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Robert De Niro is one of the greatest actors in cinematic history. After delivering an extraordinary performance in Mean Streets, De Niro’s acting career led him to star in epic masterpieces such as The Godfather II, Casino and Raging Bull. Some Robert De Niro fans prefer to see him in dramatic and intense roles, while others enjoy watching him in small-time comedies such as Meet the Parents or romantic comedies such as The Big Wedding. No matter what movie genre he stars in, there is no doubt that De Niro has been one of the leading actors for decades. Here is a list of the top five Robert De Niro movies.
Casino (1995)
This captivating movie follows the real-life story of a Las Vegas casino executive and a mafia mob driven by ambition, power and greed to fight over a casino empire. Starring Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone and Joe Pesci, this Martin Scorsese masterpiece became one of the most epic casino-themed movies of all time.
Casino, based on a book by Nicholas Pileggi, is one of De Niro’s most famous movies. The movie’s plot is inspired by the real-life story of Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal, who managed several casinos for the Chicago mob in the 1970s and 1980s.
In the 70s, 80s and 90s, casinos were thriving, and many excellent casino-themed movies made their way to the big screen. Nowadays, with the development of technology, gambling enthusiasts often choose to play their favorite casino games in online casinos such as thegamedaycasino.com.
Heat (1995)
In this crime film, Robert De Niro and Al Pacino play two brilliant criminal minds involved in a series of action-filled bank heists. Heat is an American crime film written, produced and directed by Michael Mann, and follows the story of Neil McCauley, portrayed by De Niro, a professional thief and expert planner, and his team of five. The plot of the movie is based on the real-life story of Chuck Adamson, a police officer who pursued a criminal named McCauley in the 1960s.
Heat was a box office success and was received positively by most critics, with most praising the performances of both Pacino and De Niro, as well as Mann’s direction. This movie is a must-watch for any fan of criminal movies. It is available on streaming services such as Amazon Prime or Netflix.
Goodfellas (1990)
Goodfellas is one of those films that everyone can quote from, even if they have never seen it. The story of Henry Hill and his journey from an up-and-coming mobster to real-life rat made legends out of De Niro, Ray Liotta and Joe Pesci.
Goodfellas is a crime film directed by Martin Scorsese, based on the book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi. The movie tells the story of Henry Hill (played by Ray Liotta), a young man of Italian-Sicilian descent who grows up in New York City’s neighborhood of Little Italy and becomes part of an organized crime family. Robert De Niro plays James “Jimmy” Conway, a longtime friend and enforcer for Hill. Joe Pesci plays Tommy DeVito, another friend who is also part of the Mafia crew.
Raging Bull (1980)
One of the best Robert De Niro movies ever made, Raging Bull follows the life of boxer Jake LaMotta, who rises through the ranks to the top only to lose everything as his demons overcome him. The movie presents a visceral and honest portrayal of a brutal and self-destructive boxer.
Like many Robert De Niro movies, Raging Bull is based on a true story – that of Jake LaMotta. De Niro gained 60 pounds for the second half of the film, which shows LaMotta after he has retired from boxing and started to spiral downward into alcoholism and self-destruction. Directed by Martin Scorsese, Raging Bull is the movie that redefined the boxing genre and is one of the greatest sports movies of all time.
The Godfather: Part II (1974)
The Godfather is one of those iconic movies that almost everyone has seen or heard about. The Godfather: Part II is a sequel to the 1972 film The Godfather, also starring De Niro.
The Godfather: Part II is the story of Michael Corleone, who is the son of Don Vito Corleone. The movie takes us back to the early days of Vito Corleone in New York City, before World War II. Then, it flashes forward to 1958, when Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) is running the organization that was once his father’s (Robert De Niro), showing how Michael Corleone has become a ruthless crime boss while still having some humanity left in him.
