Mark Ruffalo and Chris Hemsworth star in “Crime 101.” Credit: Amazon MGM Studios
Crime 101 was easily one of my most anticipated 2026 movie releases because of one name. And it wasn’t Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Halle Berry, Barry Keoghan, or Corey Hawkins (though they all star). I’m talking about writer/director Bart Layton. This English filmmaker made two mind-bending true crime films back to back that not only shaped the way I look at the genre, but the way I look at the world.
The first was the 2012 documentary The Imposter, which told the stranger-than-fiction story of a French con artist who stole the identity of a long-lost Texas teenager, fooling authorities and the boy’s family for an alarming span of time. There, Layton interviewed both the family and the con man, exposing conflicting stories and urging the audience to find the truth for themselves.
Then came 2018’s American Animals.
Blending documentary and narrative drama, Layton unfurled the bizarre story of four college students who tried their hand at a heist inspired by their favorite movies. Layton cast dynamic actors like Keoghan and Evan Peters to play these wannabe Reservoir Dogs. He also worked with the real-life thieves, both in talking-head interviews and by interjecting them next to their fictional counterparts, breaking the fourth wall to reflect on their memories and emotions in moments from their lives as portrayed onscreen.
Both films present charismatic criminals whose charms are impossible to ignore. Then, both films complicate the audiences’ feelings for these rogues by capturing the devastation left in their wake. So, though I’d never read the Don Winslow novella on which Crime 101 is built, I was champing at the bit to see what Layton would do next. What he’s done is craft a competent crime thriller, shining with star power and splashy big-budget action sequences. But there’s something missing.
Hemsworth stars as a modern bandit who pulls off a string of heists along Los Angeles’ 101 freeway. His crimes are meticulously researched, finding the weak point in deliveries of diamonds and cash. He leaves behind no clues to his identity (thanks to a mask and colored contacts), and he’s committed to leaving no victims physically injured. With so many thefts in L.A., most cops don’t see the connection between his crimes. But for LAPD Detective Lou Lubesnick (Ruffalo), the pattern is clear.
Rather than focusing solely on the cat-and-mouse game between the thief, named Mike, and the detective, Crime 101 bounces from each of their arcs — which respectively include a new girlfriend and a gutting divorce — as well as two other figures who get pulled into the thief’s plans.
The first is Sharon Colvin (Berry), a 53-year-old insurance broker who’s hitting the glass ceiling at her posh but bro-y office. Sure, when this dashing thief suggests he give her intel in exchange for a life-changing cut of the loot, she’s initially dismissive. But soon enough, they’re in cahoots. And they’re being watched. Keoghan — who, between American Animals, Saltburn, and The Killing of a Sacred Deer, has been upping his intimidation game — plays a hotheaded young thief called Ormon, sporting bleach-blond hair as he rides a cacophonic motorcycle.
With a big payday in sight, Crime 101 follows each thread to a dramatic conclusion that’s likely to please thriller fans. Perhaps I’m greedy for wanting — or expecting — something more.
We’ve seen them play the Avengers, Thor and Hulk — Hemsworth a swaggering blind god, Ruffalo a passionate yet easily flustered scientist. Here, the American actor is more the crumpled but earnest cop from David Fincher’s Zodiac, but minus the self confidence. Lou has the demeanor of a kicked street dog: guarded, alert, but hopeful for a change of fortune. Left by his wife and disrespected by his peers, who think his 101 bandit theory is bonkers, Lou needs this collar, not just to save his job but to resecure his faith in himself.
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In sharp contrast, Hemsworth surrenders the megawatt smile, the theatrical bravado, and the himbo comedy prowess he’s shown as Thor. Instead, Mike is more in line with his role in Michael Mann’s Blackhat. Stoic and subdued, Mike has a hint of social awkwardness, because he’s always masking to some degree to protect himself. Intellectually, this is an interesting contrast, especially to Berry’s emotional broker and Keoghan’s impulsive punk. However, this muted performance means Mike comes across pretty flat onscreen. But Layton doesn’t offer another dynamically charming rogue to toy with our heads and hearts. He offers a sullen hunk with a tragic backstory that gives context for his criminal path. And then he offers a chaos goblin.
The difference between Mike and Ormon is the difference between a gentleman pirate and a time bomb. One uses a code of conduct to attempt to lessen the negative impact of his crimes; the other is a disaster waiting to happen. Where Hemsworth has the broad shoulders, height, and strong jaw of a standard Hollywood leading man, Keoghan has a mug that oozes with snarls, snarks, and spit as his Ormon unleashes on frightened bank tellers, quivering customers, and even a crying baby.
Their contrast follows the thread of Layton’s past explorations of the allure of the criminal. One, played by Hemsworth, is the fantasy, a thief who is handsome, smart, non-violent, and only robs from the rich (or the well-insured). Keoghan is the nightmare, a mercurial smash-and-grab robber who counts violence as a necessary tool, and has no qualms about who he harms or how. However, this contrast sets Mike up as an almost Robin Hood-like figure, minimizing the harm he’s done by suggesting it could be worse. He could be Ormon.
Undoubtedly, Crime 101 is a slick and successful crime thriller. Layton has cleverly cast big names who do well with their roles. The twists of the story are enough to keep audiences on their toes. The car chases are stellar stuff, recalling the cramped intensity of The Bourne Identity over the glossy, gonzo action of Fast and Furious movies. There’s a slow-burning sex appeal between various stars, though centered around Berry. Layton’s painting of L.A. is rich in neon lights against dark nights, evoking a sense of danger even in mellower sequences. But rather than feeling like Layton is upping his game, bringing bigger names to his unique brand of nuanced and enthralling storytelling, Crime 101 feels like he’s showing Hollywood he knows how to play by their rules. The movie works fine, but it doesn’t hit as hard or linger in my mind the way The Imposter and American Animals did. I’m hopeful next time, Layton won’t play nice.
