Australia’s own Chris Hemsworth leads this slow moving but beautiful examination of beating an unjust system by stealing millions of dollars worth of diamonds.
Beautifully filmed and capturing LA’s grit, 'Crime 101' is more of a character study than a heist movie. That doesn’t mean it isn’t exciting – there are car chases and heart-thumping thefts galore – it’s just that the motivations behind the crimes take centre stage. 'Crime 101' is more 'Heat' than 'Fast And Furious’.
'Crime 101' centres around four people: Mike (Hemsworth – main thief), Sharon (Halle Berry – insurance broker to the wealthy art collector set), Lou (Mark Ruffalo – the last honest detective in town) and Ormon (Barry Keoghan – disorganised, violent robber rival to Mike). With the exception of Ormon who seems to be disposable – maybe because he uses violence to rob people in stake contrast to Mike – each character has clearly articulated and well explored motivations for their actions.
Mike is a former foster kid requiring order and financial security, Lou has been let down by the dearth of his colleagues’ integrity, and the gorgeous Halle Berry is now too old to be sexy enough to close deals with lecherous clients. It is these pressures that guide their actions when opportunities present themselves.
The acting is top notch – each performer is world class, and communicates so much in quiet moments. However, the yoga meet-cute is a little on the nose, and some of the actions the characters take seem like a bit of a stretch. It would be spoiling way too much to go into detail, but the climax of the film seems a departure from both routine and personality. It doesn’t detract from the film at all, it’s just a good idea to suspend disbelief and go along for the ride.
The use of a meditation app voiceover, and the long panning shots of the LA skyline that slowly turn the viewers' world upside down are gorgeous, giving the film a veneer, hinting at the false structure we set up for ourselves to keep the chaos at bay, but it’s always lingering there anyway, just beneath the surface.
