'Crime 101' Review: Is Chris Hemsworth's Thriller Worth Watching? LA Noire Atmosphere Hooks Viewers

The year 2026 has been off to a pretty good start, with the film releases it has seen so far. One of the most recent releases, which has everyone talking, is the crime thriller, Crime 101. Starring A-list actors like Chris Hemsworth and Barry Keoghan, the film has naturally been drawing a lot of fans to the theatres since it dropped on February 13, 2026. However, a few movie fans are wondering whether Crime 101 is worth their time, especially given its 140-minute runtime. If you're still on the fence about watching Crime 101, let us help you decide. (Spoilers ahead). 

What is the plot of the movie, Crime 101? 

Crime 101 is set against the backdrop of Los Angeles and its arterial Highway 101. In the film, viewers can expect to see multiple high-end jewellery robberies. However, what's unique about the entire thing is that they follow certain rules like no violence, no witnesses, and no deviations. Notably, Crime 101 centres on a thief named ‘Mike Davis' (Chris Hemsworth), whose disciplined nature and calm precision immediately draw viewers to his character. On the other hand, detectives, ‘Lou’ (Mark Ruffalo) and ‘Tillman’ (Corey Hawkins) constantly struggle to catch him by following the pattern of his previous heists.  

As the movie progresses, ‘Mike’ can be seen travelling somewhere when all of a sudden his car is hit by another one, driven by a woman named ‘Maya’ (Monica Barbaro). After getting smitten with her, ‘Mike’ decides to ask her out on a date, and she surprisingly agrees. While ‘Mike’ is having a jolly time dating his new girlfriend, ‘Lou’ faces a ton of pressure from the higher-ups to close the 101 case. The film also introduces us to an insurance broker, ‘Sharon Combs' (Halle Berry), who teams up with ‘Mike’ in stealing jewels meant for a business tycoon's wedding. Her decision to join ‘Mike’ comes after she is unable to make partner at her firm simply because she is a woman, but the last straw is when her bosses give a new female employee one of her biggest clients.

Amid this, ‘Mike’, at one point, starts acting hesitant to perform a robbery in broad daylight, prompting his mentor to hire a psychotic and violent thug by the name of ‘Orman’ (Barry Keoghan) to carry out ‘Mike’s’ mission instead. This does not sit well with a disciplined thief like ‘Mike,’ and he threatens to cut all ties with his mentor. His mentor, on the other hand, gets more enraged and commands ‘Orman’ to follow ‘Mike’ and keep track of his plans to execute the heist with ‘Sharon’. How ‘Mike’ deals with all that comes his way is what forms the crux of the story.  

Is Crime 101 a hit or a miss? 

With so much going on in the film, Crime 101, it falters a bit when it comes to structural ambition. Director, Bart Layton layers a number of perspectives and timelines into the film, which results in its lengthy runtime of 140 minutes. Some characters, too, who show a lot of promise at the start of the film, fall short by the end of Crime 101. Taking all of that into consideration, the film still manages to capture viewers' attention throughout the film, owing to its LA Noire atmosphere as well as the strong performances delivered by the cast of Crime 101.  

Will you give watching Crime 101 a try? Let us know.  

Also read: What Makes Carolyn Bessette's Wedding Gown Unique? Find Out Amid JFK Jr's 'Love Story' Buzz 

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