Crime 101

Crime 101 Review: A standard yet well-done crime thriller

Brighton Nelson

24 Feb 2026 — 4 min read

I was really excited for my Crime 101 and How to Make A Killing double-feature because, well, they would both be diving into the same concept: crime sprees. While the trailer of How to Make A Killing sold me far more, Crime 101 was getting far better reviews, so I was excited to see how my opinion of the two films panned out. So, what did I think about the film? Did Crime 101 live up to the expectations my fellow critic friends set for the film? That's what I, Brighton Nelson, will be exploring in today's review.

This film had a lot of great posters. None of them felt super generic, and they fit with the style of the film.

Crime 101 follows Chris Hemsworth's Mike, a jewel thief who always targets jewelry stores along the 101 highway. The film also follows Mark Ruffalo's Detective Lubesnick and Halle Berry's Sharon, an insurance broker who serves as the film's morally ambiguous character. The plot of this film is rather simple: Mike is trying to execute his next crime, but another thief tries to get in his way. However, the execution of this plot and its layers was quite great at times.

The best part of Crime 101 is the performances of the three main protagonists. The way they are written and acted makes them impressively interesting. Mark Ruffalo brings a lot of fun charm, Christ Hemsworth is grounded and mysterious, and Halle Berry is the most relatable entry point for the audience. By contrast, the worst part of the film is that, while the plot has solid moments, by the end, I felt like I was left with the feeling, "That was it?"

Crime 101 is a very competent crime thriller, but it doesn't really do much to break new ground for the genre; instead, it aims to make a slick, standard, strong yet safe entry. Lots of films like this focus on style over substance, but here the focus is on the characters' relationships, not a flamboyant visual style. Chris Hemsworth does a great job playing the physically awkward lead, a solid departure from his usual bravado and main-character energy.

While I do love the simplicity, execution, and throwback vibe of Crime 101, I always felt like there was going to be one more twist or one more reason to over-the-top the film into something incredible, yet that moment never came. The only truly interesting elements of the plot are the morally gray choices of Sharon and the fact that, in a sense, Mike is pardoned for choosing to do the right thing at the end. While the other elements are done competently, with a 140-minute runtime, a few more twists and turns would've been greatly appreciated.

Crime 101 review — The cool posters just never stop, I guess.

The Reel Ranker Verdict

Reel or Unreel? - Reel
The Reel Ranker Score: 73%
Letter Score: B+
Star Ranking: 3.5 out of 5

With a loaded cast and great characters, Crime 101 cuts out a solid reputation as a crime thriller, even if the film struggles to set itself apart from better genre films. It's a solid film, but it isn't a instant classic. When the credits roll, you'll feel the film was worth the price, but it also won't linger in your mind. Sadly, this wasn't even the best crime thriller released this week...

Interested in checking out my reviews for some other recent thrilling experiences? Check them out below!