Crime 101: An Intricately Intense Heist Flick

The Blueprint

The mission of creating a film in the crime genre may seem simple, especially with the ultimate reward of being released in thousands of movie theaters. But the most challenging aspect is always the objective: finding a way to make it appeal to critics and audiences. What’s the plan to bring this mission to life? To trust Amazon MGM Studios as they release an all-new film in the genre with a massive amount of promise! Crime 101 is based on a novella of the same name by Don Winslow, and has a lot of potential to be one of 2026’s standout movies.

Not only are some of the biggest stars in Hollywood today attached to the project, but it also roots itself as a heist flick, a subgenre which can balance intense action with thought-provoking stories when done correctly. But could it reach the ultimate objective of pleasing a massive audience? As it turns out, yes! This film has not only received some of the best reviews of the year so far, but it has already made over $27 million worldwide, as of Monday, Feb. 16. But despite all of these golden signs, I couldn’t help but go into the movie a little bit skeptical. 

Despite the talent surrounding this film and my personal love of the heist subgenre, I wasn’t massively enamored by the trailers for it. I thought it looked like just another crime movie rather than the next great installment to the genre. That said, my curiosity did rise when the reviews began to come out, as I wondered if my initial assumptions would be proven false. And if there’s one thing I love with movies – amid the thousands of others – it’s when I’m proven wrong and my expectations are exceeded, leaving me to hope that this film could do so. 

At the earliest chance I could, I headed to Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas Mansfield and secured a ticket to the movie. As the mission came to a close, I was left with one question: did this movie shatter my expectations and serve as a diamond in the rough, or was it better off to leave this idea behind in the dust?

Speeding Off

Set in Los Angeles, Crime 101 centers on Mike Davis, a jewel thief who carries out a series of heists on the 101 freeway. He finds himself on the brink of carrying out his biggest mission yet, only to cross paths with Sharon Combs, an insurance broker stuck at her own crossroads. With a multi-million dollar reward in sight, the two are left to carry out the heist using their strategical skills, as Detective Lou Lubesnick of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) trails them, convinced that he has solved Davis’s pattern.

Directed by Bart Layton – primarily known for directing another crime feature, American Animals – the film features a massive ensemble cast including Chris Hemsworth, Halle Berry, Mark Ruffalo, Barry Keoghan, Monica Barbaro, Corey Hawkins, and Nick Nolte among many others. 

Having gone into this movie not expecting much, I was highly impressed with the end result. In fact, I could even say that this is an early contender for the biggest surprise film of the year so far. This largely ties back to how it crafts its story, particularly in how well it balances itself out. The film utilizes multiple character perspectives – particularly Davis, Combs, and Lubesnick – to present its overall conflict, providing a strong exploration of how it impacts different individuals, and how they got involved in the first place. As such, rather than feel constantly muddled and overstuffed, it feels more consistent and thoroughly developed as each protagonist gets a fair deal of screentime to illustrate the depth of the operation, and how three distinct personalities approach it. 

I was further impressed by how well the movie made use of its runtime, which I was also a little worried about. Clocking in at around 2 hours and 20 minutes in length, a part of me was worried that the film would feel a bit bloated, or that the pacing would be inconsistent. But for the most part, the movie balances out its primary subplots, character development, and action scenes very well, resulting in a steady pace which never felt too fast or slow. The movie takes advantage of nearly every minute it has, prioritizing an intense viewing experience even with the occasional slowdown moment. 

But despite the consistent pacing, I still did catch a few moments in the movie which felt a bit padded, or at least insignificant compared to other key sequences. Some examples included a side conflict involving the LAPD about midway through the film and one early scene which sees Combs try to close a deal with one of her clients. Though they did not conflict with the pacing or tone as a whole, they were still noticeable in the grand scheme of the rest of the runtime, and did feel a little bit tacked on. 

However, the biggest highlight of this padding – and my personal biggest nitpick with the movie as a whole – comes from a romantic subplot between Hemsworth and Barbaro, which is put in the spotlight at random points throughout the runtime. This is largely because it doesn’t serve much of a purpose in the movie, not even to really develop either of the characters at hand. 

Despite the strong chemistry of the two performers, their romance did not feel earned or satisfying, and it doesn’t do much to flesh out either of the characters at hand, before it concludes about as abruptly as it starts. I feel like this subplot could have been cut out of the movie entirely, especially considering how it doesn’t have much weight on the rest of the story, nor did it add anything to the characters.

But even with those occasional instances of padding, the rest of the story is told in a well-crafted manner, efficiently balancing out its slower moments with a number of intense sequences, leading to one of the most balanced screenplays I’ve seen in a movie this year. 

On the Case

No heist is complete without a vast array of characters, of which this film has many. However, all of them shine in their own unique ways, whether it be through personality, development, or both. As previously mentioned, the film balances out its action sequences really well with its slower character-driven scenes, leading to a wide range of captivating development which compliments the heist really well.

The standout character of the movie is Davis, a jewel thief who plans out all of his schemes in a very specific pattern along the 101 freeway. Unlike most robbers, Davis is much more careful with his actions, as he performs them quickly, leaves little-to-no evidence, and ensures that no one gets hurt. It provides a human side to a character who would usually be written off as antagonist, allows for audiences to care for him as he struggles to balance out his life of crime with his own personal dilemmas. He’s a very complex character who can be a threat in what he does for a living, while still caring for those around him – right down to the people he robs – leading to an enthralling arc as he attempts to pull off the ultimate job.

The other primary protagonists, Combs and Lubesnick, also sport distinctive personality traits and motivations which help them to also stand strongly as captivating characters. The two share seemingly different mindsets, with Combs being more compliant in Davis’s scheme as she struggles to earn respect from her peers at work, while Lubesnick is more determined and desperate to bring down the criminal, despite the objections of other LAPD officers. 

However, much like with Davis, the film highlights both of their caring sides, particularly once the conflict begins to peak in the third act. Lubesnick particularly stands out as he begins to unravel the case, resulting in him providing a strong contrast to the threatening-but-caring Davis. 

Bringing this ensemble to life is a terrific cast, all of whom embody their roles flawlessly to help the characters feel more realistic. Whether it be Hemsworth’s balance of timidness and ruthlessness as Davis, Berry’s straightforward and stern delivery as Combs, or Ruffalo’s quick thinking and intuitiveness as Lubesnick, the performances add the movie’s engagement factor by giving each character a unique screen presence. This also applies to members of the supporting cast, including Barbaro’s tender and understanding nature as Maya – Mike’s love interest – and Nolte’s subtle grit and intimidation as Money.  

But out of all the supporting cast, the performer who surprised me the most was Keoghan as Ormon, one of the film’s primary antagonists. Keoghan is a very versatile actor with a number of great roles under his belt – as can be noted in staff writer Victoria Autocunas’s spotlight. But his role in this movie shook me to my core, as he portrayed a character I have not seen him play before: a loud, condescending, psychotic brute who shows up at unexpected times and fights in a highly violent style. Keoghan pulls off this character flawlessly, adding to the film’s high stakes through his unpredictable pattern and domineering voice. 

A Price to Pay

The aspect of this film which impressed me the most was easily the action sequences, which rank among some of the most intense scenes I’ve watched in the theater all year. While I was watching this movie, I could not help but think of other classic crime films – particularly, 1995’s Heat – not only through how layered and well-crafted the story and pacing were, but also through how incredibly executed the action scenes were, taking the simple concept of a jewel heist and elevating it into something much grander.

The film’s primary form of action sequences are vehicular chase scenes, of which there are a number of them throughout the runtime. However, through a mixture of chilling sound design and sweeping cinematography, they always provided an unforgettable experience which would leave me hanging on the edge of my seat. The film puts audiences directly in the middle of every chase, as the revving of car engines screech through the auditorium speakers as gorgeous shots of Los Angeles, typically in nighttime, overtake the screen. 

The movie’s other primary form of action are standoff sequences, which see weapons pulled and constant threats being made, such as when Davis commits to a robbery or Ormon makes a sudden appearance. Through a combination of committed dialogue, character voices overlapping each other, and a lack of overbearing music, these scenes provide more terror than they do excitement, but stay true to the film’s intense nature. A key example of this can be seen in the climax, which sees a number of characters in a final confrontation with each other as everything the film has been building up to reaches its peak. 

A big part of what makes the standoff and chase sequences so engaging is the editing, which combines a variety of shots to illustrate feelings of intimidation or showcase instances of high speed. Right when the film begins, the movie introduces an upside-down aerial shot of Los Angeles, which spins in a slow fashion as the opening scene progresses, immediately emphasising that something is not normal. As the movie continues, multiple forms of editing are used, including quick cuts between two characters or locations, close-ups on certain people’s faces which highlight their emotions, and technical inclusions like slow-motion, in a widespread variety of techniques which are experimented with throughout the film. 

Not only does the editing have a strong sense of variety, but when combined with the gorgeous camera work and strong performances, it helps the movie to cement itself as one of the most intense silver screen experiences I’ve had in a while, as the film grabbed hold ahold of me from its first shot and did not let go until it concluded.

The Coveted Jewel

Overall, even with occasional padding and a pointless subplot, Crime 101 is a well-crafted crime film through its engaging action sequences, strong performances, steady pacing, intense editing, and effective storytelling. This film exceeded my expectations in a way I wasn’t expecting, resulting in one of the biggest surprises of 2026 so far. 

If you’re a fan of the crime genre, the previous works of the cast – namely Hemsworth – or high stakes action stories, this is the perfect movie for you. Crime 101 is currently playing in theaters nationwide, including nearby at Route 57’s own Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas Mansfield. If you want to see an enthralling feature that keeps you on the edge of your seat, look no further than this movie!

Much to my delight, this film astounded me in how efficiently it was executed, leading to a successful mission which earned a key award: my respect.

My Rating