Chris Hemsworth Leads Star-Studded Cast in Stylish LA Heist Thriller Crime 101

The Master Thief Meets His Match

Chris Hemsworth transforms into Mike Davis, a sophisticated diamond thief who stakes out jewelry stores and executes high-stakes heists along Los Angeles' 101 freeway . Unlike typical Hollywood criminals, Davis is a talented thief who knows how to get what he wants without resorting to violence . His meticulously planned robberies go off without a hitch, making him skilled at what he does as part of many high-profile jewelry thefts happening along the Pacific Coast Highway and close to LA's 101 freeway .

Based on Don Winslow's 2020 novella and directed by Bart Layton, Crime 101 arrives as a 2026 crime thriller that serves as an excellent throwback crime thriller the type of which are not really made anymore . When a job early in the movie turns slightly sideways, it makes Davis think twice about working with his handler Nick Nolte, who seems to prefer someone with a stronger touch, like the up-and-coming Ormon played by Barry Keoghan .

An Unlikely Alliance Forms

When Davis eyes the score of a lifetime, his path crosses that of a disillusioned insurance broker Halle Berry who is facing her own crossroads . Sharon Coombs is an insurance broker who works exclusively with mega-rich clients, arranging policies to protect their paintings, expensive homes and even their weddings . Her Sharon Coombs is a high-end insurance broker who hawks pricey policies to wealthy clients, sugaring her pitch with a hint of seduction, but she's been with her firm 11 years while the old boys' network keeps hedging on making her a partner .

Davis engineers his biggest heist with the help of hellfire-spitting Sharon Coombs, an insurance broker for one-percenters who so hates one sexist, ageist client Steven Monroe that she buys into Davis's plan to wipe out the old perv's diamond cache for escape money . Meanwhile, a relentless detective Mark Ruffalo is closing in, convinced he has found a pattern, raising the stakes even higher .

Classic Crime Thriller With Modern Edge

The film evokes William Friedkin's To Live and Die in LA and Michael Mann's Chicago-set thriller Thief, delivering a similar missive from a neon city . The neon-lit sprawling LA cityscapes, the electro-infused soundtrack, and the portrayal of methodical, cool criminals all give off that classic 90s thriller feel . This is a classic crime thriller that does a great job building tension and executing suspense .

It's Berry who comes out on top in Crime 101, infusing Sharon with a fierceness that's underscored by bitter fury at a misogynistic power structure, and despite her insurance broker being denigrated as over the hill at 53, the Oscar winner proves as commanding as ever . Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo and Halle Berry are excellent as the three main leads as is Barry Keoghan as the unpredictable wild card .

A Heist Film for Modern Audiences

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 . Davis has the final heist of 11 Million all in, after a bust up with an organizer, followed by Ormon who is more reckless than him and wants to take his score, with pacing that hits about a 20 minute lull before picking up .

Crime 101 has most of the ingredients to be another great entry in the genre, and it succeeds when it actually decides to deliver on its promise, but too much of the film is spent on things that have no real bearing on plot or character development . The film demonstrates how classic heist formulas can still resonate when executed with style and anchored by committed performances from a stellar cast navigating the moral complexities of modern Los Angeles.