Bart Layton's 'Crime 101' has received a positive review for its character-driven take on a jewel-heist story. The film stars Chris Hemsworth as a meticulous thief navigating the Los Angeles underworld, alongside Mark Ruffalo and Halle Berry. It opens in theaters with projected earnings of $15 million to $17 million over the extended weekend.
Bart Layton's 'Crime 101,' an adaptation of Don Winslow's novella, explores the Los Angeles underworld through a lens focused more on character than action. The film follows Davis (Chris Hemsworth), a jewel thief who conducts targeted robberies along the 101 freeway without harming anyone. His boss, Money (Nick Nolte), pressures him into riskier jobs, leading to conflicts with thug Ormon (Barry Keoghan). Meanwhile, LAPD detective Lou Lubesnick (Mark Ruffalo) pursues Davis while grappling with departmental corruption that prioritizes case closures over integrity. Insurance broker Sharon Coombs (Halle Berry), facing a glass ceiling at her firm, becomes entangled with both Davis and Lou.
The review praises the film's clever and compelling approach, noting its grippingly unchoreographed car chases and moody intrigue reminiscent of Michael Mann's 'Thief.' Hemsworth's performance as the edgy, anxious Davis stands out, with Variety describing it as one of his best, marked by 'a glint of dread in his eye.' Ruffalo portrays Lou as the 'Last Honest Cop in L.A.,' doughy and unshaven, whose girlfriend (Jennifer Jason Leigh) leaves him amid professional frustrations. Berry infuses Sharon with vibrance undercut by anger and despair, making her connections to the criminal and law enforcement sides emotionally credible despite contrivances.
Directed and written by Layton, the 139-minute R-rated film runs through an elaborate opening diamond theft and builds to a climactic robbery at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel involving deception and a shootout. Produced by Amazon MGM Studios for $90 million, it features Monica Barbaro as Davis's love interest Maya and Corey Hawkins in the cast. Opening February 11, 2026, from 3,000 locations, 'Crime 101' is projected to earn $15 million to $17 million domestically over the President's Day weekend, trailing behind 'Wuthering Heights' but ahead of family film 'GOAT.'
