Crime 101 (2026)★ 6.8/10

felt a bit lacking

law enforcement Mark strikes again

When is enough truly enough? Contrary to my belief, CRIME 101 is not a class or textbook of how to do crime, but the name of a new crime thriller written and directed by Bart Layton. Based on a novella by Don Winslow, this is a heist movie that knows what it’s doing. Mike (Chris Hemsworth) is a gentlemanly, meticulous jewel thief who works for Money (Nick Nolte), the object and the guy. Another guy who works for him is Ormon (Barry Keoghan), a psychotic biker wildcard. Sharon (Halle Berry) is an insurance broker who is striving for a promotion that keeps getting out of reach. Lou (Mark Ruffalo) is a detective who’s convinced these robberies on the 101 highway are connected. He’s also going through a divorce with Angie (Jennifer Jason Leigh). Maya (Monica Barbarro) is Mike’s love interest, who tends to ignore a few too many red flags (I’d probably ignore them too if it was Hemsworth). This movie is great at just letting these fully established characters play in the playground that is Los Angeles. They each have clear motives and talented actors giving it their all. This movie dives deep into the theme of class, how money has a real influence on how you live your life and your morality. This is a throwback to movies like HEAT. As in most movies with Barry Keoghan, he is a wildcard wrench in the gears in the most exciting way possible. I was invested in the drama of these characters’ lives. There are great chase sequences and very tense scenes. Ruffalo plays a very similar role in this as he did in the series TASK. I really enjoyed how smoothly we would transition from character to character. It might be a little too long for some, but I was just happy being driven as a passenger for as long as they had me. This movie cost too much money, so people will probably call it a flop, which is sad. Overall, CRIME 101 is a slick, entertaining drive around Los Angeles that accelerates faster and faster as it goes on. I highly recommend getting in this ride. Just remember your seatbelt.

An action-packed and fun ride with lots of twists. The car action is great. It's also loaded with strong actors. The female characters are woefully underwritten and the dialogue in general is where the film faulters. But what it has is a really great premise and pacing. It has a worthwhile, overarching story to tell, so the small bits that are cliche are forgivable. The final climax is super tense and masterfully teased. Type of movie you'd watch with your dad.