Crime 101

Directed by Bart Layton, Crime 101 follows a disciplined jewel thief (Chris Hemsworth’s Mike) as his exploits bring him into contact with, among others, Mark Ruffalo’s Lou, Barry Keoghan’s Ormon, and Halle Berry’s Sharon. Filmmaker Layton, armed with his own screenplay, delivers an engaging, entertaining thriller that admittedly could’ve used some streamlining, as the picture’s 140 minute runtime results in more than a few lulls within the dense narrative – with this particularly true of a final stretch that effectively wears out its welcome (ie the movie refuses to end, it seems like). It’s clear, then, that Crime 101 benefits substantially from its raft of exciting sequences and assortment of solid performances, as, in terms of the latter, Hemsworth’s commanding leading-man turn is echoed in the top-notch efforts of his various costars – with, especially, Keoghan’s live-wire turn as a volatile assassin injecting the proceedings with random (and much-needed) bursts of electricity. The final result is a perpetually watchable endeavor that often feels like it should be so much better, which is a shame, ultimately, given that Crime 101‘s premise and cast could’ve paved the way for a superb, Heat-like cops-and-robbers saga.

*** out of ****