Crime 101 (2026 | USA | RUNTIME | Bart Layton)
Bart Layton’s newest crime thriller, Crime 101, has nearly everything going for it. A stacked cast led by Chris Hemsworth, beautiful cinematography from Erik Wilson (Paddington 2, Better Man), an intriguing story adapted from Don Winslow’s novella (“Savages”), and so much more. Unfortunately, great parts don’t always make up a great whole. But don’t let that stop you from seeing Crime 101; it’s still an exciting ride.
Hemsworth plays a calculated, seasoned jewelry thief named Mike who’s looking to complete one last job that promises “walkaway money” and financial security. However, Mike’s boss, Money (Nick Nolte), decides to send his new prodigy, a trigger-happy, chaotic biker named Orman (Barry Keoghan), to complete the job instead. Meanwhile, Lou, a veteran police officer (and seemingly the last moral officer at the LAPD), is determined to find the thief they have dubbed ‘The 101 Robber,’ given his affinity for committing crimes near California’s 101 freeway. While on its surface it may seem to be an action film, the heists themselves take up very little screen time; instead, the film focuses deeply on its characters. Layton gives us four intertwined character studies examining safety, wealth, and success.
This focus on the characters and their motivations truly does bring a fresh take to the crime genre, equally allowing itself to feel like an investigative drama, a rom-com, and an action film. But perhaps that’s where the main problem lies: Layton doesn’t narrow his focus enough, never digging into one story or genre as much as was needed.
But Layton struck gold with his all star cast, each of whom fully command their scenes. As far as character studies go, Hemsworth, Keoghan, Ruffalo, and Halle Berry (playing insurance broker Shannon Colvin) are the actors you want on screen. While the script may not always give them the space needed to dig into their characters, they are able to bring depth to their performances that go far beyond the surface.
While Crime 101 is far from an instant classic, it still makes for an exhilarating watch. If you’re looking for 2 hours of excitement and entertainment, then don’t let this stop you from catching Crime 101 in theaters.
Crime 101 arrives in theaters on February 13
Image credit Merrick Morton, courtesy Amazon MGM