Hollywood movies such as Ocean’s Eleven, Catch Me If You Can, and The Godfather glorify crime and criminal behavior. In Ocean’s Eleven, a group of thieves rob a casino. The art of movie making has become increasingly interested in turning criminal behavior from socially unacceptable to socially desirable. In these movies, the protagonists are criminals, but as viewers we identify and care for them because they partake in more than just criminal acts. Society has cast a stereotype of criminals as thugs, lazy, and overall bad people. Since the protagonists in these movies are far from the “typical criminal,” it is socially acceptable to look up to them. These movies undermine are stereotypes and create a new category of criminals, those whose crimes are “understandable” to the rest of society. In addition, these movies also provide crime tourism, where moviegoers can enjoy aspects of being a crime member without the dangers and consequences. The combination of these two aspects of the movie reinforce the rising trend of society and more specifically, art glorifying crime.
