Crime 101 review: A gripping, old-school crime thriller
I absolutely adored writer-director Bart Layton‘s previous film, American Animals, which got a full five out of five stars and made my top 10 of 2018 list, so I had high hopes for his latest outing, Crime 101.
The sprawling crime thriller follows several interconnected stories revolving around a series of high-end jewellery robberies that have taken place near the 101 freeway in Los Angeles. Detective Lou Lubesnick (Mark Ruffalo) believes one person is behind them all and is hellbent on finding his 101 thief. But Mike (Chris Hemsworth) is smart and organised and usually leaves no scrap of evidence at the crime scene. Then there’s Sharon (Halle Berry), a high-end insurance broker who crosses paths with them both.
Crime 101, which has a lot in common with the 1995 classic Heat, drops you right into the action, following Mike as he meticulously carries out his latest robbery – typically by intercepting diamonds that are being transported by courier. Although I didn’t know any of the players yet, I was instantly captivated by what was happening because his methodical, non-violent approach to the work is unusual and interesting.
After that, the pace slows down as Layton introduces the other characters and sets up their stories. There are a lot of moving parts so it switches back and forth between the trio a lot, as well as a fourth storyline starring Barry Keoghan (who was in American Animals) as an unhinged thief trying to sabotage Mike’s operation. It takes a while (perhaps a bit too long) to see how all the pieces will come together, but they do so brilliantly in the gripping finale. I was locked in for the exciting final showdown.
It’s refreshing to see Hemsworth playing a career criminal when he’s best known for being the Norse God Thor in the Marvel franchise. But he’s clearly trying to break the mould and prove he’s capable of being different characters, especially morally questionable ones. Mike is actually pretty decent as far as thieves go; he has a set of rules that he abides by and doesn’t hurt people in the commission of a robbery. His life is fleshed out more with interactions with his boss (Nick Nolte) and his attempts to be in a normal relationship with Maya (Monica Barbaro) despite his extraordinary life. While the dating subplot was illuminating, I felt Barbaro – a standout of A Complete Unknown – was wasted.
Ruffalo has played the dishevelled cop before – most recently in Task – so this didn’t feel like a massive stretch, same for Berry portraying the most glamorous insurance broker I’ve ever seen. However, her character ends up involved in the case in unexpected ways and has a moral dilemma on her hands. There is also an interesting subplot about her dealing with sexism and ageism at her company.
Layton has delivered another great movie. Some people may find this a bit too long and slow, but I can assure you the payoff is worth it.
In cinemas from Friday 13th February