This film has been high on my most anticipated list for 2026 ever since the teaser trailer for the movie dropped around mid-October, which immediately caught my attention as a person who loves a good old crime/noir, gritty type of film and has been waiting for something like Crime 101 to scratch that sensation for me. Just looking at the cast alone, it’s a star studded bunch of vets who have been at the forefront of popular culture for the last 25 years in the era that’s been dominated by Franchises and Popular IP. Also, this shifts into an interesting conversation about what kind of film deserves to be seen on the big screen vs putting it in the ever-expanding ocean of streaming services and content trying to grab your attention. I think a traditional release worked to its benefit for this movie, as with proper media and press rollout, it allowed the film to breathe and have its own legacy without being dumped on a streaming service like Netflix, Amazon, Apple TV, etc.
The film follows Mike Davis (Chris Hemsworth), who is a jewel thief with an unusual quirk, carefully planning robberies to avoid violence and DNA evidence while escaping via the U.S. Route 101. Intercepting a diamond delivery carrying decoys, he steals $3 million in genuine diamonds, but is shaken after being grazed by an unexpected bullet. LAPD Detective Lou Lubesnick (Mark Ruffalo) crafts a theory that all of these high-end robberies on Highway 101 are connected in some kind of way and it’s being done by one person, not an organized group of criminals looking for a quick buck. Mike pays Devon, a hacker, for information on Sharon, a high-end insurance broker. Long undervalued by her firm, Sharon is further frustrated when a new colleague closes a lucrative deal with the wealthy Steven Monroe. There is also a romance subplot between Mike (Chris Hemsworth) and Maya (Monica Barbaro) which goes sideways when she starts to find out that Mike isn’t what he seems to be initially. Then all of the storylines that the film throws at the audience come together in a thrilling climax which begs the reason why people have been missing out on the theater experience to begin with.
This movie is the definition of a slow burn, which turns into a chase in an instant. So be prepared to allow yourself to be patient because one of the best parts about Crime 101 is the characterization of its leads, so there isn’t this disconnect where you don’t know about the motivation/direction of these characters. Everything about the story in this film is pretty clearly laid out in its plot and themes, which makes some of the complaints about it having gaping plot holes regarding some of the side characters ring hollow when you can do that for any crime thriller of this scale for the last 40 years or so. The other aspect of the film that works really well is the environment/background that takes place in LA, working as a callback to the great noir/crime films like Drive (2011), Heat (1995), and Zodiac (2007), which all took place in about the same area. One of my favourite sequences of this movie is the intro as a hypnotic voiceover with LA at night turning rightside up with the great pulsing soundtrack in the background, immediately hooked me in, and it never let up during the duration of the film.
The performances in this movie were top-notch, with a special shoutout to Chris Hemsworth, Halle Berry, Barry Keoghan (who is the standout in the film), and Mark Ruffalo. All of these performances grounded the film into something that felt a believable reality instead of a run & dry cliche caricature of those same tropes that have been done a bunch of times. Another thing I give this movie credit for is that it’s willing to not give the audience all of the details about the many heists/twists and is respectful enough to allow them to figure it out themselves. The cinematography in this movie is great and makes it a lively film, even more engrossing.