Crime 101 (2026)

​“Crime 101” stars Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Barry Keoghan, Monica Barbaro, Corey Hawkins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Nick Nolte, and Halle Berry.  Released on February 13, 2026, the film has a detective tracking down a jewel thief.

The film was written and directed by Bart Layton, who also helmed “The Imposter” and “American Animals”.  It is based on the novella by Don Winslow.  Whenever you’re pulling off a heist, it’s important to include an exit plan in case things go south.  In fact, it’s crucial to have a well-organized plan to ensure you don’t get caught red-handed.  One specific thief has these rules and conditions in place for his heists, but his latest heist could put them to the test.  This sums up the latest crime thriller that unites actors from the cinematic world of Marvel for a cat-and-mouse chase seeking to steal the hearts of the genre’s fans.  Does it deliver the usual thrills and suspense we typically see in other similar crime movies, or should audiences seek their own exit plan?  Let’s find out.

The story centers on Mike Davis (Hemsworth), an elusive jewel thief who commits numerous heists alongside U.S. Route 101.  His organized tactics and self-discipline made him an infamous criminal who has been leaving the police baffled by his elusiveness.  As he prepares for his latest heist, Mike eventually discovers it is a two-person job when his plan intersects with that of Sharon Combs (Berry), an insurance broker facing her own crossroads, leading to their collaboration.  Meanwhile, a relentless detective named Lou Lubesnick (Ruffalo) is determined to bring Mike to justice after cracking the thief’s crime pattern, while a volatile biker named Ormon (Keoghan) sets his sights on Mike.  With the heist drawing near, the characters are forced to confront the choices they made as their respective paths begin to collide.

I may not be the person who’s big on crime thrillers, but if the right concept captures my interest, I’d be willing to witness the heist unfold.  “Crime 101” seemed to be another movie that fits my requirements based on the marketing and the actors involved.  For the latter, we have Marvel Cinematic Universe stars Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo reuniting to form a thief/detective dynamic we’ve seen before.  Finally, a Thor vs. Hulk rematch we’ve been waiting for since “Ragnarok”.  Given my admiration for these actors, I was pretty eager to see these two back together onscreen.  As for its concept, it’s typically another “heist” film that appears to be in the same vein as other police thrillers like “Den of Thieves”.  However, it also shows some promise of being another entertaining addition to the collection of cinematic heists, considering director Bart Layton’s previous heist film, “Dangerous Animals”.  I hadn’t seen Layton’s previous movies, so this would be my first experience of his directorial vision, though I'd heard his last two films were pretty good.

My only concern going into this film was its runtime, which was about two hours and 20 minutes.  Given the film’s premise and dialogue-driven nature, I was worried it wouldn’t hold my attention for that long or would resort to unnecessary filler to extend its straightforward plot.  While it does feature some spectacle in its thrills, they’re not to the point of being visually chaotic.  It’s more of a grounded, character-focused thriller that features the basics of a thief being hunted down by a police detective.  Personally, these types of crime thrillers are hit-or-miss in execution and in holding my attention, with a couple failing to convince me to rewatch them later.  My mind is usually on the spectacle, but I can handle most of the dialogue-driven scenes as long as they provide something I can engage with and don’t drag on for too long.

After watching the movie, I can conclude that “Crime 101” didn’t exactly need to be that long.  However, I was also surprised that it retained my attention almost all the way through.  Most of the movie’s sequences felt necessary to give its characters and plot some depth, but I think they could’ve been shortened without losing the development it’s going for.  The only saving grace is that the pacing doesn’t make the film feel like a total slog.  It’s excessive to the point of asking yourself, “Are they going to start robbing stuff again?”  However, Bart Layton ensured that the character moments outside the thriller aspects are as engaging and suitably paced as the action.  Besides that, its beefy runtime would likely make those outside its target audience want to arrest the film for wasting their time.  But that doesn’t make “Crime 101” a bad film in my eyes, as it's saved by its well-crafted essence and star power that emphasize the traditional crime thriller vibes of yesteryear.

I credit Layton for keeping most of my attention with the film's pacing, but the filmmaker's vision is where his talents shine as bright as diamonds.  “Crime 101” is another thriller that’s more focused on craft than spectacle, especially in its violence.  While its thrilling sequences can make for some popcorn entertainment, the character-driven drama at its core can also deliver intense moments with proper execution.  It’s about finding the right balance between those aspects so audiences don't mind waiting for another action set piece to arrive.  Bart Layton managed to deliver on that balance through a style that's as sleek and classy as its handsome yet conflicted jewel thief, complemented by its bleak aesthetics and Erik Wilson’s solid cinematography.  It’s far from a perfect blend, given its length, but I can understand why Layton has been quite successful with his last two films.  He’s another filmmaker who provides a film’s subtlety that evokes an engagingly slick presentation in its thrills and drama.

As for his screenplay, I would say Layton also did pretty well in his handling of the genre tropes we’ve seen before.  I haven’t read the novella it’s based on, so I couldn’t really compare the two to see what Layton’s done right or wrong.  Judging the movie by its own merits, though, I thought the script was decent in making its seemingly simple “heist” more intriguing than it appeared to be.  This is mainly due to how Layton handles the film’s focus on each character.  With more than one character sharing the spotlight, it can be challenging to ensure that the movie doesn’t feel too bloated to the point of making some of them pointless filler.  Thankfully, Layton managed to pull off this tricky heist with ease, highlighting each character with a two-dimensional flair while balancing their screen time.  One such example is Mike, who struggles not only with his balance between his criminal life and his romance with Maya (Barbaro), but also with his enigmatic childhood.  Personally, I thought Mike’s character arc was the most engaging part of the film because it underscores the empathy and sorrow of the thief’s conflicted situation.  Sure, he steals diamonds for a living, but outside of that, he’s a man who finds himself at the crossroads in how he wants to spend the rest of his life.

Another reason Mike’s arc worked for me was Chris Hemsworth, whose performance blended subtlety and soul into Mike’s calm, conflicted, and self-disciplined personality.  Hemsworth has proven himself an engaging action hero, with most of his movies being more light-hearted than others.  His portrayal of Mike is one such occasion where he can also be taken seriously as an actor, even in the genre involving a car chase with a motorcycle.  Mark Ruffalo also turned in another great performance outside the Marvel Cinematic Universe, conveying Lou’s determination to capture Mike with a restrained yet compelling finesse.  While far from one of his best, I was still impressed with how he chooses specific roles that match his talents.  Halle Berry was also good as Sharon, despite a few of her line deliveries falling flat, while Barry Keoghan shone as the psychotic biker whose violent tendencies pose a problem for both sides of the law.

Overall, “Crime 101” is a solidly crafted heist whose compelling storytelling aspects were far from criminal.  It’s far from a game-changer in terms of its crime thriller tropes, but Bart Layton utilizes his carefully planned skills in the directing and writing departments to deliver an engaging and sleekly designed addition to the genre’s string of cinematic robberies.  Its lengthy runtime is the film’s minor setback that would drive most viewers away from the crime scene.  Fortunately, its pacing was enough to make me appreciate its filmmaking craft amid its excessiveness.  Its compelling cast also added to the enjoyment of witnessing the classic thief/detective dynamic unfold by Marvel stars Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo.  In short, this recent crime spree should satisfy audiences eager to steal some diamonds with Thor and reward fans of Layton’s previous works with the filmmaker’s vision.

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