A stellar cast racing along Highway 101
Crime 101 is the film adaptation of Don Winslow’s acclaimed novella of the same name with a huge cast that races along California Highway 101 with jewel thieves, insurance fraudsters and pursuing police without reaching the height that such a collection of blockbuster names should have reached but still delivers an entertaining and interesting film.
Chris Hemsworth plays an elusive jewel thief (Mike Davis) with a moral compass who had previously evaded the police without leaving clues of his identity until his latest job. He is pursued by Det. Lou Lubesnick (Mark Ruffalo) who is out of sorts with his police colleagues and life in general but also has a theory about the elusive thief and where his next job will be. Mike plans the next job with criminal collaborator Money (Nick Nolte) but Money is concerned that Mike is losing his nerve so instead gets Ormon (Barry Keoghan) to do the next job then assigns him to find out what Mike is planning after that. Ormon however has a more violent streak than Mike.
Meanwhile, Sharon Colvin (Halle Berry), an insurance broker, is becoming disillusioned with the promises of becoming a partner in her company and she crosses paths with Lou in the course of the insurance claim and his investigation of Mike’s crime. Later she meets Mike who suggests she helps with his planned next job which he hopes is his last. As the job nears the lines between right and wrong cross.
Screenwriter and director, Bart Layton, does a good job with the stellar cast keeping the story moving and unfolding. Along with cinematographer Erik Wilson, they also manage to film sequences of California in all its glory and downsides with the always filled highway shots at night particularly well handled. Similarly, the car chase scenes are excitingly adrenaline packed and captured masterfully.
Hemsworth, Berry and Ruffalo act well in their parts with Berry and Ruffalo adding depth to their characters. They are also well supported by Monica Barbaro, Corey Hawkins, Jennifer Jason Leigh and the other cast members. The casting of Barry Keoghan and Nick Nolte seems a little curious, while they don’t perform badly, both are fine actors of great range and a little wasted in their roles although brilliant for the billing.
Crime 101 is an entertaining film that keeps the action rolling and the moral dilemmas mounting with a blockbuster cast that probably should have reached a higher mark than it does but is still enjoyable and worth going along for the ride.
Reviewed by Rob McKinnon
