‘Heist’: The gritty early 2000s crime thriller climbing the Netflix charts
They say Netflix weekly trends say a lot about what’s on viewers’ minds. And by the looks of it, non-originals have been aura-farming like never before, including the early-2000s cult classic Heist.
During the week of November 2nd to November 8th, the gritty 2001 crime thriller was spotted shooting for the stars on Netflix’s most popular movies chart. With 6.3million views, the Gene Hackman-starrer ranks second on the international charts. It is also currently the number-one movie in six European countries: Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.
For those curious what triggered Heist’s surge on Netflix charts, well, it’s an undeniable combination of recent developments, including a new international licensing rollout.
The star-studded crime classic was recently added to Netflix shelves across dozens of overseas territories, including the United Kingdom, parts of Europe, and Latin America. The addition pushed it into the top five, even though the film is currently not streaming in the US, one of Netflix’s largest viewership markets.
Another factor that may have contributed to Heist’s streaming flair is a renewed appreciation for Hackman, a paragon of the New Hollywood movement who passed away in February 2025. His classic catalogue titles have seen recurring waves of rediscovery on streaming services. So, it makes sense that subscribers wasted no time diving straight into his portrayal of a veteran thief pulled into one last job, alongside Hollywood heavyweights like Danny DeVito, Delroy Lindo, and Sam Rockwell.
Originally released in November 2001, Heist also landed on Netflix just in time for its 25-year-mark, sparking a fresh round of retrospectives and recommendations for fans seeking sharp, twist-heavy capers.
And with heist thrillers like the Netflix Original Collision Course rising like there’s no tomorrow, it’s no wonder the early-2000s crime thriller rounds out as a strong follow-up, with the audience actively searching for more.
Written and directed by David Mamet, the Hollywood blast from the past follows professional jewel thief Joe Moore as he prepares to retire to South America with his younger wife, Fran, hoping to enjoy the proceeds of a lifetime of crime. But during a jewellery store heist, Moore’s face is accidentally caught on camera and his fence, Mickey Bergman, refuses to pay.
Desperate for cash, Joe is blackmailed into an even more dangerous, high-risk robbery which requires him to intercept a shipment of Swiss gold. But who ultimately ends up with the gold, and who makes it out alive? Well, find out for yourself if you don’t know already, as Heist is currently streaming on Netflix!