

    James Conway

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

1

Vito Corleone

The Godfather Part II (1974)

Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro) arrives in America after escaping his family's enemies in The Godfather Part 2

While Marlon Brando was perfectly cast as Vito Corleone in The Godfather, Robert De Niro added depth and intrigue to his character’s backstory in The Godfather Part II. As a dual story set in two different time periods, De Niro captured Vito’s rise in the criminal underworld and showcased, better than any other film, how a gangster can build an empire from nothing and achieve a dark version of the American dream. In a masterful performance that earned him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, The Godfather Part II was Robert De Niro’s greatest gangster role.

The Godfather Part II Movie Poster

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Like

Follow

Followed

The Godfather Part II

r

Crime

Drama

ScreenRant logo

10/10

28

8.9/10

Release Date

December 20, 1974

Runtime

202minutes

Cast

See All

  • Headshot of Al Pacino

    Al Pacino

  • Headshot Of Robert De Niro In The 35th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Night

    Robert De Niro

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

Leave a Comment