Upcoming adrenaline-filled heist movie Crime 101, starring Chris Hemsworth as a high-profile thief, has debuted with a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes ahead of its cinema release.
The film from writer-director Bart Layton is inspired by the 2020 novella of the same name by Don Winslow, following a jewel thief involved in a series of heists across the 101 freeway.
Hemsworth stars as protagonist Mike Davis, a notorious thief who has the police on his back after being linked to multiple crime scenes. As Detective Lou Lubesnick (Mark Ruffalo) is trying to track Mike down, the thief has a business proposition for insurance broker Sharon Colvin (Halle Berry).
When Sharon meets Mike, she’s none the wiser about his real job. She’s immediately intrigued by his lifestyle, unwittingly suggesting she should be “in [his] line of work”.
The two of them team up when Mike convinces Sharon, who’s underappreciated at work, to steal some luxury jewels insured by her company.
Amazon MGM Studios/Merrick Morton
Crime 101 also stars Barry Keoghan as Ormon, a thug sent to hunt Mike down and Monica Barbaro as Maya, with Jennifer Jason Leigh, Nick Nolte, Corey Hawkins, and Tate Donovan rounding out the cast.
The film opened with a score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, as announced by the review aggregator website on their Twitter/X earlier today. Though the rating has since dropped to 88%, critics have been praised the “impressive” (via Radio Times) and “sublime” (via The Times) movie.
Amazon MGM Studios/Dean Rogers
Empire called it a “slick cinematic thriller” with a starry cast that makes up for its flaws, while Screen International drew a parallel with Michael Mann’s movies set in scorching Southern California.
“The plot can be humdrum, and it often lacks drive, yet the skilled cast and sleek visual style keep our eyes locked on the screen anyway,” TheWrap noted in their review.
Amazon MGM Studios/Dean Rogers
Some critics were less lenient, pointing out the derivative nature of the film, with Associated Press writing: “The rare film to make you wonder: Can a movie cosplay another movie? The real heist of Crime 101 is an old one: If you’re going to steal, steal from the best.”
Crime 101 is released in cinemas on 13 February.
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Reporter, Digital Spy
Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy.
Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).