The "buddy cop movie" is among the most beloved sub-genres in cinema. From Bad Boys and 48 Hrs. to Lethal Weapon, these films excite audiences, make them laugh, and ultimately, remind them of the value of friendship. On the flip side of the buddy cop movie is, of course, the crime duos, which have an equally important place in movie lore.
Some of these duos are loathed villains, some are valiant antiheroes who audiences root for despite their criminality, and some are so incompetent, they're played for laughs. Some are even a combination of all of these qualities.
Anthony & Dignan - Bottle Rocket
Brothers Luke and Owen Wilson star as two unlikely partners in crime in directorial debut. In the opening scene, Anthony checks himself out of a mental hospital, where his pal Dignan meets him to pitch his "75-year plan" to execute a series of elaborate heists.
The problem is, neither of them have the first clue about what a life of crime actually entails. The "brotherly" chemistry of the two leads, combined with Anderson's quirky script and directorial style, make Bottle Rocket a gem of a film, full of humor and heart.
Nick & Jack - The Score
The plot is a typical one for a heist film: an old master thief is convinced to come out of retirement for one last job.
The Score, however, benefits from a fantastic ensemble cast, starring Robert De Niro and Edward Norton as the multi-generational crime duo, and a clever script that boasts what can be best described as a "double twist" ending. This was also Marlon Brando's last film and the only one in which he and De Niro appeared on-screen together.
Ray & Ken - In Bruges
In Bruges is the debut feature film from acclaimed playwright-turned-filmmaker Martin McDonagh. Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson star as two hitmen awaiting orders from their boss in Bruges, Belgium.
This hysterically funny and intensely violent dark comedy earned widespread critical acclaim, becoming an instant classic in its genre. Farrell and Gleeson's chemistry was so perfect, they've been cast alongside each other in McDonagh's next project, The Banshees of Inisheer, which shoots in the summer of 2021.
Brandon & Phillip - Rope
Director Alfred Hitchcock's Rope was groundbreaking in more ways than one. Technically speaking, it was shot to appear as if it all takes place in one long, continuous take. Plot-wise, it's what one might call a "murder mystery in reverse."
Brandon and Phillip, the two criminal leads, strangle their former classmate in the opening scene and then proceed to host a dinner party in the apartment, hiding his corpse under the buffet table. Knowing exactly "where the body is buried" puts the audience in the killers' shoes, making Rope a uniquely memorable viewing experience.
Carl & Gaear - Fargo
Two Coen brothers regulars, Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare, play Carl and Gaear, who are enlisted to kidnap Jerry Lundegaard's wife in the indelible, genre-defining Fargo.
Despite being mercilessly evil, Carl and Gaear are equally goofy and, perhaps even a bit affable in their own twisted way. The infamous "wood chipper scene" alone earns them a place in celluloid criminal duo history, but all of their time on screen is well-spent in this bona fide classic crime caper.
Mickey & Mallory - Natural Born Killers
If there are two people on this list a erby would least want to encounter, it's these two lovers who go on a nationwide killing spree in Oliver Stone's ultra-violent and singularly controversial Natural Born Killers.
Critics remain split on whether the film is an astute commentary on the media glorification of violence or a mere exercise in depravity and brutality. Regardless, Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis are unforgettable as Mickey and Mallory Knox, perhaps the most shockingly vile "protagonists" in cinema history.
Harry & Marv - Home Alone
slapstick comedy gurus. Their performances, simply put, are nothing short of iconic.
Jules & Vincent - Pulp Fiction
Only two iconic actors in two iconic roles in one iconic film from one iconic director could make a conversation about a quarter pounder with cheese so, well, iconic. Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta are pure movie magic as Jules and Vincent, two everyday working stiffs whose job happens to be killing whoever crosses their boss, Marcellus Wallace.
Today, Jules and Vincent are recreated as action figures, lego characters, and Halloween costumes, but it was the realism of Travolta's and Jackson's performances that made these larger than life characters so oddly relatable.
Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid - Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid
An argument can be made that Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is the film that spawned the buddy movie genre. Made in 1969 and starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford, this classic Western about two outlaws' unlikely friendship set the standard for other films of its kind for decades to come.
Director George Roy Hill would reunite with Redford and Newman four years later for The Sting, in which the two actors would once again play partners-in-crime.
Thelma & Louise - Thelma And Louise
There's something special about the enduring relevance of Thelma and Louise. Ridley Scott's 1991 Western about two friends whose impromptu road trip turns deadly when one of them kills the other's would-be rapist feels as though it could have just as plausibly been released in 2020.
Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon each earned Oscar nominations for their performances in the title roles; the last time two actresses were nominated for leading roles in the same film. The final chase scene ends in what is perhaps the most memorable last shot of any film in history: a true classic.
