Character Types in the Crime Genre

In crime films there is often a group of people all involved in the crime, a mob or gang, or a team of people undertaking a heist, though sometimes there is a solo villain. Character types change slightly depending on the sub-genre of crime movie.

Gangster film character types

In gangster films there is typically a mob boss/leader and he is typically sought after/under threat. There are also the mob leader's henchmen, who are typically silent killers, who do his dirty work. There is also typically an up-and-coming criminal or someone who idolises the mob and wants that lifestyle. Corrupt authority figures are common, including police officers who work with the criminals. However, the main character/protagonist will normally follow the rise-and-fall storyline, where the viewer sees him reach his 'peak' within the criminal world and then rapidly fall back to where he started off, or lower.

Detective film character types

Detective films usually follow a detective (the main protagonist), who is frequently extremely wise and on-the-ball, as he tries to piece together the mystery/facts of the crime. Their is typically a sidekick/associate who works with the main detective, who is not commonly as capable as the main detective, but often helps him out of a tricky situation. These kinds of films often also feature a clever and cruel villain, and female characters who are duplicitous.

Heist film character types

In heist films, there are usually a group of characters, with each character having a specific role to play in the heist. Normally, at the top, there is one mastermind who plans out the whole operation. After that everyone within the 'crew' plays a specific key part, such as a getaway driver, demolitions expert, locksmiths and different other roles. Some of the characters get more screen time then others, but this varies depending on the film and the nature of the heist.