The Wasteland Reviewer

Crime 101 (2026) Written Review

Why is Bart Layton so great at telling crime stories? Layton is certainly not a household name for most but for those who love film, he is instantly a fascinating filmmaker. With the documentary The Imposter, he found a twisted tale that would connect with people, unnerve them and capture their consciousness. His follow-up, American Animals, was an intriguing and stacked documentary/thriller hybrid that offered up an intriguing next group of actors. Layton is tackling his most straightforward cinematic story but does not skimp on the budget nor the technical skills as he brings this heist caper to life before our eyes. 

How does Layton bring another fascinating crime story to life in Los Angeles? First off, Layton and cinematographer Erik Wilson do a great job of bringing this visual experience to life with such sharp execution and texture. The opening upside-down shot of Los Angeles is evocative and entrancing. The atmosphere that Layton crafts is impeccable and puts Crime 101 up there with Heat, Collateral, and Drive in terms of Los Angeles as a vivid character in the piece. There is a rich and striking look to each shot that bears the weight and power of Layton’s vision. For a film that is almost two-and-a-half hours long, Crime 101 moves with propulsive energy and zeal. The heist sequences and action are packed full of tension and suspense with few directors able to mount such cinematic tension. There is a raw energy and feeling that Layton captures that puts the audience right there with the characters as well. The score from Blanck Mass is just another fine addition to the process of crafting such a compelling cinematic experience. 

Does the script from Layton deliver as well? Layton does a fine job at bringing Don Winslow’s novella to life, especially in the characterization of its main set of characters. There are certainly some elements that feel overly familiar to films like Heat. There also seems to be a lack of bite by the end of the film compared some of the films that it homages. But Layton crafts enough narrative thrust, thematic work, and characterization to engross the audience along the way. The quartet of main players makes such a compelling collage of humanity with their differing personalities and journeys colliding in unexpected ways. Chris Hemsworth’s Davis is a strong central anchor to the film as he is an expert at what he does yet struggles to keep a significant person close to him, (Monica Barbaro’s Maya). Halle Berry’s Sharon acts as a surrogate for the audience to be pulled into this unexpected world of the crime. Mark Ruffalo’s Lou is a cop who is challenged by the moral ambiguity of this whole scenario and just might go on the most interesting journey of them all. Then you have Barry Keoghan’s Ormon who is a wild card of violence and death that pits this crime/thriller on the edge of chaos. For a film with so many moving pieces, Layton can thread them all together in a compelling and engrossing experience.

Does the cast rise to the bar that Layton has set throughout the rest of the production? Hemsworth has not had the best track record outside of the role of Thor, but he finds something special with Davis. Enigmatic, intense, and strong, this criminal is someone that Hemsworth can explore with plenty of his natural intensity. His charisma shines through with his dynamic with Maya while also leaving the door open to raw and vulnerable emotion (especially in the climax of the film). Berry does some solid work as a character who must navigate these uncharted waters with a balance of excitement and nervousness. Ruffalo delivers such a layered and complex performance that stands out so well in this dynamic. Keoghan continues his streak of intense, offbeat, and dangerous little weirdos which makes for an impactful dynamic injected into the film. You have such a strong batch of supporting turns as well from Barbaro, Corey Hawkins, Nick Nolte, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Tate Donovan. Plenty of strong acting elevates this crime/thriller as well. 

Is Crime 101 a new modern crime/thriller classic in the making? We don’t get a whole lot of bigger budgeted crime/thrillers like Crime 101 and Layton made sure that it reaches a masterful level. Hemsworth leads an impressive cast that boasts plenty of complex and engrossing dynamics. A little long and a little safe doesn’t mean Crime 101 is a lesser film…it is still one of the best of its genre in recent memory.