Well-acted, stylish, moody, and well-paced, those are four words that come to mind as I watched Crime 101. Very easy to watch and visually pleasing are a few others.
What surprised me about director and co-writer Bart Layton’s film, which follows an elusive thief (Chris Hemsworth) teaming up with an insurance broker (Halle Berry) while being pursued by a relentless detective (Mark Ruffalo), is how familiar the resolution of Hemsworth’s character’s worst-case scenario feels. It’s the one part of the film I wish had unfolded in a less clichéd and more satisfying way.
To be clear, I’m not saying that I predicted everything that happens in the last quarter of the movie, but I did see a key element of the ending coming, which is never ideal.
That said, Crime 101 may not be my new favourite heist film, as I’d hoped, but I’d still probably watch much of it again because of everything else it gets right.
Watch it if you’re curious.
Happy Film Loving,
G
