Time: 140 Minutes
Age Rating: M – Violence, sexual references & offensive language
Cast:
Chris Hemsworth as Mike/James Davis
Mark Ruffalo as Det. Lou Lubesnick
Barry Keoghan as Ormon
Halle Berry as Sharon Combs
Monica Barbaro as Maya
Corey Hawkins as Det. Tillman
Jennifer Jason Leigh as Angie
Nick Nolte as Money
Director: Bart Layton

At first, Crime 101 looked like a very standard crime thriller with a recognisable cast. However, hearing that it’s from the director of American Animals got me curious about it and ultimately was what made me decide to check it out in cinemas. It turned out to be pretty good, and well worth checking out.

Crime 101 is very reminiscent of other LA set crime thrillers, especially those directed by Michael Mann (such as Heat), and as such, contains many of those films’ familiar tropes and aspects. Personally though, I didn’t find it to be that derivative, and it did just enough for it to stand on its own. It focussed on each of the main characters (mainly Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo and Halle Berry) and how they eventually their lives intersect with one another, and I found it pretty engaging throughout. That said it is a tad overlong at 2 hours and 20 minutes in length, and there were some unresolved conflicts and plot threads that weren’t tied up by the end of the story.

The ensemble cast are great and the film really utilizes them well. Chris Hemsworth delivers one of his more interesting performances. His character isn’t just a purely charismatic professional thief as you’d expect him to be, he’s far more socially awkward and out of his depth in most situations, and Hemsworth plays this well, even if it does require some suspension of disbelief. Mark Ruffalo is ever reliable as the obsessed cop, Halle Berry is a highlight, and Barry Keoghan is really good in an unhinged and wild card role. As Hemsworth’s love interest, Monica Barbaro acts well in a thinly written part, and Corey Hawkins, and Nick Nolte are also solid.

Bart Layton’s direction is really slick and stylish. The few action sequences (mainly involving cars) are thrilling, with top notch camerawork, editing and sound. The pulsing and vibrant soundtrack from Benjamin John Power also adds a lot and raises the high tension in the right moments.

Crime 101 is a solid and sleek crime thriller, very well directed and with strong performances from the cast.