SimilarScreen
The Real Thing

The Real Thing

Their plan was simple. Get the cash.

19966.51h 29m

Overview

Their plan was simple...Get the Cash. As Rupert, an ex-con, tries to go straight, his younger brother James pursues a life of delinquency. Days after being released from jail, James is gunned down and lies waiting in a hospital for a liver transplant. In a desperate attempt to save his brother's life, Rupert decides to execute a heist at a downtown club on New Year's Eve that will give him the money he needs. Rupert assembles an eclectic crew of ex-cons, including his best friend and his ex-girlfriend. Rupert and his gang converge on the nightclub for a climax that spins out of control. New Year's Eve has never been so explosive!

Directed by James Merendino
Written by James Merendino, Rustam Branaman
0

Top Cast

James Russo

James Russo

Rupert Little

Jeremy Piven

Jeremy Piven

John

Fabrizio Bentivoglio

Fabrizio Bentivoglio

Alfredo Donati

Robert LaSardo

Robert LaSardo

Eric Fidel

Ashley Laurence

Ashley Laurence

Carla

Emily Lloyd

Emily Lloyd

Lisa Tuttle

Dave Buzzotta

Dave Buzzotta

James Little

Rod Steiger

Rod Steiger

Victor

P

Patrick F. Gallagher

Dexter (as Pat Gallagher)

Esai Morales

Esai Morales

Collin

Themes & Keywords

new year's eveheistgang

About The Real Thing

The Real Thing is a crime, action film released in 1996 exploring themes of new year's eve, heist, gang. Directed by James Merendino, it stars James Russo, Jeremy Piven, Fabrizio Bentivoglio. Their plan was simple...Get the Cash. As Rupert, an ex-con, tries to go straight, his younger brother James pursues a life of delinquency. Days after being released from jail, James is gunned down and lies waiting in a hospital for a liver transplant. In a desperate attempt to save his brother's life, Rupert decides to execute a heist at a downtown club on New Year's Eve that will give him the money he needs. Rupert assembles an eclectic crew of ex-cons, including his best friend and his ex-girlfriend. Rupert and his gang converge on the nightclub for a climax that spins out of control. New Year's Eve has never been so explosive!

Movies Similar to The Real Thing

Discover titles like The Real Thing — ranked by similarity and community votes

We found 15 movies similar to The Real Thing

If you enjoyed The Real Thing, you'll love these handpicked recommendations. Each title below shares similar themes, tone, and storytelling style. Our algorithm analyzes genres, keywords, director filmography, and cast connections to find the closest matches. Whether you're looking for the same emotional depth, narrative structure, or visual style, these picks are curated to deliver the best viewing experience for fans of The Real Thing.

Heat
43% Match

Heat(1995)

Movie7.9/10

Obsessive master thief Neil McCauley leads a top-notch crew on various daring heists throughout Los Angeles while determined detective Vincent Hanna pursues him without rest. Each man recognizes and respects the ability and the dedication of the other even though they are aware their cat-and-mouse game may end in violence.

Den of Thieves
28% Match

A gritty crime saga which follows the lives of an elite unit of the LA County Sheriff's Dept. and the state's most successful bank robbery crew as the outlaws plan a seemingly impossible heist on the Federal Reserve Bank.

Dillinger
26% Match

Dillinger(1973)

Movie6.6/10

After a shoot-out kills five FBI agents in Kansas City the Bureau target John Dillinger as one of the men to hunt down. Waiting for him to break Federal law they sort out several other mobsters, while Dillinger's bank robbing exploits make him something of a folk hero. Escaping from jail he finds Pretty Boy Floyd and Baby Face Nelson have joined the gang and pretty soon he is Public Enemy Number One. Now the G-men really are after him.

Risqué
26% Match

Risqué(2025)

Movie7.4/10

Fired from a strip club, a vengeful dancer masterminds a high-stakes heist with fellow strippers to take down the corrupt boss and the men who underestimate them.

Get Fast
25% Match

Get Fast(2024)

Movie5.8/10

When The Thief’s partner is kidnapped after stealing millions in cash from a merciless drug lord named Nushi, he reluctantly teams up with an angst-ridden orphan to rescue him. Nushi enlists her most trusted hitman, The Cowboy, a lovable charmer who’s quick with his guns, to track down the Thief. Guns, cars, and explosions will give the newfound partners a head start, but how long will they be able to keep it up?

Triple 9
24% Match

Triple 9(2016)

Movie6.0/10

A gang of criminals and corrupt cops plan the murder of a police officer in order to pull off their biggest heist yet across town.

The Channel
24% Match

After their bank heist goes wrong, a desperate criminal, his out-of-control brother, and their motley crew of ex-marines must escape New Orleans, United States.

Armored
24% Match

Armored(2009)

Movie5.8/10

A crew of officers at an armored transport security firm risk their lives when they embark on the ultimate heist against their own company. Armed with a seemingly fool-proof plan, the men plan on making off with a fortune with harm to none. But when an unexpected witness interferes, the plan quickly unravels and all bets are off.

The Bad Guys
22% Match

When the Bad Guys, a crew of criminal animals, are finally caught after years of heists and being the world’s most-wanted villains, Mr. Wolf brokers a deal to save them all from prison.

The Protector
22% Match

A young fighter named Kham must go to Australia to retrieve his stolen elephant. With the help of a Thai-born Australian detective, Kham must take on all comers, including a gang led by an evil woman and her two deadly bodyguards.

The Protector
20% Match

Billy Wong is a New York City cop whose partner is gunned down during a robbery. Billy and his new partner, Danny Garoni, are working security at a fashion show when a wealthy man's daughter, Laura Shapiro, is kidnapped. The Federal authorities suspect that Laura's father is involved with Mr. Ko, a Hong Kong drug kingpin, so the NYC police commissioner sends the two cops to Hong Kong to investigate.

High Rollers
19% Match

A master thief must pull off a dangerous casino heist when his nemesis kidnaps his lover. Caught between rival criminals and FBI pursuit, he risks all to save her and score big.