Movie: “Crime 101”
Release Date: Feb. 13, 2026
Director: Bart Layton
Runtime: 2 hours, 20 minutes
Genre: Crime/Thriller
Rating: C-
New characters, plot threads that are later inexplicably dropped and a few overlong action sequences? "Crime 101" has got it all, but it somehow still manages to feel boring.
Set in Los Angeles, the story primarily follows James Davis (Chris Hemsworth), who usually wears contacts and tells people his name is Mike (he’s a master criminal). James is a serial thief with a firm set of principles, having successfully robbed a series of jewelry stores along U.S. Route 101, all without hurting anyone or leaving a speck of DNA evidence.
In the opening robbery, things go well at first, with James successfully tracking and subduing the couriers, but he misses one thing. One henchman still has a gun, and a bullet ever so slightly grazes him, and leaves a speck of DNA evidence for the cops to follow.
Leading the investigation is embattled detective Lou Lubesnick (Mark Ruffalo), who’s losing respect at the office for his supposedly delusional obsession with the mysterious 101 robber amidst a failing marriage. Even Lubesnick’s loyal partner, detective Tillman (Corey Hawkins), is starting to lose faith.
Sharon, played by Halle Berry, is also investigating the robbery, but for a very different reason. She works for a powerful insurance agency that deals with shady clients, and it’s Sharon’s job to investigate and run “Dr. Phil”-style polygraph tests so they can deny the jewelry store owner’s seven-figure claim.
All three stories intersect throughout the film, sometimes in clever ways, and other times as randomly as two characters coincidentally enrolling in the same yoga class. The structure sometimes causes the pace to drag, cutting from intense action to dull conversation. However, it mostly works, with the focus on each character feeling truly balanced.
Ormon (Barry Keoghan), another jewel thief who lacks James’ discipline due to him being as violent and chaotic as they come, also shows up often, throwing an entertaining wrench into James’ carefully laid out plans.
Keoghan’s performance stands out, clearly having the most fun with the material. The character could’ve been annoying, but Keoghan commits and sells Ormon as an overconfident and zany psycho.
Ruffalo and Berry’s performances are, in a word, fine. Ruffalo does a competent job portraying the older, down on his luck cop stock character, and Berry does well as an ambitious but frustrated businesswoman, while also having the film's best comedic moments.
It’s harder to judge Hemsworth’s performance as James. It makes sense that a man like this would have trouble showing emotion and be awkward in social situations, but the usually charismatic Hemsworth takes those aspects of the character too far.
That issue is especially noticeable in James’s romantic subplot, which, frankly, could’ve been cut. James is already humanized by his morals and inner conflict. A greater focus on that would’ve served the film much, much better than the devoid of chemistry love affair between James and Maya, played by Monica Barbaro.
Aside from a few beautiful shots and the editing, which delivers a potentially confusing plot in a well-constructed and consistent way, “Crime 101” also feels merely competent on a technical level. The score is decent, the directing is alright, and the stunt work is effective, even if the action occasionally overstays its welcome, unintentionally cutting through the tension.
The biggest issue with “Crime 101” is that it fails to abide by the rule of showing and not telling, ironic for a film that’s title sounds like an introductory class. We’re constantly told James is the best jewel thief in the business, but we’re shown a guy who can’t be bothered to conceal his identity when talking about an $11 million heist with someone he just met.
Despite its issues, “Crime 101” is ultimately a fairly engaging crime caper with enough twists and turns to win you back after a dull stretch. It probably won’t be a huge hit at the box office, but it has a bright future on an entertaining enough movie people put on Netflix while doing other things.