CRIME 101 (2026)

Crime 101 (2026) is not another action-thriller high stakes heist film featuring a handful of Hollywood a-listers. Well, actually, I guess it is all of those things. But it’s a film that sheds light on the widening socio-economic gap, how woman are unfairly treated in the workforce (even when you’re a significant bottom-line top performer), the foster-care system, and how compassion can change the world – or at least the world of a few otherwise good people doing bad things. Which gives the film many character-driven story nuances, and with them, it also gives it heart.

Mike / James Davis (Chris Hemsworth) leads the story as a ‘good guy doing bad things’ elusive thief building towards his final ‘walk-away money’ score. Unbeknownst to Davis, Detective Lou Lubesnick (Mark Ruffalo) is not far behind him, piecing together the patterns in Davis` work hoping to identify and apprehend him. Thrown into the mix is Ormon (Barry Keogham), an up-and-coming unpredictable thief with an anger management problem looking to take some of Davis` jobs, Maya (Monica Barbaro), a beautiful distraction that Davis takes interest in, and Sharon Colvin (Halle Berry), an 11 year over-achieving insurance writer for the ultra wealthy who becomes embroiled in Davis` final score plans after being mistreated in the workplace for the last time.

All of the actors give performances worthy of their status, with special recognition going to Hemsworth for his portrayal of Davis as an ‘order in chaos’ chasing perfectionist. Director Bart Layton seems to have guided Hemsworth into a whole new area of character portrayal, pulling a whole different skillset from his performance by utilizing dialogue-free heavily controlled body language and facial expressions, building Davis` personality more than dialogue ever could.

No nods taken from Keogham (Ormon) of course, who must’ve gone to some really dark places psychologically in order to portray such a frenzied, police-hating and violent thief. Being the second feature length film, after American Animals (2018) that Keoghan and Layton have worked on together I’m sure must’ve contributed to the two being able to get these amazing sequences on camera together.

Layton also brought cinematographer Erik Wilson back to work with him on Crime 101 (2026), they’d previously worked on the documentary film The Imposter (2012), and Wilson did a fantastic job shooting a slick, yet not too stylized, film. Some of the camera movement places you right into the character’s shoes and while there are a few car chase scenes none of them look so over-rehearsed that you can feel the impacts and mistakes that stem out from that kind of action.

Overall, Crime 101 (2026), is a great thrill-ride with well developed characters taking you on their intersecting individual journeys. Clocking in at 2 hours and 19 minutes, some people would balk at the runtime for an action-thriller, but the story has excellent pacing. Slowing down when it needs a beat to breathe and speeding up in intense moments where it needs to – I wasn’t even aware when the film ended that the time had already elapsed.

I didn’t even see the twist coming at the end – but it was worth every minute.

Note:
Crime 101 (2026) celebrated its North American premiere in Los Angeles, USA on February 10th, 2026. Amazon MGM Studios & Amazon MGM Studios Canada releases the film theatrically in Canada and the USA on February 13th, 2026.

Actor Barry Keoghan (Ormon) in the film Crime 101 (2026).
Film Still: Merrick Morton / Amazon MGM Studios

Actor Halle Berry (Sharon Colvin) in the film Crime 101 (2026).
Film Still: Merrick Morton / Amazon MGM Studios