Crime 101
Crime 101
Starring Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Halle Berry, Barry Keoghan
Directed by Bart Layton
Mike Davis (Chris Hemsworth) is a Los Angeles jewel thief who has a M.O. - he's never violent, and his capers all occur near the Los Angeles Highway 101. He has a code that he lives by, and is so meticulous and cautious that he never leaves a trace of his existence, which frustrates detective Lou Lubesnick (Mark Ruffalo), a rugged man on the outs with his force because of his years-long obsession with catching him. While Mike tries to have a normal life and begins a relationship with Maya (Monica Barbaro), he gets spooked off a case and his handler Money (Nick Nolte) brings in Ormon (Barry Keoghan), a psychotic young hotshot who doesn't share in Mike's values.
Meanwhile, Sharon Colvin (Halle Berry) has been working eleven years as an insurance broker in an all-male company who gets constantly overlooked for promotions despite her talent and abilities, and her firm works for the company that insured the jewels Mike robbed recently. This draws Mike's attention toward her, and offers her a compelling deal - join him in stealing from wealthy socialite Steve Monroe (Tate Donovan) during his wedding. At first reluctant, Sharon discovers that she's in deeper than she thought, and realizes her true worth doesn't lie in the male-dominated society. One final heist, with both Lou and Ormon on his heels, Mike risks it all to ensure a better life.
"Crime 101" is one of those classic thief capers that is reminiscent of Michael Mann films that includes all the hallmarks - action, compelling characters, top-notch performances, and a highly cerebral storyline - but the only downside to the film is how polished it is. It's clean, it's sanitary, and there's little to no threat to any of the characters we know about. While a psychotic thief is on their heels, and does an effective job at scaring them in certain moments, there's no real sense of danger for them. Perhaps its due to how well they're performed and written that you don't want anything to happen to them, or how they always stay numerous steps ahead, but the lack of excitement on that end is a small (very, very small) detriment to the film. Overall, it's a masterpiece of the modern thief subgenre.
Unlike other movies like this, "Crime 101" focuses on the characters and their connection to one another in ways that make them more unified than divided. Mike is a thief, but he only steals from criminals, and he doesn't use violence, serving more like a Robin Hood figure more than any nefarious purposes, even though he's out to better himself. Although he remains tight-lipped, you know that he had a rough upbringing that brought him to that point in life, where he doesn't value wealth but needs it to live a comfortable life. Chris Hemsworth embodies this role perfectly, even if he's a bit too good looking to pull it off. There's a side story where he is looking for love and turns to hookers to find it, before a woman accidentally hits his car and they hit it off, but of course he's not going to tell her what he really does. Monica Barbaro does an admirable job as the questionable Maya, a nice woman who wants to understand what Mike is doing but gets frustrated with the lack of transparency.
Mark Ruffalo's Detective Lou Lubesnick is reminiscent of the classic hard-boiled detective characters like Colombo, Dick Tracy and Mike Hammer - a man who gets too involved in his work that he abandons his real life and lives in a very lower-middle-class way. He's sacrificed relationships, friendships, and his fellow officers in his pursuit of Mike, spending years chasing leads that the others won't touch. He goes against the grain, oftentimes appearing unkempt, and drives a beat-up old car - a polar opposite to Hemsworth's flashy, high-end cars and model-like appearance. Ruffalo always thrives in his roles, and this is one of his best.
Rounding out this trio is Halle Berry's Sharon Colvin, a woman who doesn't get a lot of sleep (as we see in several instances when she wakes up to find her sleep score being a failure) and listens to self-help tapes to get her through the day. She is intelligent and calculated, but her advanced age has shut a few doors that she wished were open, or at least that's what her boss tells her. She's been at the same company for eleven years and constantly denied promotions while new, male hires get the spots she's been gunning for. Although she brokers great deals, she gets overlooked constantly, which is why she's drawn to Mike's proposal because not only will it set her up for life as well, but it'll give her a chance to get back at those who denied her talents. Halle Berry is also stellar in her role, as this film proves the perfect casting.
Underlying all of this is Barry Keoghan's volatile Ormon, a biker who also works for Money and who has no quarrels with killing and hurting innocent people (seeing him rob a bank shows how ruthless he really is, but also points to his inexperience and hotheadedness). He is tasked with following Mike when he refuses a job, and he becomes entangled in not just Mike's world, but Lou and Sharon's as well, giving them a common enemy to deal with.
The action in the movie is amazing, especially two intense car chases through the 101 - although it did take me out for a moment as it always strikes me as funny seeing how much torture cars go through in movies but work perfectly while I hit a pothole and my car is DOA. Bart Layton and cinematographer Erik Wilson make these chases feel intense and like you're involved in it at the same time, and the fighting is equally jarring - but again, you never feel any sense of worry for the main characters.
Despite that, "Crime 101" is a great thief caper movie that delves deep into the lives of the characters we get to know and appreciate thanks to the committed performances and thoughtful story they tell.
The Score: A
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