'Crime 101' review: This crime thriller is one of my favorite movies of the year so far

Opinion
By published

Chris Hemsworth vs Barry Keoghan vs. Mark Ruffalo is a must-watch event

(L-R) Mark Ruffalo and Chris Hemsworth in "Crime 101"
(Image credit: Dean Rogers)
Tom's Guide Verdict: 'Crime 101'

  • Rating: 3.5/5 stars
  • Verdict: "Crime 101" is an enjoyable crime drama that nearly achieves greatness. There are a few head-scratching moments, and the ending wraps things up the story too neatly, but you'll have a blast watching Chris Hemsworth, Barry Keoghan and Mark Ruffalo engaged in a potentially deadly game of cat and mouse. Or, like me, you'll spend the entire movie comparing it to "Heat," which I promise isn't me damning this new heist thriller with faint praise.
  • Where to watch: "Crime 101" premieres in theaters on Feb. 13

"Crime 101" is premiering in theaters this Friday (Feb. 13), and you might reasonably be wondering if you can wait to see this Amazon MGM Studios movie on Prime Video. Having seen it for myself, the short answer is that ... you could. There's nothing about the cinematography or production design of this crime thriller that demands the big screen. But despite that, I wouldn't wait to go see it, because this heist movie is one of my favorite movies of the year so far.

But perhaps the biggest knock against this movie is that it's simply been done better before. That's arguably too harsh; this movie brings some great performances to the table, particularly from Barry Keoghan as the unhinged, trigger-happy Ormon. As you watch it, though, you can't stop yourself from comparing "Crime 101" to Michael Mann's 1995 crime thriller "Heat."

Malcolm McMillan
Malcolm McMillan

Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022, and thinks that few things are more satisfying to watch than a well-executed heist movie.

'Crime 101' is 'Heat' lite, and that's not necessarily a bad thing

Let's be clear: Being compared to "Heat" is not necessarily a bad thing. Mann's heist drama is excellent, so if a movie can be compared positively to it, then that movie is in good company.

But it's tough to deny the similarities between the two movies. "Crime 101" stars Chris Hemsworth as a jewel thief who operates under his own code. He plans meticulously, he doesn't hurt people, and he only robs locations off the 101 freeway in Southern California. He's not a dead ringer for Robert De Niro's Neil McCauley. Still, they both share a similar feeling of discomfort with normal society, an abhorrence to unnecessary violence and they develop relationships with civilian women during their criminal careers that they then struggle to balance. They're also both excellent thieves.

Crime 101 | Official Trailer - YouTube Crime 101 | Official Trailer - YouTube
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More importantly, though, their success and methods gain the attention and respect of a dogged detective who is desperate to bring in a thief they feel they're so close to catching. In "Heat," it's Al Pacino as Vincent Hanna coming for De Niro's McCauley. In "Crime 101," it's Mark Ruffalo as Det. Lou Lubesnick, who is coming after Hemsworth's Mike Davis.

Here's where things diverge, though. While "Heat" does feature a psychopathic killer thief, Kevin Cage's Waingro is not on the same level as Keoghan's Omron. There are more than a few instances in the movie where you think Omron has genuinely lost his mind, including in a chase scene that ends with Mike having to stop himself from shooting Omron in a convenience store, something that Omron seems to be goading him into.

Another major divergence is the way "Heat" is willing to kill its darlings. Without giving away the ending of "Crime 101," the movie wraps itself up nicely and cleanly. Too cleanly, to be honest. It's not quite a fairytale ending, but it's far closer to that than "Heat," which could give "Hamlet" a run for its money in terms of the final body count. I didn't need both movies to end the same way, but I felt that "Crime 101" left a bit on the table, unwilling to condemn most of its characters.

That said, "Crime 101" isn't just a heist movie. It's also an exploration of ego and how people react when pushed. Mike is a thief because his upbringing pushed him to it. He's pushed into the main heist of the movie because his old partner (Nick Nolte) runs a job without him. That only happens because the partner feels pushed by Mike into running a job that Mike got cold feet about. It's Omron who is brought in to do the job, and he's driven by living up to his father's criminal legacy and proving that he's as good a thief as anyone, including Mike.

Ruffalo's Detective Lubesnick is also pushed into the choices he makes. His wife is having an affair and leaves him, he's not advancing in the LAPD and he's so certain he knows Mike is the one robbing these jewelry stores, yet his boss is more concerned with the department's clearance rate than catching criminals. Similarly, Sharon Colvin, an insurance broker played by Hallie Berry, and the final piece on the chessboard, makes her choices because she realizes she's stuck in a dead-end job, so she's pushed into making a drastic decision. There's some similar exploration of the human psyche in "Heat," but it's less of a constantly repeating theme of the film.

Verdict: Don't miss 'Crime 101' while it's in theaters

Barry Keoghan in "Crime 101"

(Image credit: Merrick Morton)

I know I just spent several paragraphs comparing this movie to "Heat," a better movie that you can watch on Hulu or Disney Plus from the comfort of your own home. But I do think you should see "Crime 101" in theaters. It brings a few things to the table that "Heat" doesn't offer. Yes, Hemsworth vs. Ruffalo is very much De Niro vs. Pacino, but there's nobody quite like Barry Keoghan in "Heat."

There's also nobody quite like Hallie Berry in "Heat" either. She's involved with essentially every player in this game of cat-and-mouse. The closest comparison might be Vera Farmiga in "The Departed," though it's not a total like-for-like. Especially since Berry's Sharon does have agency in the crimes being committed in this heist thriller.

So yes, the story, while often compelling, isn't the most original. Nor are the characters. But the performances of those storylines and those characters are unique, and they're the selling point of this movie that's loaded with acting talent. If you love a crime thriller, "Crime 101" is definitely a must-watch.

"Crime 101" opens in theaters on February 13

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Malcolm McMillan
Malcolm McMillan
Streaming Editor

Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He's not one to shy away from a hot take, including that "John Wick" is one of the four greatest films ever made.

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