After 2025 brought a disappointing crop of crime heist blockbusters, none managed to steal the show. Ruben Fleischer’s Now You See Me: Now You Don’t was the weakest of the magic-filled trilogy, while Christian Gudegast’s Den of Thieves 2: Pantera couldn’t escape its predecessor’s shadow. So, could Bart Layton’s fresh and ambitious Crime 101 be the diamond in the rough?
Based on Don Winslow’s 2020 novella of the same name, the film introduces us to Mike Davis (Chris Hemsworth), a stoic, reluctant, but efficient jewel thief, who sets his sights on “one last job” and Sharon Colvin (Halle Berry), an insurance broker, navigating the cutthroat, misogynistic world of corporate Los Angeles. Their stories run parallel before inevitably colliding…
All the while, tired detective Lou Lubesnick (Mark Ruffalo) believes he’s finally found a pattern to Mike’s crimes. But his quota-obsessed department couldn’t be less interested in following the hunch of a tired, old hero.
As Lou and his reluctant partner set out alone to track their elusive thief, Mike – after returning his latest set of jewels to his seedy but powerful boss (Nick Nolte) – begins wrestling with what he really wants from life, and whether the diamonds of his next job are worth the risk that hides behind them. Sensing doubt, Mike’s employer sends a bleached-blonde loose cannon (Barry Keoghan) to undercut him at any cost.
Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios
If you think this sounds like a lot of plates for one film to spin, you wouldn’t be far wrong. Crime 101’s ambitious roster of characters and merging genres make for a mash-up that tries to offer something for everyone – weaving threads of action, romance, and drama within its primary heist framework. However, this scattergun approach comes at a cost: the overarching stakes feel muddled, with central heist elements clouded, rather than embellished, by competing subplots.
The star-studded cast suffers from the same issue, each trying to adopt multiple personas, but ultimately pulled in too many directions. Mike takes the biggest hit. Hemsworth delivers a charming, occasionally heartfelt performance, and his character’s guarded personality and enigmatic past are genuinely gripping – particularly as he clumsily navigates an unlikely romance with a publicist (Monica Barbaro) after she hits the bumper of his car.
But the film never fully commits to developing either the heist or the relationship. I found myself as intrigued as Mike’s date, desperate for answers. How had he become so skilled? Why does he have no photos of his family? Why is it so important that his targets don’t get harmed? By the end of the two-hour, 20-minute run-time, I was left wanting more – and not in the good way.
That said, Crime 101’s overstuffed cast wasn’t a total disaster, as detective Lou maximised every bit of his screentime, with punchy one-liners, endearingly human moments, and a flawlessly believable portrayal by Ruffalo. Watching him take up yoga, buy a cat, and piece together his newly single life, all while chasing Mike, feels like filler for an already-bloated plot – but somehow, the film kept me hooked. These ordinary character moments turned an otherwise mediocre climax into a nail-biter with a payoff worthy of the slow build.
Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios
The film’s greatest flaw is its failure to nail the heist subgenre’s hallmark: consistently high stakes and a steady rise in tension. Juggling multiple genres, Crime 101 never really puts the pieces in place to make this “one last job” feel urgent or dangerous. Keoghan’s blonde, bike-riding antagonist is more of a blundering hindrance than any true threat to Mike’s operation. Paired with eye-rolling dialogue and baffling decisions, any tension the plot might have built quickly deflates.
The cinematography suffers from similar inconsistency – a jarring meld of expansive wide shots with unremarkable close-ups. I was excited to be thrown into gritty LA with a sweeping cityscape view befitting an IMAX blockbuster, but Crime 101 quickly settled into a rhythm more reminiscent of television than the big screen. The generic, throbbing score also does little to elevate things, falling back on well-worn, tension-building clichés.
In essence, if you’re looking for a fun, action-filled ride with a star-studded cast, Crime 101 will scratch that itch. But for those expecting a tight, intricate heist thriller that has you guessing and reeling, you may leave feeling a bit robbed.
Crime 101 is now showing in UK cinemas.
Banner image: Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios
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