If you’ve been starving for a gritty, character-driven crime thriller that actually feels like it belongs on the big screen, Crime 101 is the movie for you! This movie grabbed me almost immediately with its Los Angeles noir-style atmosphere and refused to let go.
It plays like a love letter to the crime films of the 70s, 80s, and 90s, but it still feels modern and sharp. If you’re into tense heists, morally complicated characters, and car chases that rattle your bones, you’re going to have a very good time.
Set against the gritty sprawl of LA, the story follows a meticulous thief played by Chris Hemsworth, who is operating with a strict personal code while pulling off bold robberies along the 101 freeway.
He’s eyeing one last big score, of course, but things get complicated when he crosses paths with a struggling insurance broker played by Halle Berry. Meanwhile, a relentless detective portrayed by Mark Ruffalo is circling closer and closer, determined to shut the whole thing down.
The beauty of this movie is that it doesn’t spoon-feed you anything. It trusts the audience to pay attention, to sit in the tension, and to watch these characters make decisions that slowly tighten the noose around all of them.
Let’s talk about Hemsworth for a second because this is not the Hemsworth you’re used to. He plays this oddly off-kilter, slightly insecure guy who is confident, but at the same time not. He plays a different kind of quirky character.
Watching him wrestle with who he is and what he wants out of this life of crime was finteresting. He delivers a strong performance, and by the time the third act hits, you’re fully invested in whether this guy can pull off his plans, or if he’s about to implode.
Halle Berry is phenomenal here. She brings this emotional weight to the film that keeps everything from turning into pure macho posturing. Her character feels layered and human, and Berry plays every beat with confidence.
There’s something really satisfying about seeing her command the screen in a movie like this. Ruffalo is equally strong, giving us a detective who isn’t just obsessed but clearly worn down by the grind.
And yes, Barry Keoghan shows up and once again proves he has mastered the art of playing the most unsettling wildcard on the screen.
The action absolutely rips. The car chases feel practical, fast, and dangerous in a way we don’t get enough anymore. You can feel the tires grip the asphalt. You can sense the weight of the vehicles as they tear through the LA streets.
It reminded me of films like Heat, The The Town, The Departed, and Collateral. There’s even a bit of Drive energy in the quieter moments. It’s clear that films like Out of Sight and Thief were part of the DNA here too. Then, of course, Bullet was a huge inspiration. This is a movie that understands what makes a heist thriller tick, and it leans into it hard.
What I really loved is how character-focused the whole thing is. Yes, there are explosive moments and tense standoffs, but at its core this is about people at crossroads. It’s about aging criminals wondering if they can ever really walk away.
It’s about decent people convincing themselves they’re in too deep to change course. The film plays with expectations, sets up possibilities, and then makes you sweat about how it’s all going to collide. When the climax finally locks into place, it’s incredibly satisfying.
Is it perfect? Not quite. There are moments where it flirts with familiar genre territory, and some threads could have been explored further. But honestly, I didn’t care much because I was enjoying the hell out of it.
This is a slick, mid-budget crime thriller made for movie fans who miss that era when these kinds of films ruled theaters. Crime 101 is cool, confident, and packed with strong performances.
If you love old-school crime stories with style and substance, you need to see this on the biggest screen possible. I’m already itching to watch it again.
