Crime 101 is an entertaining and thrilling heist film with several interconnected and intertwined storylines that all converge in a tense final moment. Pick this one up on 6/30 on 4k UHD or Blu-ray.
“When an elusive jewel thief (Chris Hemsworth) eyes the score of a lifetime, his path crosses that of a disillusioned insurance broker (Halle Berry) who is facing her own crossroads. Convinced he has found a pattern, a relentless detective (Mark Ruffalo) is closing in, raising the stakes even higher. 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.”
Crime 101 is an excellent modern heist thriller that delivers strong performances and an engaging, multi-threaded story reminiscent of Michael Mann’s Heat. Directed by Bart Layton (American Animals, The Imposter), the film weaves together several intersecting narratives, creating a sense of a criminal underworld where every character has their own motivations and pressures. While it doesn’t quite reach the towering heights of Heat, it’s still one of the more entertaining and satisfying entries in the genre in recent years.
The cast is outstanding across the board. Chris Hemsworth brings charm, intensity, and quiet calculation to the lead thief role, making him both magnetic and dangerous. Mark Ruffalo is excellent as the obsessive detective, delivering a grounded, dogged performance that anchors the procedural side of the story. Halle Berry adds emotional depth as the insurance broker pulled into the fray. Supporting roles from Barry Keoghan, Monica Barbaro, and others help flesh out the ensemble.
The story is intricate and intertwined, with multiple storylines that converge in satisfying ways. The pacing is excellent overall, building tension steadily and delivering some genuinely intense, adrenaline-pumping sequences. It doesn’t redefine the heist genre or push major new boundaries, but it’s a competent, well-crafted film that knows exactly what it wants to be and executes it with style.
One downside to the film is that I felt like there are occasionally too many characters and subplots to keep fully track of, which risks the film feeling a touch convoluted at times. I particularly disliked the Barry Keoghan and Nick Nolte characters and their storyline, and Nolte’s dialogue was borderline impossible to understand. Keeping Heat as an example of building a multiple-narrative storyline, with that film, you genuinely understand the characters and their motivations. They seem layered, three dimensional. The characters in this film, particularly Chris Hemsworth’s character, didn’t feel like it had that much depth. It’s great that he’s a criminal who doesn’t like to hurt people and he’s come from a underprivileged past, but with a run-time right around 140 minutes, I just didn’t feel as connected to him as I felt I should have been. Despite these minor frustrations, Crime 101 keeps you relatively engaged right up to the end.
Video
The 4K UHD release presents the film in sharp 2160p with Dolby Vision HDR. Los Angeles locations look vibrant yet gritty, with strong contrast, excellent detail in faces and environments, and solid black levels that enhance the nighttime heist sequences.
Audio
Audio is delivered in immersive Dolby Atmos, with dynamic surrounds for the chases, heists, and score. Dialogue is mostly clear (outside of the Nolte scenes), and the mix gives the action real weight. This was one of my favorite aspects of this disc, as the adrenaline-pumping score pulses during the intense sequences and overall delivers a great mix.
Special Features
This disc includes a slipcover, but no digital code.
No extras on this disc. A shame for fans wanting to know more in-depth behind-the-scenes information, but not entirely surprising given the studio. I am just thankful a physical release was made.
This is also available on Blu-ray or 4k Ultra HD. The 4k set does not include a Blu-ray disc.
Crime 101 on 4K is a strong, entertaining heist thriller with top-tier performances and enough tension to keep you hooked. This one comes out on 6/30.
