The way of cinema thrillers of yesteryear was mid budget, an ensemble cast of a few household names and a whole lot of actors that you swear you’ve seen in something else, with slick action and an engrossing plot that hooks you in. But recently, these kinds of films seemed to be a bit risky, more suited to streaming platforms. I’m so glad that the distributors of Crime 101 decided to not only release it theatrically but also in IMAX - it deserves to be seen on the big screen. Is the classic 90’s cinematic thriller back? If Crime 101 is anything to go by, it should be. Slick, suave and thoroughly engrossing from start to finish with a stacked ensemble cast, Crime 101 is the best kind of popcorn thriller. 

 

Set against the sun-bleached grit of Los Angeles, Crime 101 weaves the tale of an elusive jewel thief (Chris Hemsworth) whose string of heists have mystified police. When he eyes the score of a lifetime, his path crosses that of a disillusioned insurance broker (Halle Berry) who is facing her own crossroads. Convinced he has found a pattern, a relentless detective (Mark Ruffalo) is closing in, raising the stakes even higher. As the heist approaches, the line between hunter and hunted begins to blur, and all three are faced with life-defining choices–and the realization that there can be no turning back. 

 

Nearly a decade between drinks, following on from his critically acclaimed debut American Animals (2018), director Bart Layton broadly borrows themes from his first feature to this. At its heart Crime 101 is about the jewelry heists but interlaced with all of this is the messy and complicated lives of the characters that inhabit this world. Layton, over the course of the film, pulls these threads closer together, leading to a thoroughly thrilling final act. 

 

Even with a run time of nearly two and a half hours, there are a couple of character moments (no spoilers here but you’ll probably notice them) where some decisions they make, while understandable, might feel a little unearned if you think about it too much.

 

This leads Crime 101 to not quite reach the heights of the likes of The Town or Widows, but it's thoroughly enjoyable. This is helped in part with some superb action sequences throughout with Hemsworth’s Mike chasing Keoghan’s Ormon through the city at breakneck speed a particular highlight.

 

Slick, suave and thoroughly engrossing from start to finish with a stacked ensemble cast, Crime 101 is the best kind of popcorn thriller.