Crime 101, the crime thriller starring Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo, is out this week, and ahead of its release, it’s debuted to some strong reviews.
What are the Crime 101 reviews saying?
On Rotten Tomatoes, Crime 101 has debuted to a very strong 88% with critics, with 48 reviews already having been added. The movie’s reactions have mostly been good, with many praising the action setpieces, spectacle, and a solid ode to the heist movies of the past.
IndieWire’s Ryan Lattanzio said while the movie does often run like a “remodeled version” of past heist movies, it has “enough gas in the tank and competence at the wheel to merit a spin.” TheWrap’s William Bibbiani had similar sentiments, noting that “the plot can be humdrum, and it often lacks drive, yet the skilled cast and sleek visual style keep our eyes locked on the screen anyway.”
AV Club’s Jarrod Jones also had positive things to say, noting “Crime 101 is a sturdy offering for those who miss losing an afternoon at the movies with a reasonably engrossing drama made for adults.” While some critics were positive, though, not every review was. Empire Magazine’s Ben Travis noted that “Crime 101 offers little to remember after the closing credits,” while ComingSoon’s Jonathan Sim also said the film “spends too long finding its footing, resulting in a film that improves as it goes but never fully overcomes its sluggish start.”
“Set against the sun-bleached grit of Los Angeles, the movie weaves the tale of an elusive thief whose high-stakes heists unfolding along the iconic 101 freeway have mystified police,” reads the official synopsis. “When he eyes the score of a lifetime with hopes of this being his final job, his path collides with a disillusioned insurance broker who is facing her own crossroads, forcing the two to collaborate. Determined to crack the case, a relentless detective closes in on the operation, raising the stakes even higher. As the multimillion-dollar heist approaches, the line between hunter and hunted begins to blur, and all three are forced to confront the cost of their choices–and the realization that there’s no turning back.”
Crime 101 is written and directed by Bart Layton, based on Don Winslow’s 2020 novella of the same name. Alongside Hemsworth and Ruffalo, Crime 101 also stars Barry Keoghan, Monica Barbaro, Corey Hawkins, and Jennifer Jason Leigh, with Nick Nolte and Halle Berry. In addition to leading the cast, Hemsworth is also serving as a producer, along with Layton.
Executive producers are Bergen Swanson, Sarah-Jane Wright, Amelia Granger, Joely Fether, and Peter Straughan. The R-rated movie is produced by Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Derrin Schlesinger, Dimitri Doganis, Shane Salerno, and Benjamin Grayson. It hails from Amazon MGM Studios, A Working Title, RAW, Wild State Production, in association with The Story Factory.