Rififi
dir. Jules Dassin · 1955
The struggle for survival often leads individuals to make morally questionable choices that ultimately reveal the complexities of loyalty and betrayal.
Plot
Out of prison after a five-year stretch, jewel thief Tony turns down a quick job his friend Jo offers him, until he discovers that his old girlfriend Mado has become the lover of local gangster Pierre Grutter during Tony's absence. Expanding a minor smash-and-grab into a full-scale jewel heist, Tony and his crew appear to get away clean, but their actions after the job is completed threaten the lives of everyone involved.
Why watch
"Rififi" transcends the heist genre, weaving a gripping tale of camaraderie and betrayal against a backdrop of moral ambiguity, all captured in striking black-and-white visuals that evoke the raw tension of a world where every choice carries dire consequences.