“Crime 101,” a crime thriller film directed by Bart Layton, was released on Feb. 13. The film follows a series of expertly planned crimes that take place along California’s 101 highway.
The film simultaneously follows two main storylines. One is about master thief James “Mike” Davis, played by Chris Hemsworth, who teams up with insurance broker Sharon, played by Halle Berry, to pull off an $11 million heist. The other focus of the story is on a determined LAPD detective, Lou Lubesnick, played by Mark Ruffalo, who is trying to find the culprits of the heist.
Mike finds himself in a difficult situation regarding a woman named Maya, portrayed by Monica Barbaro, who pushes him to escape his life of crime. Another noteworthy cast member is Barry Keoghan as Ormon, a reckless thief who performs heists alongside Mike for their boss, Money, portrayed by Nick Nolte.
A very enjoyable part of this movie was the dynamics between the characters. Each character has their own story, but, in one way or another, they eventually become directly connected throughout the film’s plot. There are also many moments of tension between the characters, especially with Ormon, who repeatedly attempts to intercept the mission by tracking the others down. All actors delivered outstanding performances in their roles, making the story more gripping and emotional and further selling the characters’ interactions.
There are several interesting plot points, such as Sharon joining Mike after years of undervaluation in her job, which make for an amusing duo. Another interesting subplot was about Lou, who, while following the series of crimes committed along the 101, is repeatedly dismissed by colleagues and higher-ups. The film also features many action-packed scenes, such as an intense car chase in which Mike expertly maneuvers his car through busy Los Angeles streets.
One of the film’s recurring themes is the contrast between hard work and honest work. Mike, who has spent most of his life as a criminal, interacting with Sharon, who has built her career on honest work, was a very interesting and well-executed dynamic. While this was a very entertaining aspect of the story, I do feel that Sharon’s role was underutilized, as Berry’s character could have been developed further with more screen time.
Overall, “Crime 101” is an intense and entertaining story that delivers a beautiful message about empathy, hard work and what makes life meaningful. The film involves a diverse set of characters whose personalities are explored while also having a gripping plot. I recommend this movie to any fans of crime or heist stories.
