2025 • Amazon MGM Studios
Rated: R
Length: 2 hr 22 min
Action ~ Crime ~ Drama ~ Thriller
Director: Bart Layton
Writer: Screenplay by Bart Layton
Actors: Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Barry Keoghan, Halle Berry, Monica Barbaro, Corey Hawkins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Nick Nolte.
Always Have An Exit.
Official Trailer
The Book
Crime 101 (2026) is based on the short Novella Crime 101 from Broken, a collection of six novellas by Don Winslow published August 10, 2021.
Don Winslow returns with six intense short novellas with characters connected by the themes of crime, vengeance, guilt and redemption. It Includes Crime 101: A string of high-level jewel heists up and down the Pacific Coast Highway has gone unsolved for years, mostly because the perpetrator has lived by a strict code he calls “Crime 101.” Police attribute the thefts to the Columbian cartels. But Detective Lou Lubesnick’s gut says it’s the work of just one man. Now the lone-wolf jewel thief is looking for that fabled final last score. And Lou breaks all the rules of Crime 101…
Crime 101 (2026) – Review
LAPD Detective Lou Lubesnick (Mark Ruffalo) is a disheveled, disenchanted, but extremely brilliant modern-day ‘Columbo’ whose personal life is a gut-wrenching mess. His life is collapsing around him as his long-term marriage to Angie (Jennifer Jason Leigh) completely falls apart. Amidst this chaos, Detective Lubesnick remains obsessed with a string of unsolved jewelry heists occurring along Los Angeles’ 101 Highway. He is convinced they are the work of one man…
Mike Davis (Chris Hemsworth) is a man of mystery, a high-stakes thief who operates with a clinical, almost robotic precision. Mike lives by a strict code he calls ‘Crime 101’—no violence, no DNA, and no trace left behind. However, this icy discipline is tested during a botched heist. After a routine job results in an unexpected bullet and a shaken sense of security, Mike realizes that his fabled ‘final score’ will require more than just his solo expertise.
This desperation brings him into the orbit of Sharon Combs (Halle Berry), a disillusioned insurance broker who handles claims for the very wealthy elite Mike targets. Having spent eleven years hitting a glass ceiling at her firm, Sharon is ready to burn it all down. She isn’t just a passive observer; she becomes the broker of information, offering Mike the internal intel he needs for his most ambitious heist yet in exchange for a life-changing cut of the loot.
There is only one catch: Mike has turned his back on his mentor and fence Money (Nick Nolte). Money, in an act of retribution, turns loose a young crime protégé named Ormon (Barry Keoghan) to stalk Mike and the last great heist he is attempting to put together. Loud, violent and suddenly very visible, he adds a dangerous layer of chaos to Mike’s well laid plans. Maya (Monica Barbaro), who accidentally ran into the back of Mike’s car at a red light, adds another complication to the already tense mix. They have been dating through all of this and he is starting to think that maybe he should leave it all behind with Maya.
What follows is a high-octane game of ‘cat-and-mouse-and-wolf’ along the sun-bleached grit of the 101 freeway. Crime 101 feels like a throwback to gritty 90s crime thrillers like Michael Mann’s Heat, while the car chase scenes are reminiscent of Steve McQueen in 1968’s Bullitt. Chris Hemsworth never disappoints, bringing his signature swagger to the heist, while Mark Ruffalo embodies the persona of the “Columbo-like” Detective Lubesnick perfectly. Halle Berry shows us a different side as the frustrated employee who gave everything for nothing, willing to take any risk to rise above it all. Monica Barbaro also does an excellent job portraying Maya, the woman falling for the mysterious Mike.
At almost two and a half hours, the film moves quickly, keeping you caught up in the web of intersecting lives along the 101. However, at the end of the journey, we are left with doubts about the trip we took. While it was an exhilarating ride, the loose ends and plot holes leave you feeling a little road weary. Crime 101 is a great ride if you just look at the scenery—just try not to analyze the “why” too much!
Crime 101 (2026) – Review by Bobby @ Streaming Movie Night.
Movie Stills
Crime 101 (2026) – Review – © 2026 Streaming Movie Night
Bonus Content
First Look Featurette
Thrill Of The Chase Featurette
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