Overview
A small-town heist spirals into a deadly game of survival against the mob.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- sardonic
- propulsive
- tense
- classic crime night
- heist movie marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Don Siegel's propulsive direction, Walter Matthau's understated performance, and the film's intelligent, suspenseful crime plotting.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Charley Varrick repeatedly relies on careful misdirection and contingency planning after discovering the stolen money belongs to the mob.
The unexpectedly large bank haul is revealed to be mob money connected to laundering, transforming an ordinary robbery into a lethal pursuit.
Walter Matthau's hangdog performance and the film's sharp reversals give the crime chase a wry, controlled comic edge.
The robbery begins at a small New Mexico bank whose modest appearance masks a money-laundering connection to organized crime.
Films like Charley Varrick, and why
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
shared intelligent heist plotting, criminal underworld pressure, and dryly controlled suspense
The Friends of Eddie Coyle
shared 1970s crime thriller atmosphere, procedural momentum, and morally compromised professionals
The Getaway
shared cunning antihero, mob entanglement, and propulsive caper structure
The Hot Rock
shared small-town crime, escalating pursuit, and sardonic genre tension
Movie Details
- Director
- Don Siegel
- Release Date
- 1973-09-19
- Runtime
- 111 min
- Rating
- 7.4 / 10 (299)
Cast
- Walter Matthau
- Joe Don Baker
- Felicia Farr
- Andrew Robinson
- Sheree North
- Norman Fell
- Benson Fong
- Woodrow Parfrey
- William Schallert
- Jacqueline Scott
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Charley Varrick about?
- A meticulous small-town bank robber must outwit the mob after accidentally stealing its concealed fortune.
- What is Charley Varrick like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Charley Varrick as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Charley Varrick violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Charley Varrick as mild.
- What did critics think of Charley Varrick?
- Critics broadly praised Don Siegel's propulsive direction, Walter Matthau's understated performance, and the film's intelligent, suspenseful crime plotting.
- Which films are like Charley Varrick?
- Films with a similar feel include The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, The Friends of Eddie Coyle, The Getaway, and The Hot Rock.
- How long is Charley Varrick?
- Charley Varrick runs 111 minutes.
- Where can I watch Charley Varrick?
- In United States, Charley Varrick is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
