One of my favorite genres is the heist movie: Oceans Eleven, The Italian Job, and my favorite tv show of all time, Leverage. Not only are heists fun and exciting examples of competence porn, but they usually have some kind of catharsis. After all, for the audience to root for people committing massive theft, the people they’re stealing from have to be much worse. And right now, watching the world’s rich and powerful get taken down a peg really speaks to me.
A key element to the heist is the soundtrack. The music really makes a heist. Slick pop for the cast introductions, egotistical rap as they set to work on whatever impossible task they solve, R&B as someone gets seduced for The Plan, and finally a triumphant exit as the crew has done the impossible. To that end, I’ve compiled a playlist of songs that would make fine additions to any heist film.