Crime 101 (2026)

I am a huge fan of author Don Winslow. I believe him to be one of the finest crime fiction writers of modern times, with many of his novels absolutely ripe for cinematic adaptation. However, so far we've only had The Death and Life of Bobby Z (2007), followed by Savages (2012), the latter of which was directed by Oliver Stone. If you don't remember Savages, that's probably because it was a hugely disappointing film; I'd go as far as to say it might actually be Stone's worst. There's at least three other Winslow adaptations currently in the works, including The Power of the Dog- which is the first of the 'Border' Trilogy, and astonishing feat of epic storytelling set amidst the murky world of the Cartel and the DEA. Crime 101, directed by Bart Layton, is adapted from a story in Winslow's 2020 novella, Broken. Starring Chris Hemsworth as Mike, a well groomed, high class thief who plans and commits robberies spanning the length of the 101 freeway in California, the film weaves a series of interconnecting characters through the prism of Mike's robberies. His crime spree, supported by Nick Nolte's 'Money', is one that has caught the attention of dishevelled LAPD detective Lou (Mark Ruffalo), who is determined to hunt him down. When Mike meets Maya (Monica Barbaro), he suddenly spies a life that he has never before considered. She quickly spots the lack of photos in his beach facing apartment and the coy nature he displays when the subject of his job comes up, yet she seems determined to bring out another side to him. Mike spots the opportunity of a potentially criminal life ending heist, using Halle Berry's troubled insurance agent Sharon to get to a whopping sum of money belonging to her hugely rich client Tate Donovan's Steven. But there's a problem- Nolte's Money has decided he can no longer trust Mike, and has hired Barry Keoghan's Ormon to follow him everywhere, find out what he's planning, and hijack the heist. Crime 101 seems to have everyone involved. Jennifer Jason Leigh turns up for a cameo that lasts less than a minute, Nick Nolte's screentime barely surpasses that, and you wish that Donovan had more screen time. Everything about Crime 101 screams Michael Mann, most notably Heat (1995), and appears to have every box ticked when it comes to crime thriller cliches. There's shades of The French Connection (1971), Drive (2011), Bullitt (1968) and The Thomas Crown Affair (1968)- the latter two of which are openly referred to in the film- but the spectre of Mann's work in Heat, Collateral (2004) and also Blackhat (2015)- which also stars Hemsworth- is so striking, you fear that it's surely going to derail the entire project. Layton even uses Mann's concept of his characters being two sides of the same coin, a theme that essentially permeates every Mann film. Here, Hemsworth is Robert De Niro's Neil McCauley, and Ruffalo is Al Pacino's Vincent Hanna. But, this is where my Michael Mann rant ends. Because Layton's film is almost unbearably entertaining. And if this just something to whet our appetite until Mann's Heat 2 finally makes it to the screen, then Crime 101 does an excellent job. It absolutely rips along, takes Winslow's work from the page and throws it on screen almost exactly as I'd imagined it. All the cast look like they're having an absolute blast in the best possible way, and Hemsworth is surprisingly good at showing a weak side to his character when he meets and goes on a date with Maya. Berry is also excellent, perhaps offering us a glimpse of what could have been after her Oscar win for Monster's Ball (2001); instead she attempted to torch her career with a string of stinkers including Gothica (2003) and Catwoman (2004). It's one of those films all about L.A, and Layton makes the city look almost as good as Mann (last reference, I promise) with some glorious panning shots of the city both during the day and at night. This is stylish, assured filmmaking from the man who gave us American Animals (2018) and The Imposter (2012), and while Crime 101 might not have the inventive nature of those two films or reinvent the crime thriller wheel, it's a film that absolutely stinks of confidence. And that conviction drives this film (at times quite literally) through the entirety of its two hour twenty minute run time that unreservedly flies by. It feels like we don't get this type of film anymore, certainly not this well made, and it's a real shame. Get more of Winslow's brilliant work on screen as fast as possible, and get Layton back behind the camera for it. Or Michael Mann. Sorry. 8.0/10