Crime 101

It's not particularly original to compare Crime 101 to Michael Mann's Heat, but that's only because of how nakedly writer/director Bart Layton is quoting it. His adaptation of Don Winslow's 2020 novella brings a modern flare to the car chases, adds a subplot of criminal in-fighting, and dials down the moral complexity, but the story is unmistakable. It's a game of cat and mouse between a grizzled cop whose marriage is on the outs (Mark Ruffalo) and a professional thief (Chris Hemsworth) whose opposition to violence and meticulous planning has kept him out of trouble, until someone else's short fuse brings heightened scrutiny. Only in this version, the colorful cast of characters surrounding both are largely stripped away. No one in the department, apart from Lou, even believes these robberies are connected. And Mike Davis is a lone operator, only working with Money (no, seriously, that's the name of Nick Nolte's character) on picking targets. Well, until Mike objects to a job, and Money gives it to the far more chaotic Ormon (Barry Keoghan, of course).

It's a solid conceit, but the actual forward momentum doesn't reveal itself until a little later. A hacker passes points Mike at Sharon (Halle Berry), a high-value insurance broker, whom he stalks then befriends in an attempt to capitalize on her frustration at being passed over for a promotion again. Sure enough, she comes around, and hands over info about an upcoming $11 million diamond deal her company is insuring, and he begins working on a plan.

Read my full review on Pop Culture Maniacs.