A high-end thief stakes out his latest job while being stalked by a dedicated cop in Crime 101, a new crime thriller in the mold of Heat opening in Prague and cinemas worldwide this weekend. While this one never comes close to the operatic grandeur of the Michael Mann classic, and leaves us wanting in the story department, it benefits from appealing performances by a first-rate cast and gorgeous location cinematography on the streets of L.A.
Written and directed by Bart Layton (American Animals), adapting the novella by Don Winslow (Savages), Crime 101 stars Chris Hemsworth as Mike, or maybe James, the master thief who shares more in common with the Ryan Gosling character in Drive than Robert De Niro‘s Neil McCauley. He drives the green 1968 Mustang from Bullitt after swiping some high-value diamonds from a courier in the film’s standout opening scene, but is so socially awkward he can barely look date Maya (Monica Barbaro) in the eyes.
Mike is a lone wolf of questionable background who has planned and executed a string of robberies along California highway Route 101 entirely by himself. For reasons unexplored, he also collaborates with an aging criminal named Money (Nick Nolte), whose only function in the story is to stab him in the back. When Mike backs out of an upcoming job, Money sends young gun Ormon (Barry Keoghan) to pull it off—and then has the kid follow Mike to see whatever he’s up to next.
What he’s up to next involves insurance broker Sharon Colvin (Halle Berry), who has repeatedly been passed over for partnership in her firm and makes the perfect source for intel in his next big score. Sharon’s storyline is a nice diversion from the seedier side of the story, and Berry is excellent here as a woman doing things the right way but looking—like Mike—for one big score to get herself out, but the character is largely tangential to the overall story; with a little finagling, the movie could have combined her role with Barbaro’s to really get somewhere interesting.
On Mike’s trail is Det. Lou Lubesnick (Mark Ruffalo), much to the chagrin of partner Tillman (Corey Hawkins) and Captain Stewart (Matthew Del Negro), who worries that Lou’s theory of a serial robber along the 101 would conflict with some already-closed cases. Evoking memories of his character in Zodiac, Ruffalo’s good detective is dedicated to cracking the case, and even a break following an officer-involved shooting won’t stop him. There’s such an embarrassment of acting talent here that Jennifer Jason Leigh shows up for two brief scenes as Lou’s soon-to-be ex-wife.
Coincidentally, Detective Lou attends the same yoga class as Sharon, and she just happened to handle the claim for Mike’s previous score. Oh, what a tangled web we weave.
The best crime movies have a cold film noir heart, but Crime 101 is as gentle and earnest as its well-intentioned protagonist, who never harms a soul during his criminal activity. That leaves us with an ending that doesn’t really satisfy on either emotional or logistical fronts: not only do these characters behave in a way that belies their duty, but how and why they insert themselves into the climactic heist doesn’t ring true, either.
Among the strong cast, Hemsworth acquits himself well with an unusually restrained performance that rewards patience: he holds back just enough for a final emotional moment to land with surprising resonance. Ruffalo is solid as ever, even when the script has his character make some questionable choices; Nolte and Keoghan, meanwhile, steal every scene they’re in, leaving the audience wanting more from these characters.
The real standout in Crime 101 is its location work, with gritty, often overlooked streets of Los Angeles providing the film with character and energy rarely captured in Hollywood crime thrillers. From sun-bleached beaches to industrial backdrops, the city itself feels alive, and Layton’s direction takes full advantage of its textures. Multiple scenes from the film sit comfortably alongside Thom Andersen’s Los Angeles Plays Itself, offering a portrait of L.A. that is both cinematic and documentary-like in its observation.
Crime 101 feels like a slow burn throughout its lengthy 139-minute runtime, but Blanck Mass’ low-energy, pulsating score keeps the film simmering on low for the duration. While competently put together, with a keen eye for visual and auditory detail, the story here meanders, and the narrative ultimately lacks the punch of the genre’s greats that it explicitly emulates. This is a well-crafted and reasonably engaging thriller, but one that leaves viewers appreciating the craft more than feeling truly rewarded by its criminal exploits.
