Crime 101 (2026)

A superlative heist thriller and underworld melodrama that shares DNA with Michael Mann films but stands out for its class-conscious portrait of L.A. society and memorable characters. It features strong performances, gripping car chases, and an unexpectedly moving story about personal failure and transformation.

The critic hails an impressive slow-burn thriller that sustains tension through meticulous heists and erupts into a nerve-jangling climax. It singles out the quality cast and Layton’s direction for praise.

Crime 101 is a compulsive cops-and-robbers yarn for adults set in a universe adjacent to Michael Mann’s Heat, with Chris Hemsworth rarely better as a neurotic jewel thief and Mark Ruffalo as a shambolic detective. It is methodical and moody with a top-notch cast, grittily rewarding though lacking the depth of Heat.

The critic praises the smart, slick LA heist thriller as a satisfying throwback full of crackling dialogue and adrenalised chases. It singles out the strong central performances and noirish locations for praise.

A clever, compelling character-driven jewel-heist thriller more focused on lost souls in a corrupt world than on crime itself. It features tip-top performances (especially Hemsworth's edgy turn and Ruffalo as the last honest cop) and an expansive feel for L.A., with strong climactic tension despite some indulgences.

The critic describes it as a refreshingly mature and sturdy genre exercise with an unexpected polite streak, praising its sober restraint and well-crafted characters while noting a familiarity to polished cops-and-robbers melodramas.

The critic views the film as a confident reaffirmation of the enduring pleasures of the LA crime-thriller genre, delivering a smart, slow-burn caper with strong sense of place. It singles out the use of Los Angeles locations and the central crook-detective dynamic for praise.

The critic praises the film's sleek, modern take on Heat with a strong cast and LA setting, noting it runs like a finely tuned engine as a return to mid-budget thrillers with 2020s nihilism. They highlight how it blurs lines between thieves and the system while questioning financial security.

An absorbing, moody thriller that draws visual and thematic inspiration from Michael Mann films like Heat and Collateral while sidestepping many L.A. clichés. It excels in its hypnotic freeway imagery, strong lead performances, and philosophical take on work and integrity, though it has some L.A. grasp issues and derivativeness.

The critic calls it a solidly enjoyable and well-constructed slick thriller with crisp LA photography and strong performances, especially from Berry, but notes it struggles beyond familiar tropes and archetypes without much to remember.

A Los Angeles crime saga that borrows heavily from Michael Mann's Heat, feeling like 'reheated' leftovers but still offering satisfactions through its charismatic cast, evocative locations, and granular details on crime and insurance.

The critic calls the film mostly serviceable thanks to its strong cast but faults the weak, forgettable script and heavy reliance on Heat. It singles out the lack of an intriguing hook and mandated romance for complaint.

A familiar L.A. cop thriller that knows Heat too well, with strong tension, gritty locations, action sequences, and compelling turns from Ruffalo and Keoghan. It falters with overly obvious dialogue, shallow wellness-culture subtext, and a script that relies too much on plot.

The critic finds the film a tepid, overly derivative throwback to Michael Mann’s Heat, cribbing its structure and characters without matching its intensity. It singles out the oppressive visual sheen and pandering anti-capitalist elements for complaint.

Crime 101 is popcorn of the very classiest gourmet variety, a slick cat-and-mouse thriller that is both cool and frenzied with strong turns from Halle Berry and Barry Keoghan. Layton plays it straight as a by-the-book genre number after his earlier docudrama style.

The critic calls out blatant Michael Mann imitations but concludes the Los Angeles-set ensemble crime thriller is far from terrible, crediting the cinematic city setting and strong turns from Halle Berry and Mark Ruffalo.

The critic finds the film plays by the book like its protagonist's criminal code, going through procedural motions with nods to neo-noirs but offering only diverting action scenes and shallow social commentary.

The film is an enjoyable and very stylish high-stakes armed robbery thriller about a controlled, super-cool thief seeking one last job. It revs entertainingly but is less convincing on social comment, overall a highly watchable spectacle.

The critic finds the film well-made but overly familiar, praising the labyrinthine storyline, superb production values, and excellent performances from an overstuffed cast while noting it strains to be more than the sum of its polished parts.

This LA-set thriller from Bart Layton starring Chris Hemsworth as an elite diamond thief is enjoyably superior hokum with hints of Heat and Halle Berry perfect in a key role.

The critic praises the film as a rich, sprawling neo-noir that focuses on characters facing obsolescence in a money-driven society, highlighting strong performances especially from Hemsworth, Ruffalo, and Berry. They note its ambitious length and comparison to classic crime films but mention it lacks some indie energy.

The critic finds it a thrilling, stylish crime thriller with strong performances and direction, though reliant on clichés from films like Drive and Heat; praises the cast, pacing, and climax but notes a melodramatic ending.

The critic praises it as a confident, intelligent crime thriller with patient, grounded storytelling and strong performances, especially from Berry, Hemsworth, and Ruffalo. They highlight the nuanced characters, subtle suspense, and director's trust in the audience as standout elements.

The review finds it almost great but flawed, with slick visuals and strong cast but lacking depth on LA and themes feeling like afterthought; praises performances but notes Hemsworth's character is distant. It concludes the flaws are minor and the film still succeeds on its own terms.

The critic finds it a solid, old-school crime thriller throwback that succeeds on familiar charms and strong performances without reinventing the wheel. They single out the enjoyable, straightforward pacing and Hemsworth's likable 'criminal with a heart of gold' portrayal for praise, while noting it lacks the edge of classics like Heat.

The critic views it as a familiar, Heat-coded noir that fails to distinguish itself enough despite good intentions and a strong cast. They single out the lack of flair, idiosyncrasies, or fresh life in the characters and procedural elements for complaint.